394. Puddle With Gum Leaf

 

Photograph, October 2009.

Spring, in south eastern Melbourne.

Christmas Wise Man

Slavery

At church this evening, they spent some time exploring the issue of modern day slavery. I guess it’s one of those things that sits in the back of my mind. It’s a surprise that slavery is still a very real, very common practise. Surely, in this day and age, we would think ourselves enlightened enough to completely abolish such evils. So, when I learnt that slavery is most certainly extant across most of the world, it was really quite troubling.

Not having the knowledge nor expertise to formulate a commentary, I simply list here a couple of links that might prove useful for the reader who wants to learn more.

http://www.worldvision.com.au/ourwork/Solutions/DontTradeLives.aspx

http://www.fairtrade.com.au/

http://www.myspace.com/lc2lc

http://www.joyfulheart.com/misc/newton.htm

http://www.melbourne.anglican.com.au/main.php?pg=news&news_id=18665&s=1470

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/abolition/slavery_business_gallery_05.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/wilberforce_william.shtml

(All links accessed 21 November 2009.)

Mawarra Victoria

Christmas Island Piggy

Shocking – Melbourne Cup 2009 Winner

G1 VRC Melbourne Cup 3200m 2009 Results

SHOCKING (b h 4y Street Cry (IRE) – Maria Di Castiglia (GB). Trainer: M A Kavanagh) 51 (C W Brown)

CRIME SCENE 53 (K Mc Evoy)

MOURILYAN 54.5 (G Schofield)

Master O’Reilly 55 (V Duric)

Harris Tweed 52.5 (C Newitt)

Alcopop 52.5 (D Tourneur)

Viewed 58 (B Rawiller)

C’est La Guerre (Nicholas Hall)

Kibbutz 52.5 (Chris Symons)

Newport 52.5 (Peter Wells)

Daffodil 51.5 (C Munce)

Munsef 53 (Z Purton)

Gallions Reach 52 (D Dunn)

Leica Ding 50.5 (Craig Williams)

Ista Kareem 53.5 (L Nolen)

Allez Wonder 50.5 (Ms Michelle Payne)

Capecover 51.5 (N G Harris)

Basaltico 51.5 (D Nikolic)

Zavite 53 (M Zahra)

Spin Around 52 (M R Du Plessis)

Roman Emperor 54 (J Bowman)

Fiumicino 55.5 (S R King)

Warringah 52.5 carr 53 (D Oliver) last.

Scr: Changingoftheguard.

3/4 len, 1-1/2 len. Time: 3:23.87. (Last 600m 36.60).

Most years I sit down and do a little study into the pedigrees of the horses running in the major Australian horseraces. I am not remotely interested in betting, but I do appreciate a good horse and get a lot of enjoyment linking history and horses. Thoroughbreds are of particular interest to me – and if you ever get a chance to see it, I do have a bookshelf devoted to tests the history of Thoroughbred, Arabian and Standardbred horses in Australia!

Unfortunately, this year I did not get a chance. Otherwise I might have taken more notice of the eventual winner, Australian-born Shocking (b h 2005 Street Cry (IRE) from Maria Di Castiglia (GB), by Danehill (USA)).

As I have to run out the door to do some errands, I cannot ponder too much longer on this; but I pose this question: what kind of impact have descendants of Danehill (USA 1986) had on the major Australian horseraces?

In restrospect it does not seem a huge surprise that a horse of Shocking’s calibre would take out Australia’s major horserace. A grandson of Danehill on his dam’s side, and a direct male line descendant of Native Dancer (USA gr h 1950), he carries some high quality bloodlines!

One thing that fascinates me is that every name in a horse’s pedigree is a tie to the history. Every one of those horses has been bred for a purpose, linked to people who perhaps tied their hopes and dreams into their animals, and many of these Thoroughbreds carry an impressive genealogy of major race winners with them. If only I had more time to explore these ideas, but more pressing priorities await!

References:

http://melbournecup.racingandsports.com.au/

http://www.studbook.org.au/Horse.aspx?hid=895792

http://www.studbook.org.au/Horse.aspx?hid=616135

http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/horseracing/2009/11/04/1257247659785.html

http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/native+dancer

Green Train In Aussie Desert