Sydney Summer Series

600 CLUB IN OVERDRIVE AS SUB SENSATION CLAIMS CAKE AT SHORT SELBY

What a night! Five competitors went 'all the way', a whopping 49 runners topped 500 points, and 90% of the nags nibbling the Glebe Point couch went 300 or above. The tote was in free fall as Wazza the bookie paid out big time to ponies that had only previously dreamed of Group One glory - but here they were, Carlton in hand, recounting tales of an inside rails run where only a light application of the whip had been needed to see them into the three hundreds, into the four hundreds, into the fives - unheard of pointing. And the mood? Flemington - here we come!

But, topping the sensation table, was young Duncan Currie - taking the photo in the Sub Junior Men in 45.33 for 530 points and equal 32 place. 'The Watering Can' would have expected to do well here, being last years Whites Creek maestro, but probably would have not thought that 'The Door' would have run in six minutes early, go ten shy, and give the 'Can' the hundred points. A very selfless outing from Aidan, but great running all the same from the Balmain bandit.

As you can see by the Pork's early gushing, we have had another great night. A generous night. A night to remember - in one of our favourite harbourside spots. And no rain! Something that the 206 flogsters enjoyed for the fifth week in a row, as they desplayed themselves in club finery, hoops and checks, upon the trainers enclosure and under the watchful eye of Chief Steward Selby.

A great roll up, with Wazza moving the assembly to the row of palms path - presumably in case it was wet. The bunting bunted as the Banjo bought a 1:7,500 landscape offering in full colour. Council activity had closed the old tram bridge at #19, but opened the one closer to #26, to require WS to put up an amendment sheet. Otherwise, a reasonable spread was evident, but one that looked 600 to Porkie - especially given there were no sneaks west of Johnson Street. Upon closer study, the conundrum of Glebe demanded attention, with no clear circle route offering itself. There was a nice water edge run that began a clockwise sweep to the east and south, and a run home via Johnsons Creek - but how to add in the Glebe toppies?? Much working of the string, and a nod to the in/out upsey/downsey brigade, led to the most common answer. This was linking 27,11,3,21 to the water route, and then, as a reprise, going 13,28,5,18,23,1 in the south. Swooping and diving but piling on the points as you went.

Others began via six or twenty and then working west before the southerly claiming. Many here ignored two and four, going straight from 20 to 14. Dunk had a great plan here, perhaps a better one, with his 6,20,2,4,14,29 beginning - and finishing from #27 via the new steps above the fluttering red. Despite the wide spread of pots, it seemed a start in two, either up to 27 or out to the whirlygig sculpture at #20. There was the odd 2,4 step beginning - probably for those in the looser dresses and looking to make an impression in waltz time.

Now, the big news of course, was the course length that gave us the high scoring. Warwick thought he had roughly 9.5 klms, but both Glenn and Andrew had gps tracking thing-o's, and recorded 9.3 and 9.0 klms respectively. Given this is not the Awaba Burn, we needed another good kilometre to get the stallions nearer the advertised. Still, no taking away from the setting or the location. Excellent work on both counts, with the high scoring rather well liked. Not often our lowest score is a healthy 160 points.. Plenty of puzzle then, with the middle of Glebe offering myriad opportunities for variation, and that nice spread around View and Trafalgar Streets in the western sector giving pause.

Looking at the least visited, I'd probably go for #10, but also think #7 may not have been included as punters took their partners in the Pride of Erin. I left off #16 (amongst others), thinking it was off line in the ice cream scoop of the south. Probably a mistake. And how about the Halloweeners! Millions of kids packing in the lolly bags as nervous parents hovered just out of sight and summer series types belted on by. Quite a mix.

Continuing my theme of recent blogs, I'll pull a few new victims from the running sheet to promote, but also do a quick round up of class winners. SJM's are mentioned above, with Nina 'Simone' Sartoretti singing 370 in 44.33 time to take SJW once again (and well clear of Tshinta 'Dennis' Hopper on a 340 street bike). Sadly, there were no Junior entries to report - probably all doing the HSC. The Open's saw top shelf performances from Steve 'The Sandal' Ryan (39.34), Andy (40.51), Andrew 'I Love The 70's' Brown (43.14) and Tommy 'The Musical' Joss (43.51) - these four fancies all pulling 600. Unbelievably good running. 'Patrick' White had only to write another ten words to have joined them, with his 590 a lone but sensational offering to the arts gods. His 44.58 final beep is the stuff of timing legend. The OW's were not much further back than their blokey mates, with 'The Vanity Basin' and 'The Bus' both on the board with 580 - Wendy almost three minutes in hand. They had ten on Catherine and Lisa, with 'The Winning Post' another thirty back, in what is becoming a fantastic and closely run series.

The Masters offered Glenn on a plate with his 40.26 600. 'The Hoar Frost' went 20,6,30,21,15,17 etc before adding the Glebe top streets in a nice twisted bowl pirouette (28,7,3,11,18,5,23), the south, in/out 19, the west and finishing via 27. Nice work if you can get it. Rachael 'The River' Povah takes MW with a neatly flowing 500. Pete Annetts worked the beard, Tim Rogers worked the microphone, as both shared VM tons with simply great 580's. Paula once again claimed VW with 470, Neil 'The' Hawthorne 'Tram Depot' wore brown and yellow stripes to take SVM (530), Karin 'For Service' knocked off SVW with 450, and the Legends managed vastly differing scores in their respective wins - Steve Flick on fire for 510, while Mary Jane was content with a more modest 250. A win is a win I hear you say.

Heiko and Sue took Immortal gold (430/320), and Mel and Michelle enjoyed their walking wins - in a chocolaty sort of way. Many runners (other than Aidan) came in early, Terry Bluett offering his mates four minutes by way of example. Others took a different view, with this weeks 'time on course' prize going to 'St' Andrew 's 'Cathedral' Goddard (MM) who ran the lot in 59.36 and copping 150 for his trouble. The 'Nest Of Vipers' was not much further back with a minus 120 for his troubles.

Our biggest score group was 470 points, with 13 runners all managing this rather nice combination. Score with only one take were rare by comparison - 'The Paint Tube' already mentioned (590), Kathryn  Cox (290) and Barry 'The Coal Fired Power Station' Cole going alone for 220. Anyway, enough of these stars, lets look deeper into the morass, the mists, the SSS shroud - and the back bar for more antics on the paddock at Glebe Point.

How about a tidy 570 from Uringa star Michael 'The Kranski' Weiner. And from the Masters ranks, Sandy 'The Hurricane' Smith a soaking and bedwetting 540, that might just keep the Chief in office. Mitchell 'The Governor General' Isaacs worked 510 knighthoods before dark in OM, Veteran Mark 'The' Savery 'Sausage Roll' had punters drooling, but hoping his 510 wasn't the price of one, and Alex Legge, using both apparently, but not quite quick enough and copping the dreaded one second ping to float from 500 to 490. Still, good running Alex, but bring Rolf Harris along next time.

Good to see Ian and Sue Froude up from Cronulla, and also Kevy in the Chevie (a tidy 370 in LM). Also noted are Dianne Bergen ' Dy Bottle' booking Cafe Sydney for a VW do and ordering an Otago Pinot import for $420; Janette Ellis 'Island' queuing up with cardboard suitcase and 390 points in MW; Terry 'All Rise' Murphy ordering a retrial in LM after his Sportident stick only recorded 370 - and everyone in court knew it should have been closer to 570. The list goes on: Visiting Pom, David 'The Lower Back' Lumby, went a bit over at 49.12, needed an X ray, but took home 340 none the less; 'Lord' Bruce Stanley emerged, immortal, from the Nepalese Kingdom and resumed trackwork with 330; Kit 'Bag' Wong was looking for that CD by Richard Thompson, and made an offer of 320 in OW; and Bennelong's Emily 'The RAF Saved The Nation' Fewster took out 260 MW enemy aircraft to land safely in 191st place.

Myall 'Lakes' Quint is noted quietly afloat with 200 in OM, Ross 'John Wayne' Duker had both guns ablaze for 300 in SVM, Dan 'The Finish Chute' Bunting (OM) ran in between the flags with 400, and James 'The Blast Furnace' Lithgow worked at a higher temperature for 500. There are many others of course - all a story within a story. Much like the works of the Reverend Audrey.

Big thanks to Warwick and the Garingal crew for a top night - that for many ended with another superb and disturbingly presented, bangers and mash map analysis at the North Annandale Hotel. Such is life for the committed summer series addict.

Next week sees the hard working Garingal crew backing up again, this time with Ron 'The Vegie Patch' Junghans in charge and a return to Magdala Road. This is a great starting park alongside the Lane Cove River, that will see Uncle Ron scattering pots upon the Sugarloaf and as far west as Macquarie Hospital. There is some nice stuff here, including nice bush track running, and a reverential cannon beside the RSL to appeal to military types. Thing gun as you run sort of thing.

Make it a date folks, and let's give the great artist we know Ron is, what's coming to him. Bring your tenner, bring the cat, even bring grandma - as we run event six in the series of the century!