Writer's block. A curse if the truth be known. I'm not one that usually suffers this affliction but I confess I have contemplated this blog each day for the past week and wondered what to write (then remembered what my Mum always told us "If you have nothing important to say ... say nothing"). I have therefore been reliant on a few other writers and also the good old 'headline news' summaries to stave off complete silence.

Anyway, I assume (hope?!) the problem has more to do with factors apart from a reluctance to write per se. It has been a fantastic (albeit hectic) few weeks in Hong Kong with all the international visitors and clients in town. Add to that the fact that Athlone is busier than ever (we will be announcing some major news in conjunction with a major race club in a few short weeks so stay tuned) which always makes juggling hours a bit tricky. Nevertheless I have found a couple of things (and a spare hour) to post this evening so here goes:

First of all - I was (pleasantly) surprised at the "luck factor" in securing a photograph of a 2yo carving his way through the records at the moment - PULSATOR - at this year's Magic Millions sale. With the complementary news that his sire is blitzing his rivals on the first season sire charts - his progeny earning almost 5-times his nearest competitor (last weekend alone he had 3 runners in stakes races and all earned black type: BIG JOKER (Show A Heart-It's A Giggle, by Rory's Jester) runner-up by a half-neck in the Listed Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Randwick; MEL (Show A Heart-Hour, by Personal Hope) second in the Listed Meynink Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm; and BELLA HEART (Show A Heart-Magic Of Mackay, by Distinctly North) third in the Listed McDougall Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm) then it was even more pleasing.

I don't have any photos of MEL, but in addition to the photo I took of PULSATOR some months back I also have a photo of BIG JOKER as a yearling at the same sale PULSATOR was offered at.

At this point some would say "oh yes, I am such a good judge of a horse I photographed accordingly...". My response to that would be "yeah right". Securing a photo that you can then pull out of your hat some months later as if you had it planned all along is a simple case of luck - not talent.

Here's the photo of BIG JOKER anyway (top priced SHOW A HEART yearling at the 2005 sale; vendor Glenlogan Park; purchaser Nick Moratis; purchase price $240,000).