Yes, But How Wet?If the Doomben Ten Thousand, one of Australia's biggest sprint races, wasn't being run this weekend I'd be tempted to go to the movies.Well not seriously. I'm addicted to racing wherever it's held and under all conditions; but I'd be there on Saturday without my wallet.The worst floods in years in Southern Queensland, awful weather in New South Wales... and ordinary programs further south and to the west. I could forego them all, but that Doomben race always gets me in.One thing

Yes, But How Wet?

If the Doomben Ten Thousand, one of Australia's biggest sprint races, wasn't being run this weekend I'd be tempted to go to the movies.

Well not seriously. I'm addicted to racing wherever it's held and under all conditions; but I'd be there on Saturday without my wallet.

The worst floods in years in Southern Queensland, awful weather in New South Wales... and ordinary programs further south and to the west. I could forego them all, but that Doomben race always gets me in.

One thing my pals and I always agree on is the chance of making a Lotto collect on the Doomben Ten Thousand exotics. In the past it's paid six figures for the Trifecta, let alone the more recently developed First Four!

I have no idea how to snag it, but modesty aside, if I don't, then most people don't. It really is a lottery, or lotto.

Is it worth a few dollars to try my luck? Of course it is! A few, mind you, not a silly amount. Just a few.

If I had an annual bank of, say, $1000, for my multiple bets, I'd maybe risk $24 (2.4%) on trying to pull in a four-horse First Four and Trifecta. That might even be too much.

Madness? Probably, and against most of my investment principles, and I have no idea where to start. BUT I do know that I have more show of pulling it off than I'd have of winning Lotto or even the lottery. I'll probably succumb.

(Saturday 7.45 am note: Sydney has registered 8.1 on the penetrometer this morning. I cannot recall a figure like that in Sydney.)

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