Sydney Summer Series

200 SUSPECTS 'INTERVIEWED' AT MURDER SITE

Seems there is nothing like a gory murder to bring out the Summer Series fans - with over 200 on the lawn last night, awaiting the tumbril and the gallows. In front of, and in full view of our largest roll up to date, Judge Murphy took 44.33 minutes to pass sentence on one Terence Byrne (who had dispatched his wife Ann hereabouts), a sentence requiring a stout rope and a strong stomach. But dispatched he was, giving this pretty part of Sydney town its early and gruesome name.

And despatched all 200+ of us were last evening - after careful study of the court lists and penalty positions of course. This was all courtesy of court officer Darr and his pink robed attendants, who had set up under the gallows like shadow of the aqueduct for good measure. A scene of calm expectation, with the steep drive down to Kooyong furrowing the brow with thoughts of upsey work to come. This might be a trial in more ways than one!

And so, with the sun out, and the tide out, the crowd threw down the tenner. This time in another Big Feet tweak of procedure that had elderly attendees muttering into their browning moustaches. The orders of court paper was a two sided affair, directions in colour on one side, and then, helpfully (ha!) on the obverse, a boxed listing of points. We can only presume Andy has too much time on his hands.

After our previous outing here (01/11) that focused on the school and points east, last night's landscape presentation reintroduced the western flog in all its proboscis like droop, with the school and bushy north contributing the balance of points in a goiter like central bulge. You can almost read neck and noose in the west, where punters, beeping at #18,15 and 22 and sensing something, lowered their heads and said a few words. The east of the map, in contrast, was as silent as the public gallery was when the judge reached for the black linen.

And so, how to go about your work with such history extant? Simple. Ignore the lot and focus on the Reschs (oops, I mean the course), which turned out to be a perfect SSS set with a toppie at 590 exciting the people that write the rules. So good, and with good scoring from the all stations stallions right down the line to Stephanie's twenty after a most enjoyable 72 minute walk. It was a night of points, and a night where the law took its course.

Casting the bloodshot, three areas demanded consideration. The 100 points in the 'proboscis', the 140 along the creek (the 'gizzard' perhaps), and the 100 in the school grounds. Adding to this were a further 70 to the east of the school and a delicious confection in the middle. This middle group (30,19,14,29) were court one material, with 14/29 being a good link to the northern case (stolen goods perhaps). How to begin? Well, many saw the folly of the proboscis, where the lure of the hundred had to be balanced by the empty return - much like the empty mortuary train from Rookwood needs it's returning full load from Central. Those ignoring the snozz, opted to go up the creek (1,16,24,23) before a clockwise circuit with plenty of bail out options either before or into the school. Others liked an early heart starter and flew to 21,13 and as above, or being bolder (Sir Ronald of Tomatoe) looped in 17,8 before 21. Few it seems worked 20/7 as a beginning - perhaps put off by the drive in as mentioned - with the reverse costing time for 'Big Pharma' when the small track down below #7 failed to reveal itself. Not happy Jan was the cry!

Lots of options and routes, with the Pork Chop's late claim of 5,11,19 (and then out of time to get #14) a mistake, with time lost searching for the tiny pass-through below #5, dropping to #11 and then having to regain altitude to 19 with no time left for #14. In the comfort of the judges chambers, warming a single malt, the almost flat link from 5 to 19/14, yielding the same points, seems suddenly obvious! Running without thinking - that's the summer series...er, no, 'with' thinking please!

Some very nice sites, the ruin for instance - and it's great stone stairway upwards. This was easy peasy from below, but apparently harder to find from the top - as several prisoners legs revealed. I think that was the only puzzle on the course, although 'The Darrleck's' idea of being 'grounded' in his control chaining, had one runner flying uphill past #12 and not seeing the potty until well past it. Grrrr. And in contrast to all the yoga bending to beep, how about number 25 hanging from the tree. 'Big Feet' - you just can't put your foot on 'em!

Perhaps a few scores to consider while the jury retires.

Steve takes the onions with 600 minus 10. Glenn and Andy also put on six, but copped thirty's, Michael one back with 560, held off a trio on 550, a duo on 540 and Gill in court alone on 530 (looking recovered from an ankle (?) at Forrestville). And so it went, with several more solo appearances. 'The Harley' on 520, 'Rossini' on 510, 'The Side Valve' on 500, and 'The Sausage' on 490. All excellent scores from past masters of the summer series.

Good to see Wazza back from Killimanjaro, working the singlet into a lather, but failing to claim from 'The Hawk' who also penciled a tidy 440. James fronted for his first, Charles Blaxland spent 42 minutes searching for Lawson, Mal 'In The Middle' Gledhill took the coin from 'The Broad Bean', and David Bowerman appeared in a Garingal top. Team Berko is noted back in action (yippeee), Chloe & Charlie beeped 170, Adrian White went Group Think, Lumo went slowly, and 'Mohammed & Sultan' claimed the 177th seat in the public gallery! Excellent stuff.

Sydney Summer Series? Conducting it's trials in the open air!

So, a top event at one of our favourite locations. Good work Anthony and fellow Feet. Much appreciated - as was the schnitzel and salad at the Longee afterwards. You can feel the numbers and momentum building, with many more names (no, not Lloyds of London) making their scoring debut as they chase the lick of gold, the sniff of silver and the whisper of bronze - not to mention the lure of the NSW justice system.

All this, and more will become apparent next week - as we return to the harbour and go all funny on the Luna Park rides and harbour boardwalks. Kim Willinski and the Garingal crew, under the powerful influence of lavender, will be setting up their flower stall in Watt Park - almost adjacent to the advertised Quiberie. As always down here, the parking is tough, but, despite that, it is sure to repeat previous biggies hereabouts, and be a MONSTER! Come by train, come by bus, come by ferry! But make sure you come for a run in this most spectacular location. Sydney is on show and big Kimmy is promising a floggerooney to remember. Plenty of apres O cafe's and restaurants in the area for those that like to dissect their course over pie and peas. And then there is always The Kirribilli...mmmmm.