Perth Cup Preview 2011

The new year is about to let rip and the most important thing to start off the year in a good way is to find the Perth Cup winner. The Group 2 event is the 8th race on the card and jumps at 4.30pm.

The Perth Cup is a massive day at the track for the social race-goer. Sadly most of the time the race doesn't have the quality and strength that it deserves for the real enthusiast and once again this is the case with only about 4 or 5 decent runners in the event.

However putting that all aside there is a good bet in the race - to find out what it is you will have to read through the horse by horse guide to the best chances.

Perth Cup Preview 2011


1. COLOUR CORRECT
Jockey - P Harvey
Trainer - R & C Price
Current PLAYER Odds - $8.50
My Rated Odds - $11
Probably the best horse in the event and certainly has been in good form including a nice last start which in traditionally the best lead up event the CB Cox Stakes over 2100m. He also has premier hoop Paul Harvey in the saddle. The one big negative is his weight impost of 57kg. No horse in the last dozen years has carried more than 55.5kg to win, that impost over a strong 2400m will make things tough. One for the novelties more-so than the win.

2. GOD HAS SPOKEN
Jockey - S Parnham
Trainer - N Parnham
Current PLAYER Odds - $14
My Rated Odds - $21
Talented 4yo who has struggled since a win in the RJ Peters over 1500m defeating Ranger. Is proven at the trip having been placed in the WA Derby last year. His last start effort was poor running last in the CB Cox Stakes and was subsequently found to have had a mild respiratory virus. It will be a big training effort to have him back to his best for this and I suspect he has been behind the eight ball even since that with respect to training. Not an impossible result but would be looking to others at this stage.

3. GUYNO (NZ)
Jockey - J Whiting
Trainer - L Luciani
Current PLAYER Odds - $9
My Rated Odds - $10
A former winner of this race in 2009 who has yet to win another race since. One of the best handicapped in the event with 54kg and has drawn nicely albeit still expected to settle in the back half of the field. Trainer Lou Luciani is experimenting with Blinkers going on in order to spark it into winning form. Latest efforts have been quite good and can certainly figure in the race.

4. ADMIRING
Jockey - S O'Donnell
Trainer - M Grant
Current PLAYER Odds - $11
My Rated Odds - $21
A 5yo mare who has struggled for wins most of her career but is racing in career best form. Split the highly rated Colour Correct and Big Ted when 2nd in the CB Cox Stakes but was suited by the tempo on that occasion. Her biggest problem is the wide gate 16 where she will have to go back early and hope for a run through the field or swoop wide around the home turn. Shaun O'Donnell has picked up the ride after Dan Staeck copped a recent suspension. Given her good form has some claims but the gate just means too tough a run for mine and doesn't have enough class to be able to win without anything but the best run.

5. BIG TED
Jockey - T Turner
Trainer - I Haggerty
Current PLAYER Odds - $8
My Rated Odds - $6.50
A consistent 5yo Marooned gelding who has been beaten less than a length at all 3 of its recent efforts. Was clearly the run of the race sitting outside Impressive Jeuney in very strong tempo and just fading late when beaten by Colour Correct in track record time at WFA level. That effort was an indication of its staying prowess and drops 7kg under handicap conditions. Will be infront of most of its main rivals and making them chase hard. I was fortunate enough to have taken $14 pre-post for this outstanding prospect but still looks to be some value even at a much shorter quote of $8.

6. GUEST WING
Jockey - B Parnham
Trainer - S Edwards
Current PLAYER Odds - $19
My Rated Odds - $21
One of the lowest rated horses ever to contest the Cup but comes into contention with an improved effort in recent starts including splitting the Grant Williams pair of Western Jewel and Ranger in the ATA Handicap. By noted staying sire Right Wing is expected to run out the trip and has drawn well enough. Probably needs to find its very best form or even better to take the event but can an outside chance.

7. LATE NIGHT FLIGHT
Jockey - J Hill
Trainer - S Forrest
Current PLAYER Odds - $61
My Rated Odds - $34
One of the expected leaders and somewhat surprising to see it in the race given its history of racing well over much shorter. 2 starts ago at 1800m it ran a creditable 2nd and last start was at 2100m in the ATA Handicap where after working hard early from a wide gate managed to battle on fairly to finish 5th behind Western jewel beaten only 2.5 lengths. Probably has the task ahead of it at 2400m but given its price of $67 maybe worth a spec bet.

8. MEGA STEEL
Jockey - C Harvey
Trainer - B McClune
Current PLAYER Odds - $21
My Rated Odds - $21
5YO Helenus gelding who fits the profile of a likely Cup winner. Drawn nicely with the ability to race on speed should be sitting pretty with every chance to be in the finish. Has struggled for form this preparation however with the only creditable effort being a 2nd behind Brandy Lane at Listed level. Would need to be at its best but has shown form at the trip and worth throwing into novelties for some value.

9. NEW SPICE
Jockey - P Knuckey
Trainer - E Van Merwyk
Current PLAYED Odds - $51
My Rated Odds - $67
Old Spice 7yo gelding who has perhaps seen the light of better days. Has began putting together more donuts than a police station morning tea including its last two efforts finishing at the tail of the field. Is nicely weighted but given its RECENT FORM and wide draw could not see it figuring in the finish.

10. RANGER
Jockey - W Pike
Trainer - G Williams
Current PLAYED Odds - $4.60
My Rated Odds - $7
A heavy pre-post favorite who has drifted after being as short as $3.50 at one stage and has come a long way this prep which started with a lowly Pinjarra maiden win. The remaining 5 efforts have all been in strong company including 2 wins a slashing 5th in the WFA Kingston Town Classic. The barrier draw has however thrown a spanner in the works and will have to settle well off the speed or take a chance early and hope to find a position without being caught wide - either way it will make it a lot tougher. There may also be a slight query over the trip being by Testa Rossa and having seemingly come to the end of its run in the late stages of the ATA Handicap where Western jewel and Guest Wing beat it. Does meet them both better off at the weights however and one of the best handicapped horses in the race getting in on the minimum.

11. RICH SUCCESS (NZ)
Jockey - D Lane
Trainer - R MacPhilomey
Current PLAYER Odds - $51
My Rated Odds - $67
Everyone loves an outsider and this is it. Has come in from $301 odds first offered to be at $51. A handy 3yo stayed in Melbourne who lost all form but has started to find things easier in Geraldton winning a couple of recent races. Likely to be leading or close to it early in the event and could give its backers a run for a long way but not up to class required to take out this and likely to weaken late.

12. SIMPLY ADORABLE
Jockey - P Carbery
Trainer - V Sigley
Current PLAYER Odds - $34
My Rated Odds - $67
Blackfriars mare who hit a purple patch of form last prep winning the Pinjarra Cup when Dashing Dan Miller out rode his rivals. Has struggled a touch this prep and altough not beaten far hasn't ever looked like winning. The wide draw makes life even tougher and although she will probably beat quite a few home her chances of actually winning the race looked really limited. Maybe slip into 4th for a quartet but thats about as far as you can go.

13. TARA MAN
Jockey - S Price
Trainer - T McEvoy
Current PLAYER Odds - $17
My Rated Odds - $26
The only Eastern Stater in the event which is pretty disappointing. Couldn't be in better hands with McEvoy and Price however her form in SA and Vict would rate well below top level. Must also cope with the travel and new environment plus some very hot recent weather which has been known to take the edge off visiting horses in the past. Only a flukers hope for mine.

14. TELEXDEN
SCRATCHED

15. TRANQUILITY
Jockey - A Kennedy
Trainer - G Williams
Current PLAYER Odds - $8.50
My Rated Odds - $11
A very promising mare (pictured with strapper Louise DeRosa) and one of the best bred gallopers in the race being by Redoute's Choice. She has come on quickly and wouldn't have been considered for the race a few months ago but her good form in fillies and mares races plus the way she hits the line has her in contention. Has the early speed to find a good forward position and should get every chance in the run. Personally I feel she may be a year away from being the real good horse needed to win the race but wouldn't be a total shock and a must for novelty players.

16. WESTERN JEWEL
Jockey - B Kennedy
Trainer - G Williams
Current PLAYER Odds - $5.50
My Rated Odds - $10
Talented mare who comes into this with as good form as any of her rivals. Her 14 runs this prep have included 6 wins and 9 runs at 2000m or further so has plenty of miles in the legs. Nearly all those efforts have been in weaker grade near the minimum weight. Her last start win in the ATA Handicap was courtesy a terrific ride by Kyra Yuill who copped a suspension and has been replaced by Ben Kennedy who takes the ride for the first time. Mares need to be pretty good to win a Perth Cup and whilst I have no doubt she can run the trip she may lack that touch of brilliance required, coupled with the fact she could be sitting 3,4 or 5 back on the fence and get blocked I think she is just an outside e/w chance rather than a serious contender.

17. KAWATIRI
Jockey - C McCallum
Trainer - D Morton
Current PLAYER Odds - $71
My Rated Odds - $101
Having its 4th run into what has been a very ordinary preparation. Is going so poorly the handicapper balloted it out in favour of Guest Wing but has now gained a start after the scratching of Telexden. Unless you have some inside oil from the trainer or connections that it has improved many many lengths then hard to recommend this galloper. The one positive is the big race ride for promising apprentice Campbell McCallum.


SELECTIONS in Rating order

1. BIG TED 2. RANGER 3. GUYNO 4. WESTERN JEWEL


Good Punting and Have a Great New Year and 2011

Taking up the Poker Challenge

Having watched Poker on TV with some interest and also having played it online, however not in a serious mode I am now making the decision to put some considerable effort into trying to become good at the game.

With Xmas festivities pretty quiet in the Della household and a few hours to kill after completing the normal race form study I decided to sign into my normal Poker account with Fult Tilt Poker - one of the biggest online Poker Sites in the world. I played my usual low stakes mini-tournament which required a top 25 finish to make the money. Lasting about 2 hours or so I was all-in with a straight only to be beaten by a flush and finish in 27th spot - and so close to the money but very little to show for it.

There was no doubt in my mind after watching the Pro's on TV that my game was reasonably sound however I just needed a bit of sharpening. Then I remembered that Full Tilt has what they call the Poker Academy where you "Learn from the Pro's". Like i said I had never treated Poker seriously so had never taken the time to have a look but am now glad I did.

The Fult Tilt Academy is superbly put together with lots of videos, quizzes and challenges designed to help your own game and far from boring as they feature examples from real life games. Watching through them I quickly began to realise how average my playing style was and a lot of things the pro's where talking about just made complete sense.

Some of the principles such as Bankroll Management were things I was already applying with horse racing punting and I quickly came to the conclusion from watching a few online games that Poker could be a good money making opportunity for me. No doubt there are a lot of bad poker players all over the world and someone has to win there money. Having seen the TV Pro's who travel all over the world and can win millions in a single tournament it certainly is an attractive game and no surprise why so many people worldwide choose to play.

I have no illusions that this will be an easy task but I will continue to use the Academy videos and my own experience to hopefully continue to become better. I have decided to push aside $1,000 of my punting bank for Poker and will mainly concentrate on playing Tournaments which involve a buy-in of less than $20. I plan to play about 2-5 of these each week and began today.

My first serious crack at Poker was in the Fult Tilt Daily Double - this is essentially 2 tournaments played at the same time under the same format - a $12 buy in for each. It is not compulsory to enter both however the catch being you can earn bonus's for being in the money in both games.

Applying the skills I had just picked up I managed two reasonable results.

Tournament A - 42nd of 1302 $35.16 (paid top 216)

Tournament B - 78th of 1079 $22.66 (paid top 153)

My bonus for cashing in both was an extra $42.33 - and only 28 players managed to do that.

A nice little start with a total profit of $76.15 and some confidence to continue albeit such an early stage to make any conclusions and I will almost certainly have to run deeper to get the big money.

I find with anything in life success only comes with hardwork and good application so hopefully I can push forward and continue to increase my bankroll in time.

My ultimate goal will be to compete in the richest tournament in the world which is the World Series of Poker Main Event held in Las Vegas in early July. I have already agreed with my brother to go to the Belmont Stakes (horse racing) in the US in 2012 and with that being held in June it will also give me a chance to do some touring of America in between. I estimate I will need about $30,000 US for a good trip including Poker money so its my goal to get the bankroll as close to that as possible - thats 18 months of good playing ahead.

If anyone is interested in joining Full Tilt Poker please send me an email for a referall- Full Tilt offers referral bonus's which benefit both parties when you join up and is a good kick start to your poker experience.

And if anyone does join Full Tilt watch out for a player called "holy sandgroper" - he might just take all the chips from you ;-)

State Pairs Preview

With Pennants bowls on a break over Xmas a lot of players take the time for a bit of relaxation and a break, whilst some others have a good crack at the State Pairs. This year it is an even more important event for some of the topline players with the State Squad still involved in trials and players who perform well in this may come under strong consideration for a State Side berth.

The State Pairs is one of my favorite events however this year with a few things happening and plenty of racing work ahead I have decided to give it a miss. The attractive part of Pairs in the 2x2x2x2 format is that it gives both players plenty of shot making opportunities and I look forward to getting along to the later stages of the tournament as I'm sure there will be some top class bowls on display.

Something bowls has never used but any number of topline sports have for major competition is seeding. The benefits of seeding are quite evident as it not only provides a level of media interest but also prevents topline players meeting in early rounds and knocking each other out. I think it would be very easy to introduce seeding in our State Events. Last years winners go in as No 1 seeds followed by the Runners-up at 2, then the remaining seeds are entered via there Bowls Rankings. Not sure if Bowls Rankings still occur (can't seem to find any?) but they used to be published in every Jack-Hi. They were a combination of points earnt over the Major Events for the last 2/3 years of competition with a weighting to the current year of competition and provided an accurate guide to the best players at the time. I would also like to think the sections which contained seeded teams would miss any alignment round - good incentive to knock them out and a deserved free-pass for those for quality players who have performed to the standard to warrant a seeding.

Looking at this years State Pairs I will have a go at giving my top 8 seeds as I see it -

1. Daniel Trewhella (pictured)/Daniel Brown Composite sect 7 Bassendean

Last years winners look to have drawn well with no obvious dangers in there section. Both players are very good shotmakers who like to take the game on with calculated risks and aggressive shot play. As evidence by last years result they have good compatability and we can expect another deep run from these guys. History has shown it is always tough to win back to back titles however.

2. Anthony Provost / Graeme Wishart Vict Park/Carlisle sect 31 Morley

Last years runner-ups who also look to have a comfortable draw although they did suffer a scare last year with a sectional loss before advancing. There is little doubt about the talent of these 2 players who have probably racked up more State Titles than any other combination in the event. On his day Provost can be virtually unbeatable and his natural talent is unquestioned, with Graeme "Rooster" Wishart in top form undefeated in pennants this combination may go one better this year.

3. Tom Mitchell / Mark Simpson Composite sect 23 Warwick

Tom Mitchell goes into this event with a near stranglehold on the Rosenthall Medal even at this early stage of the season after a State 4's title and a Master Singles win just under a month ago. I was fortunate enough to watch some of his Singles Matches and his ability to pull out good bowls in tight situations was very evident - his last 4 matches were all won in close circumstances and most after trailling early in the match. This pairing was a semi-finalist last year and they have a good understanding of each others ability having played in many tournaments together including the State 4's win. Mark Simpson who is also a Master Singles winner is an excellent draw shot and perhaps unlucky not to have gained State honours in the past given the titles he has chalked up. Scott Edmonds and Shane Knott look to be very good opposition in the section so Tom and Mark will need to hit form straight away.

4. John Goddard / Gary Caffell Osborne Park sect 13 Bedford

Two very accomplished players who won this title together in 2004. Both have the all-round game required to compete strongly in pairs. The big question mark will be whether they can get through sectional play with quality opposition in Clive Adams and Geoff Ellis plus Lance Strahan and Shane Shaw. The team that does progress will have to have played well so the tough competition should prove an impetus to run further in the tournament.

5. Trystan Smallacombe / Pieter Harris Cambridge sect 36 Morley

Another combination who has already tasted success in the event winning it back in 2006. Both are very accomplished players and another proven combination who seem to have similar personalities to provide a formula for success. Travis Simpson and David Opie look to be tough opponents in sectional play although there may be a question over David playing the event given he is coming back from a long break after a serious health issue.

6. Rhett Butler / Matt Mitchell Composite sect 4 Vct Park/Carlisle

Experience and youth combine in what may be a first time matching of these players. Both players will look for strong performances as they are likely in the mix for State Selection. Rhett was a part of the winning State 4's side this year and Matt Mitchell will be looking for valuable match practice before heading to the UK to compete in the Welsh Open in January. Chris Lander and Brian Kiely will provide the best opposition in there section.

7. Kyle McIlroy / Peter Ker Doubleview sect 41 Osborne Park

These two players competed against each other in the 2007 Pairs Final as leaders with Ker taking the title skippered by James Jaworski. McIlroy is a superb draw bowler having captured major Pairs and Singles titles and Ker should give him a solid platform with the draw game also being his strength. The key to there success will be when required to play weight which could be seen as a weakness. They face a very strong country combination of Henry Slawinski and Eddie Dodd is sectional play which will be a good test early.

8. Matt Ellul / Dale Marsland Mosman Park sect 39 Osborne Park

This last spot could have gone to a number of combinations but I settled with this pair after seeing they had made the last 8 the previous year. I have not seen a lot of Marsland in major competition but he appears a solid player. Ellul however is a very good conversion player and has the ability to bring out big shots when required. His game can be erratic at times but when he gets on a roll is capable of racking up a number of shots in succession and could easily defeat some of the higher seeded pairs off his own last bowls. They face a good pair in the very under-rated "Wings" Evans and Robbie Lawrence.

Apologies to all the good pairings that never got a mention in the preview - there were several.

Good Luck to all those competiting in the State Pairs and Merry Xmas to all bowlers.

Twilight / Night racing the way forward for WA

In the past I have looked closely at what drives betting turnover and there are 3 key factors in my mind.

1. Quality of Field - the better the horses engaged the more confidence punters have in investing.

2. Size of Field - the more horses in the race the better the average price per runner and the more options for punters to bet.

3. Time and availability to vision - Betting data has shown when the races are on is vital. Weekend meetings are most popular and although clubs do program the better races in the back half of the card, midweek data shows that races that on later when more people have finished work the bigger the pools become. Also if the meeting is shown on Sky1 as oppossed to Sky2 or radio only then that is also a big plus for attracting betting. A lot of punters will not bet if they cannot access vision.

This leads us to see why night and twilight racing is now very important for the industry going forward.

WA is often referred to as Wait Awhile - and thats what looks likely for racing participants in this state as we are no closer to Night Racing here it would appear - the Belmont Park redevelopment having stalled at the moment. It would be terrific for WA to have a state of the art venue like Happy Valley (pictured).

More and more Eastern States tracks continue to put up lights and push forward with night racing - even Tasmania has managed to beat us to the punch with Launceston in full swing this summer. There is no doubt night racing is the way forward as it provides a good timeslot for the casual punter and also capabilities to drawn more people on course.

The good thing about WA however is that twilight racing with meetings starting around 3pm fits night into the Eastern States schedule especially when they have daylight savings factored in - why we haven;t experimented more with this until now is a mystery. Our West Coast status gives us plenty of sunlight till very late in the evening as evidence by the 6.46pm finishing time at Geraldton today. For provinical and country venues who would find it impossible with strict financial budgets to spend the thousands if not millions required for lights this is the perfect way to try and cash in.

Unfortunately so far our twilight meetings have been held on a Friday and with all the racing that occurs on this day it has mean't the coverage has been restricted to SKY2 only which so far looks to have really hurt the turnover figures. Perhaps its time to have a look at maybe another day where there is more room to move over to SKY1.

In the meantime we can all just continue to Wait Awhile and maybe even longer in the hope Night Racing will eventually appear on the horizon in the metro area - I look forward to the day it happens.

Aussies to takes 3rd Ashes test

One of the premier sporting events on my "must watch" calendar is the Ashes and its heart breaking to see the position the Australian Cricket team is in at the moment. The "Backs to the wall" cliche comes to mind and we really hope Australia can get on the front foot and take this Test at the WACA to spark life back into the series.


As many would know i am partial to having a bet at the worst of times but when it comes to sports I like to go in with some sort of logic behind it.
Test 1 at the Gabba where there hadn't been a score over 300 in any domestic fixture for the season it looked like there had to be a result for the game - so I prompty got stuck it to Laying the Draw and having a little bit on the Aussies. Thankfully the Draw drifted out to better than $10 during the match and altho I saved myself a bigger loss by betting some back it was never-the-less a losing result when England managed to hang on with a strong batting performance in the 2nd innings.

Test 2 and we moved to dry old Adelaide - England had gained some confidence but I had no reason to think Australia would not bounce back and atleast be very competitive. The pitch was looking likely to be the usual road and a first innings score of 500+ on the cards I promptly got stuck in backing the Draw this time and a little bit extra on Australia. With Katich getting run out and the top order collapse things went bad right from the offset and I was never really in a position to get back into the match from a betting perspective despite some temporary resistance from Clarke and Hussey in the 2nd dig.

So now we come to this 3rd match and I consider my options - all logic and form says England are flying and should go close to winning. But logic has not served me well yet and to back England is just Un-Australian. Past history does however put some confidence back with the Australian's as England have managed only one test victory at the WACA in there entire history - a key stat. The other inerest is in the team selections England having 2 changes forced upon them whilst Australia in desperate need of a win could have up to 3 changes. I have often noticed in sport that teams fortunes can quickly change when moves are made so I'm looking at this as another advantage to Australia. The one shock selection is that of Michael Beer. With my 15+ years of experience in Bowls I have often found that when things aren't going right a bit of "Beer" can be just the tonic to put you into the right spirit to take the game on. Warnie who bought Beer's name into the spotlight is already labelled a legend in sporting terms but with his recent spot of "Hurley-ing" and if Beer has a hand in this Ashes Test he will further enhance his status as all time Legend.

Speaking of Legends it would be downright sacriligous not to mention my God of the Sport in Mr Cricket Michael Hussey (pictured). When times are tough I have often turned to Hussey for a High Bat bet or just a hope that he can salvage a win for Australia and not many times he has let me down in all forms of the game. I have followed his cricket career with interest right from Grade level at Wanneroo and have cheered everyone of his 20,000+ runs at first class level. I have never been so proud to see someone on the verge of being dropped from the side come out and prove his critics wrong with a great century in the Gabba test. Regardless of what the rest of his career holds there is little doubt I will never see a player with the batting ability and overall mental toughness to compete as Hussey has.

So I've gone All-In on Australia here for a win as this will be the last of my Ashes bets if we don't take this test. Sadly I wont be getting to the game this year but have stocked the fridge for a few at home sessions.

Box 1 Racing Flying

Box 1 Racing continues to power on this season after bringing up win number 69 last night with the only runner for the team in Miss Gucci who broke her run of bad luck to beat a handy line-up in a nice 23.03 over the 405m.

Trainer Paul Harvey set a goal of 70 winners for the year and that target looks well within reach with 2 weeks left to go and a number of dogs in good form including over a handful of runners going around this Thursday.

Since I took up the position of Racing Manager in November it has been a matter of learning a bit more about the Greyhound scene but my major priority at this early stage is to establish an excellent promotional website to build on what Paul had already setup at Box 1 Racing. I commissioned Brett Novak at Free Form Foundary and his team has already provided us with a terrific logo and website design is already underway with a small snippet of the design pictured. On completetion there will be no doubt Box 1 Racing will have the best website of any any greyhound establishment in WA if not Australia.

Other exciting projects are the Punters Club which gives our members the chance to be involved in an exciting Club which will have a few bets and hopefully return some nice winners plus also at some stage enjoy ownership of a greyhound to race for us.

Our Owners Day is scheduled for Jan 30th - we will be heading off to the Pinjarra Races for a bit of a feed, some drinks and the casual atmosphere of provincial racing in one of the nices area's of WA.

We welcome all owners or those interested to get in touch with me about anything happening at Box 1 Racing.

Aaron Delaporte
0407 425 117
aaron@perthturftalk.com

Whitfords TAB wins $40,000 Punters Club Challenge

Well it has been a big few months for the Punters at the Whitfords TAB and I couldn't be anymore happier to find out yesterday that they had taken out the big first prize in the Punters Club Challenge. After qualifying in the very first week of the event I was devising a plan to take out the title.

The Scahill Stakes looked to have limited chances but as can happen in WA racing there were a few roughies who had place claims and luckily enough I slotted Elliotto into 3rd on one of the bets and it improved its form to fill that spot. No joy in the Starstruck with Little Grey Teapot edging out Baskerville Street in the late stages to deny us a potentially massive payout but with no other TAB's able to hit victory was ours.

I trust the 30 shareholders will enjoy splitting the $40,000 amongst themselves for a nice little Xmas bonus. I believe the TAB will continue to run some Punters Club and I have agreed to continue to provide the selections - hopefully still many more wins to come. If you live around the area make sure you drop in and buy a share.

In much sadder news time has come for me to finish up at the TAB. Effective starting this week I am no longer behind the machines. It has been terrific working there on and off for the last 15 odd years and I have seen many wonderful and entertaining characters walk through the doors to have a bet. My many bosses have always been a pleasure to work with and I have had very little issues or drama's. It is sad to leave behind all the regulars who come in and say hello but I'm sure I will catch up when I need to drop in and make a deposit or (hopefully) withdrawal from time to time out of the trusty phone account.

To all my friends at the Whitfords TAB - good punting and Merry Xmas.