The only horses I saw in The Parade in June | And We’re Back

The Parade - Edgar Degas 1866-1868 (Musée d’Orsay, Paris)

The only horses I saw in The Parade in June

Without wanting to spend too much time reflecting on a trip to Europe, it was a fortunate opportunity to rest and refresh before what will only be another hectic Spring Carnival. I’ve always defined a holiday as an absence of work, but with some wisdom gained, I’ve discovered it’s more than that.

I didn’t see a racehorse in the flesh for a month, and given a return to Flemington on July 4 in time for Finals Day, it should present a sound test for trainers and myself given a number of runners will have been up for some time, and Melbourne is in the teeth of winter. Who will still have condition to win?

While not in the flesh, I did come across some paintings of racehorses courtesy of Edgar Degas (1834 - 1917) in both the Musée d’Orsay in Paris and the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen. Degas was particularly fond of ballet and produced sculptures and paintings devoted to his countless muses in action, the object of both his affection and his obsession. But he was also a fan of horse racing, which was another motif that found its way in to his art.

Musée d’Orsay notes regarding The Parade (Le Défilé) “his depictions focused on anatomical accuracy and rendering the movement of the equines”, less concerned about the colour of the silks, the name of the jockey or the trainer of the horse. This is an exact principle that FTY is built upon.

Jockeys Before the Race - Edgar Degas 1888 (Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen)

The Opportunities of Shapes and Movement

As the Glypotek observed, “As in the artist’s famous scenes of ballet dancers warming up or rehearsing, it is the moment just before or after the real action that interests the artist”, and indeed his fandom of racing seems rooted in the parade up until the last moments prior to the race when nerves and anticipation are at their greatest.

The actual process of watching runners parade I find quite peaceful yet engaging, outside of the main carnival days where crowds exceed the other 10-11 months of the year and observation can become borderline combative for prime viewing. But without realising, the nerves as the gates start to load with the first runners for the day are not just confined to the jockeys, trainers or connections. Degas just helped me learn, my month off was a chance to relax the nerves.

And while back in action this Saturday on July 4 at Flemington for Finals Day, I feel just the earliest hint of nervous energy. It’s time to get back to work and to enjoy another season of racing.

Le Champ de courses. Jockeys amateurs près d'une voiture - Edgar Degas 1876 - 1887 & Jockeys Before the Race - Edgar Degas 1888 (Musée d’Orsay, Paris)

New Meetings are now Available

I’m gradually updating the shop with meetings available for July - August. For those wanting to get involved, there is a maximum of 10 members per meeting. There is no subscription, simply purchase for whatever dates you require.

I’m looking forward to getting back in to the stables and on the yard fence, despite the cold and wet weather, as this time of year is where the horses nearing the end of their preparations and those beginning a new campaign give vital clues in the parade. No amount of database crunching, replay watching or form guide analysis can confirm what a horse is feeling on the day!

Thanks as always for you support, and I’ll see you From The Yard!

FTY