Melborne Cup

Effort Shows -

 Placings 

Effort 
1 -  4th Place 
2-   3rd Place                

3-   4th place                      

4-   2nd Place                                           

5-   1st Place                         

6-   2nd Place                                                    

7-   3rd Place                                        

8-   Not Yet Judged 
9-   1st Place                                        

10- 1st place                            

11- 1st Place 
12- 3rd Place
13- 2nd Place
14- Not Yet Judged 
15 - Not yet judged 

Story - 883 words  

This Was to be the teams biggest trip so far. Australia felt a world away and they noticed the change as soon as they stepped off the plane the sun was beating down upon the airport tarmac causing waves of heat to rise up. Blackbeard although well used to flying by this point was eager to see what was going on from inside the crate  stretching his head up to see out the front.He was taking it all in the Shock of the heat, the different atmosphere the noise. They had made sure to arrive in Aus a few weeks prior to the race to allow him to pass through the two week quarantine and readjust his body clock, get used to the different seasons and get some last minute training back on the track.

"He's going well out there" Rupert said as he walked up to the trainer watching Anjelica put Blackbeard through his paces. "Yeah, he's taken well to the new environment. Hes too strong out there, we're having trouble keeping his speed in check especially in the take off from the starting gate" Dimitry mentioned looking concerned as he watched the grey stally power forward down the track with no signs of slowing  resisting his rider, his tail flowed out behind him. A small crowd had gathered  about 8 photographers& Sports Reporters lined the side of the track hoping to get a look at the competitors, or talk to the trainers before the big day.  As they rounded the corner Anjelica began to slow the stally down gradually to a trot, His ears pricked up he had noticed the new paces watching him from the sidelines and decided to go and say hello, he trotted briskly up to the crowd "No boy come on " Angelica said as she urged him to go past but to no avail soon he was up at the rails where he promptly shoved his face into one of the reporters knocking them back a little. "He means no harm, he loves getting attention" Angelica chuckled nervously blushing as the man righted himself. "It's a big change from the winter weather in Ireland, how's he taking to it over here" a man said seizing the opportunity to ask a few questions "He's loving it over here, hes on top form now and is as determined as ever" Anjelica said smiling as she patted him on the neck  "How do you expect him to perform on the day?" another chirped up "Well you can never tell with these things we all have our good days and our bad days and its the same with horses, as we ask is for him to do his best and if that means we come in last that day well we wont be holding it against him, its a big race  with a huge crowd not that they ever bothered him anyway " she paused noticing blackbeard was attempting to work his way into the pocket of o a photographer who appeared to have a suspiciously apple shaped bulge in his jacket  "Oi monkey, none of that its not for you, .... haha sorry hes got a keen nose on him and will sniff out any treat in range.." Blackbeard rested his head over her shoulder  a few cameras clicked in the background at this point Anjelica was rescued from the media by the arrival of Blackbeard's trainer Dimitry and His owner Lord Rupert Barton Hargrave. " Anjelica you better go and get him cooled off we'll take it from here" Angelica let out a sigh of relief and walked away at a brisk pace with the stally following alongside.

It was now Race day Brent had spent the morning washing and grooming Blackbeard and cleaning the tack to make sure they would look their best out there. Brent led Blackbeard around the parade ring keeping him warmed up waiting for the jockeys to return from the weigh in there were the usual familiar faces out there, Ghost Hour was about 5 horses up in front  and behind was  The Gremlin living up to his name giving his groom a hard time as he pushed into him his ears pinned back. the crowds were gathering around the ring people consulting their race cards judging the horses fitness and attitude as they pondered who to place a bet on, the horses were stopped an the saddles brought on  Brent popped the saddle up onto Blackbeard who stood with his head up high and his lip held back as he sniffed the air  the jockeys walked out onto the parade ring mounted their horses and adjusted themselves  making sure everything was ready to go  it wasn't long until the final bets were to be called and the jockeys would enter onto the track.

The horses were lining up into the starting gate the cheers from the crowd up ahead were booming over them Blackbeard listened intently he knew it was game time, the gates sprang open and he lurched out onto the track Anjelica tried to slow him down as he hurtled up the track she was afraid he would burn himself out  but a look of steely determination was on the face of the young stally as they passed the grandstands for the first time.