Robbo often accuses your correspondent of being overly negative and cynical.  Apon reflection, I think Robbo has a point and so I have resolved to try to be more optimistic and less cynical.  For starters, I am trying to me more optimistic about Essendon.  It seems to be working; I am feeling better and better about Essendon’s 2025 draft hand week by week.

 

I am also trying to be more optimistic about our stable of racehorses.  Chipilly ran last week at Geelong.  The punters, in my opinion, were overly negative about the horse’s chances in the race.  The stables noted that Chipilly would have to get out of the gates well to have a chance in the race, which also seemed overly pessimistic.  I was having none of it and had every confidence in our prized quadruped.

 

Chipilly got out of the gates quicker than Salchow and led the bay gelding early.  In fairness, Chipilly also left the barriers slower than all the rest of the field, so no doubt our trainer retired to the bar at that point.  Not your correspondent, who still had faith.

 

Chipilly maintained a handy lead over Salchow down the back straight and around the bend.  Salchow challenged hard down the home straight, but Chipilly had all the answers and stormed home ahead of Salchow to bag a very creditable second last place.  Congratulations to connections.

 

This is the important lesson that Chipilly and Essendon fans can take out of a big weekend of sport; you don’t need to be going well to enjoy life, you just need to be going better than someone else.  It also helps if you have their first round draft pick.