The Favourite

Shown: So You Think (NZ) in the mounting yard before the 2010 running of the Melbourne Cup.

This horse just captivated me. My first race horse love was Might and Power, and since then no race horse had really captured my love and imagination quite like him until Think. I had followed his season campaign and was over the moon that i would be flying up to see him race for the cup in person. He seemed unreal, something out of my daydreams and more than just a talented athlete. I had lurked around the stables as much as i could before, and had elbowed and weaved my way to the rail of the mounting yard in the hopes of seeing him up close. He seemed to know that the cheers and roaring of the crowd was for him. He was going in as the favourite, the two time Cox Plate winner. Sadly today would not be the day he claimed the race that stopped the nation. He would fight valiantly but fade before the might of the french horse Americain. However he didn't know that, and in this moment he was the champion, the king, the favourite.



Note: All the images from this day were sadly rather grainy, weak lighting, an older camera and a lack of experience at that point contributed. Looking back i really wish i knew then what i do now, but it cant be helped and i love these images anyway.

Image (c) Frances Harper
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