Steve’s Travel Diary – PART ONE
PART ONE of Steve’s occasional July travel diary which he hopes will lead him to Del Mar on 22 July which is the date and venue of Arrogate’s (Unbridled’s Song) expected return to the track.
I eschewed Royal Ascot this year. For all its wonder, I’ve done it often enough. Instead I boarded a Santiago bound plane shortly after Royal Ascot came to a close.
The time difference is bizarre, of course, travelling in this direction. I departed at around noon last Sunday 24 June and landed just before noon, in Chile, on Sunday 24 June. The hotel room wasn’t ready so what else to do but google if the races were on. Yes.
The Uber was 3124 Chilean pesos (about $7) to Club Hipico. The driver Mario was Colombian and not that fussed about the fact that Australia had, coincidentally, played Chile in a Confederations Cup match earlier that morning (Chilean time). But he was somewhat bemused by the fact that an Australian would land in South America, for the first time, and immediately head to the races.
The football match was loud, but not so clear in high decibel Spanish, on the taxi radio as I was ferried from the airport. Australia went one-nil up and I feared victory might mean a frosty reception for Australians in the Chilean capital. It ended one-one.
Not only did I strike a race meeting, it was a Group One race day headlined by the Prix Clasico Arturo Lyon Pena (Gr 1, 1600m) for two-year-old fillies.
Victory went to the Patricio Baeza trained Ruby Love who is unbeaten in three starts. Who’s she by? Scat Daddy (Johannesburg), of course, from a First Samurai (Giant’s Causeway) mare. I’d be doing a lot more travelling if I had an intact son of Scat Daddy in the backyard.
Scat Daddy stood at Haras Paso Nevado in Chile from 2009-2011 for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season after it had been mooted, the year before, he’d go to Coolmore in the Hunter Valley. That never eventuated.
The following race was also for two-year-old fillies and a well backed newcomer Always Remember (Newfoundland) scored a stunning victory. She’s not a grey but sporting blue and gold silks, there was a touch of Chautauqua (Encosta De Lago) about the way she won. I wish I could tell you a little more of her background but ‘lo siento, no hablo espanol.’
It’s a dull winter’s day, at Club Hipico, which which makes the brightly adorned horses seem more fluorescent than they already are. Manes are plaited, braided and even permed it seems and dressed with neat, colourful ties. Some horse rugs could double as Andean wall hangings.
The place could probably do with some sort of makeover but extreme is certainly not required. And, to be fair, it might be entirely more attractive under blue, summer skies. The principal grandstand, thought not as grand as it once was, still has a degree of grandeur; I love the old fashioned tote board, flashing the odds, just inside the track and the big screen is certainly of contemporary standard.
The punters are going about their business as you might expect at most racecourses. There’s a good number of families among the crowd which I’d guess to be around 5000 strong. There seems to be very limited drinking amongst the various groups of males in attendance, although you can get a strong whiff of sweet marijuana from time to time.
I find a Corona (beer) for about $3 (I think) and wander up and down the track. Nobody bothers me; nobody looks in any way threatening and I’m happy taking it all in.
There’s the mandatory queues at the ATM but also various local vendors peddling what looks to be candies and small goods which reminds me I’m not in Australia even if the long open grandstand speaks a bit of Sandown (albeit that they’re racing right handed). Loads of kids kicking footballs (round ones) is also a point of difference.
The atmosphere is a touch subdued. Again maybe that’s the influence of winter. The traditional racing fanfare accompanies the horses on to the track but it’s hardly blaring from the public address system which could well be louder.
It’s up a notch for the main race with the horses entering the track, somewhat elaborately, to the ‘Grand March of Aida’ which I liked. Again it would have been more stirring with a little more volume as would have also been the case with the winner greeted by ‘We are the Champions.’
There’s 19 races on the program from 1.30pm to 9.45pm with a switch to dirt late in the program. Some races are run just 25 minutes apart and none are scheduled for more than 30 minutes. They make it work.
I suppose what I loved most about it was the colour. Although not as much as the Chilean ‘reds’ I sampled later at Barrica94 in Bella Vista, Providencia. I haven’t found Chilean wines of such quality in Australia but I’ll be looking from now on. Try the Montes Alpha 2013 Merlot from the Colchagua Valley (bit more like our Pinot). Sensational.
Next stop – Palermo races in Buenos Aires this evening (Saturday) with 16 races on the card. That after a quick detour to Iguazu Falls – of course.