Whistler’s Mother – Art For Art’s Sake

Whistler’s Mother – National Gallery of Victoria

Yesterday I took advantage of Senior’s Card discount day and went to the Whistler’s Mother Exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria.

I’ve always been a bit of a fan of Whistler’s art, not necessarily his most famous work which was the focus of this exhibition, but his wonderful minimalist water colours, like the one below scanned from American Watercolours, a large art book in my personal library.

 
Grey and Silver: Pier, Southend, early 1880s

The exhibition is fairly small, though educational, with the painting of Whistler’s Mother being the feature work. Several other works of art are displayed as well,  Australian artists who were influenced by the painting, and several Japanese art works.  Japanese art was a major influence on the art world of the mid to late 19th Century, and Whistler’s Mother is a prime example of how aspects of Japanese art are incorporated in the paintings of the period.

Several sets of Whistler’s etchings were also on display – his  English,French and Venice sets in particular.

When you first walk into the exhibition there were three striking caricatures of Whistler. He was apparently a flamboyant and colourful character and a proponent of the Aesthetic Movement, who believed in the idea of art for art’s sake..

Monocle right eye, portrait of J. M. Whistler (detail) c. 1899 by Mortimer Menpes

Whistler caricature by Aubrey Beardsley

You pass through several rooms before you finally arrive at the famous portrait, spotlit in a room by itself.

Whistler’s Mother painting

There weren’t all that many people taking in this particular exhibition, so there was no difficulty in getting up close to the picture.

After leaving the Whistler exhibition I cruised through several rooms of art, trying to find an exit. Thus I ambled through European Art, Porcelain and Decorative Arts before finding the down escalator.

I photographed the claw foot of an elaborate table in the European Art section, as I have a fondness for claw footed furniture and this was a particularly attractive foot.

And I was amused by of the following cartoon for Mental Energy by James Gillray. The character looks the opposite of mentally energised!

All in all, it was a pleasant exhibition well worth attending.

RIP Boban & The Championships Week 2

Boban parades after winning the Memsie Stakes – 29 August 2015

Five time Group 1 winner Boban died in a freak paddock accident on Sunday night, and thus passed a sterling middle distance runner. He was recently retired from racing after bleeding in the 2016 Futurity Stakes, so unfortunately he didn’t get much time to enjoy it.

His last win was at the end of August last year, when he took out the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield. Previous to that he won the 2015 Group 1 Doomben 10,000,  2014 Chipping Norton Stakes and the 2013 Emirates Stakes and Epsom Stakes.

My condolences to his connections.

The so called Championships continue this Saturday at Randwick with four Group 1 races on the card.

Winx originally was set to target the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but commendably her connections have decided to give her a spell after her gruelling run in the Doncaster Mile. We can therefore look forward to seeing her again in the Spring as she’ll be aimed at winning the Cox Plate for a second time. It would be nice if she came to Melbourne early and contested one or two races before the Cox Plate.

With Winx out, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes is fairly wide open with a number of horses capable of winning the 2000 metre race.

For Criterion, it his last race before retiring to stud, so no doubt his owners will be hoping he goes out on a high note. He’s got the credentials having won the race on a bog track last year.

Preferment has won his last two starts, the Group 1 Australian Cup and The BMW by narrow margins, so is sure to be in the finish here and could well win. He has the Chris Waller/ Hugh Bowman factor in his favour as well.

The imported Irish stayer The United States has finally settled and won his first Group 1 when taking out the Ranvet Stakes at his last start. He is the current favourite, so if he handles soft tracks (of which he has little experience) he is a top chance.

Of the others, Happy Clapper who ran second to Winx in the Doncaster Mile and would have won if she had not competed, has to be a goer if he can manage the short back up. And then there’s Hauraki who has run second to The United States and Winx at his last two starts.

If the track is heavy Lucia Valentina has to be a good chance at good odds.

The first of the Group 1 races scheduled is the Australasian Oaks  run over 2400 metres, in which Jameka is backing up after running second in the ATC Derby last week. Back against her own sex she is the top pick if she has recovered.  Her main rivals are Vinery Stud Stakes winner Single Gaze, runnerup Valley Girl and third placed Happy Hannah.

The Sydney Cup is run over the same distance as the Melbourne Cup (3200 metres) but has not the same status, despite the prize money being quite generous. It looks as if it could result in another Chris Waller Group 1 trifecta, with top chances Who Shot Thebarman, Grand Marshall and Libran belonging to his stable. 

Formerly called The Queen of Turf Stakes, the Coolmore Legacy Stakes is a Group 1 race for mares and fillies over 1600 metres. Suavito, who has drawn the carpark is the class mare in the race.  Fellow Melbourne mares Badawiya and Azkadellia and Sydney mares Zanbagh, Heavens Above, Vergara and Lady Le Fay are her main rivals.

Also of interest due to the presence of Petits Filous is the Group 2 Arrowfield 3yo Sprint. She has certainly been thrown in the deep end as her rivals are quite classy, with runners like Japonisme, Kinglike, Stellar Collision, Hellbent and Ghisoni in the field. 

As I write, the track condition at Randwick is reported to be a soft 6, which is defined as: moist but not a badly affected track, though after a few races that may change for the better or worse. 

Update Saturday Night – The Italian Girls Star

It was another great day of racing at Randwick this afternoon, with some sensational results, with very few favourites saluting.

The only favourite to win a Group 1 was Azkadellia in the Queen of the Turf Stakes, beating long odds Heavens Above by a couple of lengths with Noble Protector running third.

The Oaks was won by the fiesty New Zealand filly Sofia Rosa with outsiders Ambience and Believe running second and third. Jameka who was too far back early in the race, was left flat footed in the straight and finished fourth.

The Lloyd Williams owned import Gallante won the Sydney Cup from Libran and Grand Marshall.

I was delighted to see Lucia Valentina take out the feature event, the Queen Elizabeth Stakes; not that I took my own advice and had any money on her.  The United States finished second and Happy Clapper ran third. Lucia Valentina raced at the tail end of the field and when making her move in the straight, almost fell, then was blocked for a run. When she had a clear run, she whooshed down the outside to score by over two lengths. A remarkable performance.

The two Italian girls are of course Sofia Rosa and Lucia Valentina who are both owned by the business man Lib Petagna, who certainly had a good day at Randwick.

March Music–Jason Isbell & Eilen Jewell

Jason Isbell at Melbourne Recital Centre – 29/3/16

Jason Isbell has been hailed as the saviour of country music by various music critics, though he denies it. His latest record, Something More Than Free won a Grammy for Best Americana Album, and he won Best American Roots Song for 24 Frames, one of the notable tracks on the album.

He is undoubtedly one of the best songwriters around, so it was with keen anticipation that I went to his concert at the acoustically excellent Elisabeth Murdoch Hall in the Melbourne Recital Centre at Southbank.

Everything claimed about the acoustics in Elisabeth Murdoch Hall is true. I’ve never heard such purity and clarity of sound in a venue before. It certainly beats venues like Northcote Social Club hands down, which was where I last saw Jason Isbell perform live.

Eilen Jewell and her band opened for Jason Isbell  and played an engaging half hour set that sweetened the audience beautifully for the rest of the night.

Eilen Jewell at Melbourne Recital Centre – 29/3/16

Jason Isbell was accompanied by his excellent band The 400 Unit who comprise Sadler Vaden on guitar, Jimbo Hart on bass, Derry DeBorja on keyboards and Chad Gamble on drums.

A powerful performer, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit wowed the crowd with a stunning set of songs drawn from his repertoire, encompassing Something More Than Free, Southeastern and his back catalogue, including songs he wrote for the Drive By Truckers.

At the end of his show he was accorded a standing ovation, a courtesy Melbourne audiences seem more prone to doing these days.

Jason Isbell Setlist

1. Stockholm
2. Decoration Day
3. Alabama Pines
4. Something More Than Free
5. Travelling Alone
6. Never Gonna Change
7. Cover Me Up
8. Relatively Easy
9. 24 Frames
10. The Life You Chose
11. Speed Trap Town
12. Different Days
13. If It Takes a Lifetime

Encore:

1. Elephant
2. Codeine

The night after the Jason Isbell concert I went to see Eilen Jewell  doing a headline show at Thornbury Theatre on the 30th March. 

Eilen  Jewell is a real gem of an artist – witty, sparkling - and has a great voice – sultry and sweet. She also writes great songs; on the dark side of the spectrum generally, which belies her innocent looks.

Eilen Jewell at Thornbury Theatre 30/3/16

She opened her set with two songs from her latest excellent album Sundown Over Ghost Town – Worried Mind and Hallelujah Band, then harked back to her 2009 record, Sea of Tears, with Rain Roll In.

Supported as usual by her fabulous band which features Jerry Miller on electric guitar, Johnny Sciascia on upright bass and Jason Beek (her husband) on drums and backing vocals – “singing and drumming” as Eilen puts it.

Jerry Miller & Jason Beek – Thornbury Theatre 30/3/16

Johnny Sciascia – Thornbury Theatre 30/3/16

Eilen and band gave generously of their time playing for over two hours, which encompassed 22 songs all up.

Since last touring Australia, Eilen Jewell has given birth to a baby daughter named Mavis. Her last song of the night is ostensibly about her, and appropriately titled Songbird. “Mavis” is an old fashioned name for a songbird.

It was a great pleasure to watch Eilen and her band in the civilised and comfortable surrounds of the grand Thornbury Theatre,  after  previously seeing her perform two concerts on the sticky carpets at Brunswick Music Club and the Corner Hotel.

Eilen Jewell Set List

1. Worried Mind
2. Hallelujah Band
3. Rain Roll In
4. Where They Never Say Your Name
5. Heartache Boulevard
6. High Shelf Booze
7. Here with Me
8. Bang, Bang, Bang
9. Rio Grande
10. Santa Fe
11. Rich Man’s World
12. Dusty Boxcar Walls
13. Needle and Thread
14. Mess Around
15. Drop Down Daddy
16. Fist City
17. Warning Signs
18. Sea of Tears
19. I Remember You
20. Queen of the Minor Key
21. If You Catch Me Stealing

Encore

1. Songbird

Doncaster–Derby Day at Randwick

Tarzino at Flemington – Australian Guineas Day 5/3/2016

Black type racing is over in Melbourne until spring, so it is cheering that the Sydney Championships can keep the interest alive for a few weeks yet.

And what a beauty of a race meeting it is this coming Saturday at Randwick with four Group 1 races on the cards,  involving several exciting stars of the turf.

The first of these is super star Winx, who will be endeavouring to add the prestigious Doncaster Mile to her list of Group 1 wins.

Winx reminds a lot people of the great New Zealand mare Sunline who won the Doncaster twice, and ran second in a third attempt, as well as winning two Cox Plates among many other Group 1 races, but Winx still has a long way to go before she equals Sunline’s record.

As she is only four, she has plenty of time if she stays sound. She is indubitably the most exciting racehorse in Australia at present, having won her last eight races, five of them at Group 1 kevel.

Naturally she will start as hot favourite for the Doncaster, and though it is hard to see her get beaten, other runners with a chance are Kermadec, runner up to Winx in the George Ryder Stakes and Doncaster Handicap winner last year, old rival First Seal, wearing blinkers for the first time, Turn Me Loose, who blew his chances last start overracing, and  Azkadellia who always runs an honest race.

As previously mentioned the race card boasts three other Group 1 races, the first being the Inglis Sires for two year olds over 1400 metres. There are no super stars in the field so it’s pretty wide open. Prime chances are Seaburge, Yankee Rose, Teleperion, Detective, Attention  and Zamzam.

The TJ Smith Stakes is a time honoured sprint and has attracted a classy field of contestants that include Chautauqua (last year’s winner) Exosphere, Terravista, Delectation, Flamberge and Fell Swoop.

Tarzino, the most promising young stayer in the country, is the top pick for the Australian Derby.  His main opposition comes from the classy Jameka, taking on the boys again, and Tally who is on a four run winning streak.

Despite Sydney having heavy rain earlier the week, the track at Randwick shouldn’t be too soggy, unlike last year, where the meeting was cancelled until the the next day due to the inclemency of the weather.

Update Sunday – The Wow Factor Again!

As anticipated, it was a fantastic day of racing at Randwick yesterday.

All the winners of the Group 1 events produced dominant performances.

Yankee Rose won the Inglis Sires by 2.5 lengths from Telperion with longshot Faraway Town running third.

Tarzino was on his wrong leg in the Australian Derby and failed to run a place. The race was won by an outsider, the New Zealand trained Tavago romping in by over three lengths. Jameka ran her usual honest race and finished second ahead of Tally in third place.

The grey speedster Chautauqua, as is his style, produced a heartstopping last to first finish in the TJ Smith Stakes, winning the race for the second time in succession.  Fell Swoop ran the race of his life and finished second ahead of the filly English.

And, wonder horse Winx, who looked in non winning position in the straight with 300 metres to go,  having raced at the tail of field for most of the race, broke through a wall of horses to score a two length victory over Happy Clapper and Azkadellia in the Doncaster Mile.

Black Hearts, Easter Bunnies & Buffering

Black Heart Bart – Caulfield 26/3/16

My Saturday afternoon plans were disrupted, so I arrived much later at Caulfield than I had anticipated. This was due to the unexpected visit from an old friend whom I had not seen for about 15 years. We go back a long way, to when we were both eight or nine at boarding school in Mansfield. We reconnected in 2001, and have mostly kept in touch with Christmas greetings every year.

I really could not, nor did I wish to, curtail her visit, so I got to Caulfield an hour later than planned, totally missing Petits Filous race, which she won fairly easily. She had already left the course when I arrived, so I failed to even get a photo of her.

However, I was compensated by seeing former West Australian Black Heart Bart winning Race 7, the Group 3 Victoria Handicap.

He’s pretty boy with an almost white heart marking on his forehead.

Black Heart Bart in the mounting yard

Caulfield Racecourse was all abuzz with Easter cheer, and very noisy, what with a covers band, and some kind of children’s entertainment competing for attention with the usual racing broadcasts. Kids were everywhere and there was a fair crowd in attendance. There was also an easter egg hunt for the kids and for adults, which I was not in the least interested in contesting.

I only stayed for two races and also took the opportunity to watch the two Group 1 races in Sydney on the big screen.

As Jameka was scratched from the Vinery Stud Stakes, it was a wide open affair and was won by 30/1 shot Side Gaze, with NZ filly Valley Girl running second and Happy Hannah, who only got into the field because Jameka was scratched, running third.

Preferment won the BMW from stablemates Who Shot Thebarman and Grand Marshall, another Group 1 trifecta for the Chris Waller stable.

Anyway, back to Caulfield and race 6, which was the Catanach Jewellers Handicap, a race over 1800 metres.

The amusingly named Ungrateful Ellen started as favourite and beat Mildura Cup winner Gingerboy by a short margin. Himalaya Dream was third.

Ungrateful Ellen in the pre parade ring

Gingerboy in the pre parade ring

Himalaya Dream on his way to the barriers

Race 6 down the straight – Himalaya Dream leads with Gingerboy & Ungrateful Ellen about to overtake him

As previously mentioned, Black Heart Bart won race 7, the Victoria Handicap carrying top weight. He beat home Charmed Harmony who set the pace and Eclair Choice.

Charmed Harmony in the mounting yard

Eclair Choice in the mounting yard

Black Heart Bart in the winners rug posing for photos

Before heading home, I checked out the stalls area to see if Last Typhoon (Typhoon Tracy’s only foal) had arrived. He was there, with a group of women admiring him. I assume one or other of them was his owner. They got the strapper to bring him out for a pat, which of course I took advantage of myself. He’s a friendly young horse, obviously sweet natured. He was then taken off for a walk, which where I snapped the following photo.

Last Typhoon in the walking ring

He had no luck in his race and finished a distant 12th.

On Saturday night, tough old Australian sprinter Buffering won the Al Quoz Sprint from a top class field. He’s now 8 years old, but appears to be getting even better with age. He’s one of the last sprinters still around who raced against Black Caviar in her heyday.

And on Thursday night at Moonee Valley, Peter Moody ended his training career on a high note, when Flamberge won the Group 1 William Reid Stakes, by a nose from Holler, with Japonisme running third closely behind.

It will be strange not seeing Peter Moody at the track as he’s always been there every time I’ve attended. He’s a top bloke and deserves his place in racing history for the way he handled the great Black Caviar’s career.

Racing in Melbourne is pretty uninteresting from now on, so I doubt I’ll attend many races until the spring. I’ll miss my Saturday afternoons at the track, but no doubt will find other things to blog about.

For a start, I have two concerts to attend this week, the first Jason Isbell tomorrow night at the Melbourne Recital Centre, and the lovely Eilen Jewell will be playing at Thornbury Theatre on Wednesday.

I was going to see Frazey Ford at Caravan Music Club on Friday, but the person I was going with cannot attend, so I’m giving it a miss.

Welcome Back Little Rascals–Easter Racing

Petits Filous at Flemington 15/9/15

Even though it’s Easter, there is plenty of racing action this weekend, at Moonee Valley Thursday night, and at Caulfield and Rosehill on Saturday.

The feature race at Moonee Valley is the Group 1 William Reid Stakes, where a good field of 12 sprinters will be vieing for the prize. Top chances are Lucky Hussler who won the race last year, Holler who took out the Australia Stakes earlier this year at Moonee Valley over the same distance, and Japonisme who ran third in the Lightning Stakes and won the Coolmore Classic last spring.  And you really can’t overlook recent Group 1 sprint winners Flamberge and The Quarterback, though they have no form at Moonee Valley.

I don’t intend to go to the Moonee Valley meeting, but I’m looking forward to heading out to Caulfield on Saturday for their Easter Cup meeting, ostensibly to see Petits Filous in race 4.

She has not graced a racetrack since running unsuccessfully in the Moir Stakes last spring, after previously winning her first four starts by impressive margins.

As race 4 , the Jack Elliott Handicap (1100 metres), is as the race title says, a handicap, she has been weighted according to her rating, at an  imposte of 60kg giving her rivals a big weight advantage. Her opposition however is fairly weak, so she will possibly win.

I’m also keen to get a look at the sole offspring of the late Typhoon Tracy, who is entered in the last race at Caulfield on Saturday. A colt by Street Cry named Last Typhoon, he has raced seven times for two wins on rural tracks. This is his first race in the big smoke, so who knows how he will fare.  His mum was a great favourite of mine, so I hope he can do her proud.

The Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes and The BMW are the feature races at Rosehill on Saturday, so I’ll hopefully get to watch them at Caulfield.

Jameka is the top pick in the Vinery Stud Stakes, a race for three year old staying fillies over 2000 metres. She appears to be a class above her rivals, though Risque and Stay With Me may give her a run for the money. Others with a chance are NZ fillies Capella and Valley Girl.

The BMW is run over 2400 metres, so a field of 10 tried and true stayers will be contesting it. Preferment looks to be the one to beat, but trying hard will be Mongolian Khan, at his favourite distance, Arab Dawn an attractive British import, Who Shot Thebarman, Rising Romance and three year old Montaigne.

Golden Slipper Day at Rosehill & Vale BLU

Extreme Choice parades in the mounting yard after the Blue Diamond Stakes

There are no race meetings in Melbourne this coming Saturday, but the keen Victorian racing fan will be more than compensated watching the action from Rosehill on TV or computer.

The feature  is of course the world’s  richest two year old race, the Group 1 Golden Slipper.

It is run over 1200 metres and has a full field of 16 acceptors, comprised of nine colts and seven fillies. The top two contenders as far as I’m concerned are the Blue Diamond winner and runner up, Extreme Choice and Flying Artie.

It’s probably a better quality field than the Blue Diamond Stakes and others with the credentials to win are colts Kiss and Make Up, Defcon, Astern, Capitalist and fillies Scarlet Rain and Calliope.

As well as the Golden Slipper, there are four other Group 1 races, the George Ryder Stakes, Ranvet Stakes, Rosehill Guineas and Galaxy, all with quaility fields.

Winx will be gunning for her fifth Group 1 win in the George Ryder Stakes (1500 metres).  She faces old rival First Seal, New Zealand wonder horse Turn Me Loose, and her stablemates Press Statement and Kermadec.

The Ranvet Stakes is run over 2000 metres and has attracted a good field of nine runners. Criterion is the class horse. He has an excellent record over the distance and at the track, so is the one to beat. Mongolian Khan may give him a run for the money, as could Hauraki, Dibayani and The United States, backing up after running second last Saturday at Flemington.

The Rosehill Guineas, for three year olds, is also run over 2000 metres. Victoria Derby winner Tarzino and Randwick Guineas winner Le Romain are the main chances, though sole filly Jameka, who beat Tarzino on Cox Plate day last spring, with her light weight could spring a surprise. She proved with her Crown Oaks win that she handles soft going, which is the likely track rating for Rosehill on Saturday.

No quality raceday would be complete without a Group 1 sprint, and the Galaxy fits the bill.  A full field of fourteen runners have accepted.

I’ll be barracking for Fell Swoop who narrowly missed out on winning his first Group 1, beaten by Flamberge, in the Oakleigh Plate.  He has won over the distance (1100 metres) and at Rosehill on soft going previously, albeit against lesser opposition.

Flamberge shares top weight with Terravista, who is the one to beat, though his record on soft tracks is iffy. Gai Waterhouse trained filly, English, who ran second in the Golden Slipper last year, and won her only start so far this autumn, is also worth consideration.

Rest In Peace Better Loosen Up

Better Loosen Up at Flemington – Australian Cup Day 2015

Living Legends announced this morning that Better Loosen Up had passed away the previous night after suffering a sudden heart problem. He was eased away in his paddock surrounded by his friends.

He was 30 years old, a good age for a horse, and had spent his retirement lovingly attended at Living Legends, being a particular favourite of CEO and Chief Vet, Dr Andrew Clarke.  Better Loosen Up was affectionately known as Blu and was a legend of the turf in the early 1990s winning the 1990 Cox Plate, Mackinnon Stakes and Japan Cup, and the 1991 Australian Cup.

I’m pleased I had the chance to see him couple of times; at Flemington on Australian Cup day in 2015 and at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day, where he led the field out.

Update Sunday – The Results

I watched the racing action at Rosehill on TV this week, though it felt unfamiliar after spending the last few months of Saturdays at the track.

At least, watching the races on television you get to see them in more detail.

Anyway, there were a few surprises and the cream rose to the top in other cases.

The United States, backing up from running in the Blamey Stakes the week before won his first Group 1 race in the Ranvet Stakes. Hauraki ran second and Criterion finished third.

Winx proved that she is a star and the best horse in Australia by comfortably winning the George Ryder Stakes from her stablemates Kermadec and Press Statement. Turn Me Loose took off like a rocket and led for most of the race, but was a spent force at the finish, overracing proving his downfall.

The Rosehill Guineas was Tarzino’s for the taking, which he did with style. Montaigne ran second and the brave Jameka hung on for third.

Magic Millions Two Year Old Classic winner, Capitalist proved he wasn’t a one hit wonder, winning the Golden Slipper from Yankee Rose and Flying Artie. Extreme Choice missed the start and had a torrid time trying to catch up, and was unlucky all round.

And the Galaxy was taken out by the long shot Griante with outsiders Shiraz and Dothraki filling the minor places. The trifecta must have paid a fortune.