Patrick Cripps has had his share of sporting heartbreak in August and September.
asserted
Cripps → have → August
He can now add October to the list.
asserted
He → add → list
For a few fleeting moments, it looked as if Irish import Birdman was about to deliver one of Australian racing’s greatest prizes for the Carlton champion only for his Cox Plate dream to be dashed by a horse from his home state.
asserted
dream → look → state
As trainer Andrea Leek, who operates stables in Nar Nar Goon North, celebrated becoming the first woman in 32 years to win Australia’s weight-for-age championship with West Australian star Cosmic Crusader, the dual Brownlow winner and his Carlton crew were left to wonder what might have been.
uncertain
what → operate → Crusader
Blues champion Chris Judd let out a curse – his sense of frustration at coming so close shared throughout the Baggers Naggers syndicate, which also features former captains Marc Murphy and Sam Docherty, Sam Walsh and former Carlton midfielder Will Setterfield.
asserted
which → let → captains
Birdman has taken the Blues brigade on a wild ride since their former line coach John Barker dropped the captain’s name as part of his spiel to get into prominent owner Ozzie Kheir’s exclusive racing circle two years ago.
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coach → take → circle
Kheir had initially bought Birdman with eyes on Melbourne Cup glory only for master Sydney trainer Chris Waller to change tack 12 months ago and focus on middle distances with the galloper.
asserted
Waller → buy → galloper
Unlike in football, where the pain of defeat is sharp, there were no heads hung in disappointment or walks of shame from the field.
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pain → be → field
There is a prize for second in a Cox Plate, but the reasons to celebrate are deeper than an $800,000 cheque, of which Cripps and his football mates will take home only a micro-fraction.
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Cripps → be → fraction
“The whole thing about racing is bringing people together,” Cripps, who flew in from Perth on Friday for the race, said.
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who → bring → race
“That’s what makes footy clubs special, and it’s what makes racing syndicates special – you bring people together.
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you → ’ → people
You make good memories together.
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You → make → memories
”
Jockey Ben Melham was given warm applause by Birdman’s ownership, of which the Baggers Naggers syndicate is one of many, as he returned to the mounting yard to deliver his race debrief.
asserted
he → give → debrief
He thanked his fellow owners for their “amazing support”.
asserted
He → thank → support
“It’s the hardest race to win, nearly in the world,” Kheir told them.
asserted
Kheir → ’ → them
Sent out an $11 chance by punters, Birdman looked the winner for a few strides after kicking strongly once clear at the 300-metre mark, only for Will Pike and Cosmic Crusader to collar him in the final 50 metres.
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Pike → send → metres
“It was crazy,” Cripps said.
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Cripps → say → ?
“You don’t get many moments in life when you get a feeling like that.
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you → get → that
It’s pretty cool.”
asserted
It → ’ → ?
Cripps likened the thrilling finish to the race to that of a nailbiter in a big game at the MCG – with one major difference.
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Cripps → liken → difference
“You get the same buzz, the hard thing is in a race you don’t have control over the outcome,” Cripps said.
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Cripps → get → outcome
“At least on the footy field, you can have some sort of control.
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you → have → control
If you ask anyone in racing, this is probably the grand final in racing.
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this → ask → racing
For us, it’s a privilege to be a part of it.”
asserted
it → ’ → it
His father recently became a life member of the Moonee Valley Racing Club.
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father → become → Club
“At the 150, I thought geezers, this can’t happen,” Barker, who played for Hawthorn, Brisbane and Fitzroy, said.
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who → think → Hawthorn
They are already eyeing another crack next year.
asserted
They → eye → crack
“We’ve got a horse with a bit of talent, we’ve got a superstar trainer, so the future’s bright,” Barker said.
asserted
Barker → get → trainer
“I’ll still be able to connect with these Carlton boys.
asserted
I → connect → boys
Barker, Cripps, Judd, Murphy and Walsh are part of a smaller group in another syndicate, the Baggers Five, who recently acquired a share in Melbourne Cup hope James J Braddock.
asserted
who → acquire → Braddock
For them, redemption can come in November.
asserted
redemption → come → November
The Aporia
