Reflections on Royal Ascot from a country with close Australian ties
Apparently disease had wiped out the vines and the olive groves. I wasn’t able to corroborate this story via a quick google search.
However, I do recall reading that Sir Peter Vela and his late brother Phillip’s father, Filip, came to New Zealand in the 20’s from a Croatian fishing village on the Dalmatian coast.
Might it have been the same village?
Via email, Sir Peter told me: “Dad came in 1928 from a nearby village called Podgora.”
I still don’t know for sure which village it was but do fancy that tale – or the story of the Vela’s themselves – could well be the subject of the book I write when I move to permanently to Croatia or the Greek Islands. Or it may well be the story of Bernborough which is Australian racing’s greatest yarn and he was arguably our greatest horse with apologies to Crisp, Phar Lap, Carbine, Tulloch, Winx and Black Caviar.
The Vela name, of course, has been synonymous with the New Zealand racing and breeding industry and connected – via either avenue – with the likes of Ethereal, Darci Brahma, Romanee Conti, Noble Heights, Riverina Charm, Star Dancer, Hoeberg, Clear Rose, Grand Echezeaux, Vapour Trail, Insouciant, Maarek and Guiseppina.
Maybe Diva’s owner Tony Santic, incidentally, is also Croatian born – coming to Australia with his family in 1958. He born on the nearby island of Lastovo.
The connection is strong and especially so at this time of the World Cup. In the 2006 World Cup, there were seven Croatian Australians playing for Australia and three playing for Croatia.
A total of 47 Croatian Australians have apparently played for the Australian national soccer team including seven who were captain.
That list includes four players of Croatian extraction in the current squad – among them captain and 2018 hero Mile Jedinak who scored each of Australia’s goals in the first two qualifying rounds. Hopefully he’s added to that tally by the time you read this. Had to hastily despatch this copy before heading to the pub to watch that third match and then see the already qualified Croatia take on Iceland, which should be fun especially as Croatia are already through.
The three Marks – Bosnich, Viduka and Bresciano – are perhaps the best known of the “Croatian Australian’ footballers while other Australians of the ethnicity include Eric Bana, Andrew Bogut, Simon Katich. Oh, and Ivan Milat.
Apparently, the first group of Croatian immigrants came to Victoria after the discovery of gold in 1851. Then, again during the 1920s, many Croatians settled in Mildura and worked in the fruit growing industry. Mildura was soon known as ‘little Medjimurjie’, named after an agricultural region of Croatia. It would make sense that maybe these were the people from the wine and olive growing village.
I wondered about their influence on wine-making and while there’s few reference to same in Australia, I did read the following: “It is impossible to tell the story of winemaking in New Zealand without telling the tale of many Croatians”….and indeed impossible to tell the story of New Zealand racing and breeding without the same reference.
But enough of Croatia. It occurred to me on the plane that I should devote my time to an analysis of the Royal Ascot form which you’d expect to hold up over the coming weeks. I focused on the two-year-old races, all six of them.
COVENTRY STAKES: The form from this race holds up most years and this should be no exception. The winner Calyx thrashed his rivals on the stand side, from gate 22, while the runner-up Advertise did a mighty job on the opposite side of track – from gate 1. Sergei Prokofiev (3rd), Vange (4th) and Shine So Bright (5th) each ran soundly on the far side.
Vange ran very well on speed and looks a likely winner on a ‘softer’ 1200 metres track or perhaps dictating terms at 1400 metres while Shine So Bright might want the switch back to 1000 metres. The form around Calyx and Advertise was a boost – and still is – for Main Edition who would win the Albany Stakes later in the week.
QUEEN MARY STAKES: Slow time and bunched finish has me doubting the merit of this form. The first three – Signora Cabello, Gossamer Wings and Shades Of Blue – raced together down the centre of the the track and had the race intensity around them and in their favour. If I were to pick two from the race – then perhaps So Perfect, who finished strongly drifting away from the centre group, and Come On Leicester who was first home on the far side.
NORFOLK STAKES: Wesley Ward’s Shang Shang Shang led throughout and was the quickest of the three 1000 metres juvenile winners of the week. Runner-up Pocket Dynamo chased strongly, as did third placed Land Force who had to work alone for much of the race. All three ran well. The first six spaced the others in this race and certainly not looking beyond that sextet.
ALBANY STAKES: Mark Johnston’s Zoffany filly Main Edition made it three wins from as many starts when she accounted for La Pelosa in similar time to the Coventry. They raced towards the centre while third Fairyland and fourth Angel’s Hideaway finished well clear of their rivals on the far side. Fancy the form will hold up around each of the four.
Pretty Pollyanna worked home nicely at just her second run and looms as a likely improver while the French visitor Byron Bay may well be in the same boat.
CHESHAM STAKES: Historically this race proves to be mixed and not sure about 2018 but like to see the first two – Arthur Kitt and Nate The Great – next time out. They totally outstayed their rivals in this 1400 metre event – no shock really given that the former is by Camelot and the latter by Nathaniel. They spaced the others.
Maybe this was a poor race or maybe those behind the first two are not great. Arthur Kitt was hard ridden and looking likely to run nearer last than first mid-race but responded really well to riding. Nate The Great was never in a great spot in transit but finished with some gusto.
WINDSOR CASTLE STAKES: Dom Carlos turned in one of the best runs of the week, being first home on the far side and finishing resolutely from a near impossible position. For all the world, I’d swear he was in Lloyd Williams’ colours (and he’s trained by Joseph O’Brien) but no clue from listed ownership.
Solider’s Call and Sabre finished well clear of their near side rivals in quinellaing the race while Van Beethoven, Tin Hat, Junius Brutus and Rockin Roy were all OK, on the flat side, behind the aforementioned Dom Carlos.
The caution is that the form-lines around the first two suggest that this was weaker than the Norfolk Stakes which, in turn, looked weaker than the Coventry and the Albany. However, form-lines can be misleading with two-year-olds given some quickly advance while others quickly go backwards.