Michelle Payne has caused a few ripples in the UK while a weird sight greeted punters in the public area at Flemington on Saturday.
SYMPATHY FOR PAYNE IN UK WALKOUT
It's hard to blame Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne for bailing out of a press call promoting Saturday's Shergar Cup meeting at Ascot.
Payne left the media event held in a London pub feeling unwell after giving two hours of interviews and posing for pictures, with local media reporting the jockey swore at an Ascot representative before leaving.
"She said we'd be two hours then they'd have a car bring us back. Four hours later she said "no you can't leave and you have to speak to all these interviews'' – six more — asking all the same questions, and that the car wasn't ready to go back anyway," Payne told the Herald-Sun.
"Usually I'm pretty tough but they were asking too much.''
Her departure made worldwide headlines but I sympathise with the jockey on this occasion.
The travel from Melbourne to England can be taxing and her brother-in-law, leading Sydney-based rider Kerrin McEvoy, was too ill to attend the event.
Reports suggest Payne was asked to stay at the media conference for four hours answering the same questions on auto-repeat, which can be draining on anyone even when 100 percent right.
Locally, the build-up to the Melbourne Cup places big media demands on both Australian and international participants but nothing like a four-hour stretch repeating the replies to similar questions.
Australian and international media are happy to do 'all-in' press conferences with Cup contenders, which take 10 minutes tops after a horse has galloped at the Werribee quarantine centre.
Payne must pass a doctor's examination to take her rides in the Shergar Cup.
NATION IMMEDIATELY GIVES NEW OWNERS SOMETHING AT FLEMINGTON
Has Gerry Harvey sold Sovereign Nation too early?
The retail mogul and Magic Millions boss sold Sovereign Nation to a syndicate that includes Mark Pilkington and Darren Thomas after his last-start third at Flemington last month.
Sovereign Nation carried the colours of his new owners to victory in the VRC Member Graeme McMenamin Handicap (1400m) when he dashed to a 4¼ length win, which prompted co-trainer Tom Dabernig to suggest a Group I target could be on the cards for Sovereign Nation.
"He loves being fresh and I think the 1400m, maybe up to a mile, is his best distance," Dabernig, who trains Sovereign Nation in partnership with David and Ben Hayes, said.
"We have been thinking that he could be a Group I style of handicap horse down in the weights."
Sovereign Nation has won two of his four starts since being gelded after his summer campaign.
BRAVE BUCK STANDS OUT IN FLEMINGTON GLOOM
A wedding dress was always going to stand out in the sparse Flemington public area on Saturday but the fact a bloke was wearing it made the vision even weirder.
Buck Matt Laskey (pictured above) headed to Flemington with a bunch of mates to celebrate his buck's day at the races but the boys had a little surprise for the groom when he arrived on course.
A "stitch-up" left Laskey wearing a white dress but it didn't stop him enjoying the day with a few beers and a bet with his mates at Flemington.
Laskey's fianceé was off celebrating her hens' day in Brisbane while he was wandering the Flemington public area in a gown the lads carefully selected at a Salvation Army clothing store.
Laskey's friends, including a mate that travelled from Airlie Beach in Queensland for the day, had to be careful they didn't step on the train of the flowing white gown as the wearer strode around Flemington.
Good luck to Matt and the future Mrs Laskey, who will be married on September 23.
STAN THE MAN BACK ON WINNER'S LIST AFTER EIGHT YEARS
Jockey Stan Tsaikos was right to give a little fist pump after booting home Jocka's Truce in the Vickery Bros Maiden (1000m) at Coleraine.
Jocka's Truce started as a $41 chance at the Victorian provincial meeting but it meant plenty to Tsaikos because it was his first victory since he returned to the saddle from a broken leg earlier this year.
Tsaikos spent more than six years out of the saddle because of complications from a back injury he sustained in a fall in 2009 before a barrier accident last year cost him another 12 months away from racing.
ARMCHAIR PUNTER SHOULD HAVE PLENTY IN THE KICK
My esteemed colleague 'The Armchair Punter' Stephen Brassel, who predicted Damien Oliver was on the verge of a resurgence in his column last week, should have had a good week following the champion jockey.
TAP noted, "Damien Oliver has had a tough start to the new season failing to find the placings in five rides at Sale on Wednesday and again at Flemington on Saturday but it won't be long before the champ is back on top".
Oliver produced a double strike at last Sunday's Sandown meeting, including a win on the $41 chance Journeygirl, before notching a win on the Geelong Synthetic circuit and a victory aboard the Chris Waller-trained Wayanka at Flemington on Saturday.
The week could have been even better for Oliver, who was narrowly beaten aboard Cannyescent in Saturday's Aurie's Star Handicap at Flemington.
