A WEEKLY REVIEW

The Good

An uncommon seven-year-old mare beautifully handled on ground and saddle level, Bella Nipotina lifted Saturday’s substandard The Everest at Royal Randwick before a demographic difficult to ascertain.

“Notably this edition of The Everest was the lowest rated so far,” Dan O’Sullivan, of the Ratings Bureau, pointed out about the eighth running of the $20 million sprint.

“Comparisons with over 1200 metre races on the day combined with just 1.9 lengths separating the first eight finishes made it impossible to rate the race higher.”

With the inclusion of Overpass, holder of two previous decisions over Bella Nipotina and successful in the earlier Sydney Stakes as well as the three-year-old Switzerland, The Everest would have been a better race. Traffic Warden, too, remaining stable to start would have helped.

While three-year-olds didn’t figure in the quinella and their season’s worth is still in the balance, Traffic Warden continued their wayward coltish behaviour when he threw himself down in the barrier before the start and was withdrawn.

And the yet untapped ability of Switzerland could have come to the fore considering Growing Empire and the filly, Lady Of Camelot were so close at the finish. Connections of Switzerland preferred Storm Boy, still too awkward out of the gates to be effective late.

Overpass ran faster time than Bella Nipotina, with the benefit master strategist Craig Williams. He made the bold decision to sit three wide, facing the breeze and triumph. Later he was questioned by stewards regarding his mount being outside the lead due to the dopey rule about change in tactics being notified. Bella Nipotina was taken back to the tail at her previous eye-catching performance but the jockey told them he informed owners prior to the Saturday’s race if she began well he would prefer to ride her positively: common navigational sense, that makes great jockeys better than good because they adapt to a situation.

Also take a bow Blake Shinn, coming out of the gates like a rocket on Ostraka to take the Silver Eagle.

Of course Bella Nipotina had the benefit of a Ciaren Maher preparation and what a consistent mare she’s been, a veteran now of 55 starts and widely travelled. She gave The Everest character if not the class of Ceolwulf who scored in the King Charles 111, the best race on the program before an attendance around 50,000 making the 25,000 for the corresponding Caulfield Cup look paltry, a statistic I never figured possible. Double at Randwick compared to Caulfield Cup day?

Peter Ellis, a South Of The Boarder punter who goes back to Galilee’s Caulfield Cup in 1966, the first one I covered, specialises in track conditions, was at Randwick with the Maher team. He was adamant Sydney racing now is superior to Melbourne.

Maher, no doubt took the training honours on Saturday with the Caulfield Cup as well as The Everest, but a special mention to David McColm, who notched the Kosciusko with Far Too Easy a bandaged six-year-old who nearly died earlier this year, and Matt Dale, trainer of the runner-up Front Page, an unsound eight-year-old. Maher does brilliant with hundreds of the best bred and highest priced horses, while McColm and Dale climbed Kosciusko with a couple of patched up country crocks, cuddling them for the one big payout.

The Bad

Alas Randwick on Saturday was the most uncomfortable experience I’ve ever had on a racecourse, encompassing the Kentucky Derby, Royal Ascot, the English Derby, the Irish Derby, and Bong Bong in boom time.

Just too many people in such a confined state, no place for old men. King Charles pulled the right reign giving it a miss. The trek to the Theatre Of The Horse back to the Elizabeth stand for race viewing was a demanding bump and bustle. Randwick was smitten with queues for booze but also dunnies (refer to ante queue article https://maxpresnell.com/2024/10/16/queue-dodgers/). The ATC would do well next year to have officials point out convenient outlets, known to regulars.

ATC director Caroline Searcy, a true turf enthusiast, beamed at the thought good horses enticed people to the races. Hopefully she is correct but we, on the cynical side, figured the majority were there to have a good time and a big drink. Booze was more popular than betting. Yes, there was a population throng near the horse stall area, requiring crowd control, but it was the only space available.

Be positive dinosaur.

I told some hardy regulars it was one day of the year; every other Saturday is ours with conditions so sparse, most of the spring leadups, too, it could be sprayed by a gatling gun without casualties.

Everest day was for the young, there in thousands, particularly good sorts attired for Vogue to lift a dreary eye. Possibly some might catch the bud, be attracted to the horses and racing as Searcy is.

Pressure applied to Pride Of Jenni early in the King Charles was bad for supporters but predictable, especially when the support came for second favourite Fangirl. Rival Major Beel was always going to be a pest for the favourite but to what degree? Coming out tardy didn’t help Pride Of Jenni either. 

The mare was gallant behind the overwhelming Ceolwulf while Fangirl, wallowing when she should have dashed, was bad.

The Ugly

Running the gauntlet of animal activists, featuring headlines regarding the demise of Black Caviar getting onto Randwick on Saturday, was unsettling.

Not that I question a lawful demonstration but query whether the racing industry has done enough to explain the Black Caviar situation: how it is stomached by the average sports follower?

Above ugly, Think About It was horrific staggering in the straight with a bleeding attack as The Everest field surged ahead. What a relief when he rose. And how good was jockey Jason Collett?