Sandpaper, a strong chance for the Captivant in a sub-standard Saturday at Royal Randwick, is another example of the modern trend to stable change.
The program has been cut back to a civilised nine events because $200,000 Carrington, that goes back in many forms to the 1886 and had to be scrapped due to lack of acceptors.
Randwick on Wednesday could only muster six races. Mainly recent Sydney racing has been flat for quality and attendance with Boxing Day an exception. If Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club aren’t concerned, they should be.
The Wyong stand-alone Saturday when Sandpiper triumphed two weeks broke a dreary Randwick cycle with Sandpaper a beneficiary.
Previously prepared by James Cummings, Sandpaper was having his first start under the uncanny touch of Bjorn Baker. “Hasn’t won since the cricket scandal” chanted race broadcaster Darren Flindell at Wyong.
Going back horses remained with the same trainer throughout their career, horse stealing regarded as a hanging offence verbally if not physically.
“Let your sheep out and I’ll round them up,” an outlaw, who broke the code, would expound. New Zealand was open game, so, too. Interstate horses, the Goonawindi grey, Gunsynd, comes to mind. Locals, though, clung to their charges like family and most that went elsewhere didn’t succeed. Stand outs did.
For instance Bart Cummings lost Better Loosen Up as a three-year-old to Col Hayes who won a Cox Plate and Japan Cup with him which didn’t moderate the bad blood between them that emulated from early Adelaide days.
However owners sought the expertise of The Master. Cummings picked up Hyperno from Geoff Murphy, a Group one winning trainer. Cummings didn’t win a Cox Plate or Japan Cup with Hyperno but did notch a Melbourne Cup.
In the current era stables are so big, spread over the eastern seaboard, trainers have to sort the wheat from the chaff. With hundreds under their eye, they have to keep conveyor belts moving. Ditch some to make way for others.
Thus horse sales on the internet are in vogue. Buyers have the knowledge that when purchasing from a major outfit, the horses have had the best of everything. Those regarded as average have to be moved whereas the old-time trainer could always find a race even if it meant waiting for six months or longer.
Darby Racing has shone in the present environment. Picked up Sandpaper but previously Robusto, another responding to Baker’s expertise to the extent of over a million bucks return so far.
Already James Cummings has moved more horses to other trainers than his grandfather, Bart, did in his entire career. Apart from Sandpiper, one of the Godolphin discards, Balkans, scored under lights at Canterbury recently.
Last Saturday Gravina, formerly at stablemate of Balkans and now with Matthew Dale, was unplaced at Rosehill last Saturday but the Goulburn trainer will get a return from him.
Gravina is a half-brother to Beiwacht, tuned for a bold debut under the Godolphin blue at Randwick today in the Real Estate Handicap with two barrier trial successes.
Beiwacht is scheduled to take on United States, a $1.7 million yearling by Snitzel, and raced by a group of Chris Waller’s high rollers. Wodeton, price tag $1.6 million that now looks cheap, at Rosehill last Saturday indicated Waller’s youngsters are starting to bloom. Waller keeps plenty up his sleeve in barrier trials.
Before joining Baker, Robusto, carrying the Ingham colours, paid his way with Waller. Big Jack and Mr Bob Ingham, under the Woodlands Stud banner, had thousands of horses but only a few went elsewhere effectively.
Picnic In The Park, bred by them, established a rare winning streak. Nowhere near the family record, Winx (33), but 21 on the trot. In North Queensland.
Yes Waller has been the beneficiary of topliners from other outfits, particularly Darren Weir, but he went out of play under extenuating circumstances.
However Waller has accepted a bold assignment: Alligator Blood after a stellar career with David Van Dyke and the Gai Waterhouse – Adrian Bott combination.
Alligator Blood in now an eight-year-old gelding, just mature in theory of John Hickmott, 81, who specialises in veterans. Eleven-year-old Frances Boy won at Murray Bridge, South Australia, recently for Hickmott and partner Carrina Riggs. Frances Boy has had 136 starts for 19 wins and 31 placings.
“You don’t buy or breed good horses – you fluke them,” Hickmott told Matt Stewart in Winning Post.
2 Responses
As always Max 100% on the money with all your opinions
A good piece and so true . The mighty dollar is the motivator now . Old days the horse was the important object not always the money . Sometimes I think the stables are a bit like factories.