Braith Nock, the former bull rider, was described as “this kid” in complimentary terms three times in two minutes after his early double at Hawkesbury last Saturday by Sky Channel presenters Corey Brown and Ron Dufficy.
As usual jockeys, wonderful athletes that once took centre stage with top footballers and cricketers, were very much to the fore at the scintillating standalone Saturday on the provincial circuit.
Hawkesbury was good as was the triumph of Pride Of Jenni albeit she is the Horse Of The Year who only notched the Anniversary Vase, Listed category, hardly flash, at Caulfield.
Mind you trainer Joe Pride’s successful Hawkesbury treble was noteworthy but Nock, the “kid” with a moustache, plus Adam Hyeronimus and, old reliable, Nash Rawiller took prominence on the leader board.
With the style and ability to get the best out of reluctant subjects Rawiller gives average race meetings a dash of the exceptional even more than champion James McDonald.
Races are theatre or an arena. Rawiller plays character actor to J-Mac’s matinee idol, who will figure largely in the mooted Grand Prix circuit worldwide for the 12 best jockeys. No females. Say Rachel King which is contentious.
But Frankie Dettori, Ryan Moore and Joao Moreira, greats elsewhere have been named in the line-up but in Australia I’d have no qualms about backing Rawiller against them.
No doubt they are decades away from “kid” status that caught my ear because Nock, still an apprentice and a survivor from bucking under carriage, is 23.
Going back, apprentice jockeys, regardless of their winning tally, had to end their time at 21. Talented youngsters were has-beens at 23.
The modern system is superior. Teenagers get the chance to mature, most starting later. Even in the 1960’s being in a stable, long hours and menial tasks, was more Charles Dickens work house than an environment for budding saddle superstars.
Minimum weights were less and the apprentices were also subjected to “wasting”, drastic measures to get lighter than nature intended.
Once I was told about a “kid” being stuck in the steamy heat of a dung pit to lose poundage. Missed the picture so the story was not written.
Nock, too, has survived anything but a smooth passage. Bull riding?
Obviously he wasn’t offered the mount on Chainsaw, the greatest gyrating Brahman who I was fortunate to witness.
Anyway, Nock was in full control on Jumeirah and Canadian Ruler at Hawkesbury and impressed Brown and Dufficy, two worthies when it comes to race riding. I am reliably informed Dufficy, reflecting on Nock’s survival, is considering bull bouncing as a diversion.
Maybe Rawiller could have handled Chainsaw and a Saturday double is par for the course (or siren) for him while Hyeronimus, considered as a second string for topliners, excelled with ability to get mounts out of the gates that proved vital for Dragonstone and Cool Jakey.
Hyeronimus is Tulloch Lodge or Gai Waterhouse tuned. Jump fast and into forward position. It gave the Pride trained double a vital edge. Dragonstone, normally a backmarker, is hardly quick early. From the nine gate Hyeronimus activated him outside the leader.
Up front at Hawkesbury was the place to be, a situation that suits Pride Of Jenni who proved too illusive for Scheelite, fresh from a Bendigo benchmark 74 win, hardly an imposing credential to take on the Horse Of Year.
However seeking another opinion, The Rating Bureau’s Dan O’Sullivan pointed out the 61kg carried by Pride Of Jenni “stands as the highest weight carried by a mare to win an open open-sex stakes race in at least the past 20 years.”
So Pride Of Jenni rates good but bad concerned the penalty count, 27 to nine, in favour of the Greater Western Sydney against the Swans, at the Sydney Cricket Ground last Sunday. The Swans were back to being competitive for four quarters and not dropping the bit after a flash period. At least the home side wasn’t subjected to the bunker calls. It was a tough game, enough to trigger enthusiasm from this supporter for the first time this season.
Downright ugly is the only way to describe South Sydney against Newcastle.
Not since myxomatosis have the rabbits been so decimated. Nine players out last Saturday. What has happened to the Redfern Oval steel, seemingly replaced by a porcelain tally of injuries with the luxury environment change at the Heffron Centre, Maroubra.
After the match South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett was scowling about attitude, making me appreciate just how good jockeys and trainers are with the media.
So where does the latest attempt regarding the Rosehill controversy stand? Good, bad or ugly.
Australian Turf Club members have been offered baubles to sell racing’s sacred ground, including $5,000 over five years to spend on sausage rolls and other assorted ATC racecourse treats. Now five large to have a bet would be tempting. Gambled responsibly of course.
