Former Wallaby Stirling Mortlock’s Lankan Rupee winner – By Trevine Rodrigo in Melbourne
Source : pressreader
Former Australian Wallabies skipper Stirling Mortlock has always had a knack for finding his way to the try line either by deception or sheer determination. But his other talent is the ability to pick a winner from nothing much like his illustrious Rugby exploits when he came up with an unlikely winner picking ‘Lankan Rupee’ on Oaks Day at the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival much to the delight of his Sri Lankan mate at the Melbourne Rebels, Rugby convener, Hish Fernando.
Mortlock is an open admirer of Sri Lanka, its people and hospitality and its talent in rugby which he savoured recently for the first time during a visit to the Island for the Carlton Rugby Sevens with other officials from the Melbourne Rebels.
The former Rebels Captain and now board member of Australia’s newest franchise in the Super 15’s is keen on a liaison with Sri Lanka rugby in what could be a viable exchange if the SLRFU is able to arrange a reasonable sponsorship deal which could in return gain the expertise of some of the best training, knowledge and techniques to lift Sri Lanka rugby to world standards.
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Advances on this bi-lateral agreement have so far gained a negative response from Sri Lanka it is learnt.
It was Oakes Day, also known as Ladies Day here in Flemington Melbourne. It’s traditionally every Thursday that follows the world famous Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.
So there was this one little Sri Lankan twist this year in 2013 that many would describe as the odd “omen race”. Race number 8 for the day was the Dilmah Earl Grey Stakes, and what an iconic brand this is for Sri Lanka and Melbourne-Sri Lankan relations.How- ever, the twist runs a little further, as it was the Melbourne Rebel’s very own Stirling Mortlock who contacted Hish Fernando and pointed out that there was a horse called Lankan Rupee rid- ing in the race. Stirling is a great admirer of all things Sri Lankan following his recent visit to the island nation.
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Impressed with the level of commitment to Rugby over there, as well as the hospitality and opportunity, Mortlock jokingly suggested to Fernando that it may be worth betting on the horse as an “omen bet” in favour of their anticipated long term relationship with commerce between Australia and Sri Lanka. And Fernando did just that.On the day of the race, before race 8 began, it was also very clear that a Jockey on board horse number 11 was wearing the colours of the Sri Lankan flag. And that jockey was Craig Newitt on board none other than Lankan Rupee. 11 men had won the world cup in cricket in 1996, so perhaps there was a little more luck in the number 11.
Lankan Rupee edged out the favourite Snitzerland in a photo finish and at early odds of 11-1, it was a good return for an outside chance, or in other words a “dark horse”, a jubilant Fernando told the Lanka Times in Melbourne.
And at the Melbourne Cup itself, Sri Lankans gathered in their numbers to either flock to the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne to mingle with the milling crowds or hold parties throughout Australia to watch the race that stops the nation.
Plenty of money was splashed around in the frenzied betting that happens on this day and win or lose, no one really complains, as this is for most of them, is the only day they would splash out on the races unlike the hardened punters.
It is a day for celebration and partying as all of Australia stops on a declared public holiday to watch a horse race that is viewed by millions worldwide.
