■ Werribee’s footprint on the Spring Racing Carnival was never more significant than when a German horse, Protectionist, won the Melbourne Cup from another international horse, Red Cadeaux. Before that, the Caulfield Cup went to Japanese horse Admire Rakti, and Irish horse Adelaide won the Cox Plate. All those horses, and many others, spent time at Werribee during the carnival and that will be even more the case in future. Racing people tell me how much the international visitors love Werribee – the people at the track and the city. There’s no doubt it’s a great thing for the City of Wyndham, and why we don’t make more of it escapes me. Given our elected representatives are usually seen at the opening of an envelope, I don’t get why they don’t capitalise on what is, without doubt, our biggest opportunity to promote the city. Can anyone explain?
■ One area that has improved in sport in recent years is the way clubs include and involve the opposite sex. I think the days of boys-only clubs is on the decline. Thank goodness. It isn’t an avalanche by any means, but the landscape is changing and I think that’s a positive. With that in mind, Yarraville Club Cricket Club is holding a ‘ladies’ day high tea in the park’ at Hansen Reserve from 2-6pm on Saturday, November 29. Cost is $40 and the chosen charities are MND Australia and the Cancer Council Pink Ribbon Day. For more information, call Jamie on 0418 807 621 or Emmett on 0447 502 178.
■ Ballarat Bulldogs. That’s what it looks like the Dogs will become for two or three games if this month’s state election brings a Labor government to power. AFL clubs are always looking at new markets, and Ballarat is one on our doorstep. I wonder why the Bulldogs would move games from Etihad to Ballarat? I understand games against interstate sides are not cost-efficient at Etihad under the current agreement, so this may be the best option in the short term. But, from what I’m reading, this isn’t a short-term project and I’d love Bulldogs fans to let me know what they think of this decision. Will you go to Ballarat, which is a pretty cold place, to watch games? I haven’t spoken to the club about it, but, for me, it’s a bit of a mixed message. On one hand the club is embracing Whitten Oval as home for the VFL Bulldogs, yet it’s moving away from a Melbourne base for home games.
Kevin Hillier
