“All that glitters is not gold” came to mind when Latrell Mitchell, the South Sydney fullback, and Beadman, the two-year-old colt, blazed in the wet last week.
Mitchell was responsible for a finish that will live long in the memory of Rabbitoh supporters with a spectacular field goal to beat the Broncos while Beadman in the Ken Russell on the Gold Coast produced daylight as runner-up, giving the impression of witnessing something ultra ordinary.
After the Bronco clash taciturn, South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett described Mitchell as “special” about which there is no argument. But only when Mitchell is in the mood, and he really fired last Friday night, not only with the magnificent kick but general play. He was involved, ran the ball with enthusiasm he lacks at times, and defended vigorously.
Mitchell even confirmed why he spends so much time at dummy-half when his power and pace could be better applied elsewhere. The “dummy” could be applied to the Bronco defence in the latter stages on the try line when it failed to play to the whistle and he touched down. Brain over brawn.
It was suggested he should be in the Hall Of Fame. One match, nor a race, makes a champion. There is no doubting Mitchell’s ability but South Sydney supporters just want to see him do it consistently in the red and green. Sceptics opine the upcoming State Of Origin has set him alight. Beadman did not require encouragement.
Having only his third start, Beadman the Snitzel two-year-old won by just over an eased down eight lengths. However shortly after Bosustow scored by over six lengths in the Gold Coast Guineas generating the concern of to what degree the heavy track contributed to the runaway result.
Thus a second opinion was pursued.
“It’s important to acknowledge that margins in the latter part of the Gold Coast meeting were inflated due to a rain-affected and reportedly substandard surface,” the Rating’s Bureau reported.
“On the face value Beaman looks a genuine spring carnival contender with the Group one Coolmore Stud Stakes a realistic long-term target. Only Marhoona (Golden Slipper winner) and Tempted (successful in the Percy Sykes at Randwick) have rated higher this season.”
Certainly the Mitchell field goal takes the prize this season but it was a form reversal. The Rabbits were common for most of the game to the degree Joe Pride, the Warwick Farm trainer and South Sydney supporter, admitted going to bed at half-time. He rises at 2 am every morning. But Redfern Oval Rabbitohs, old timers never-say-die or sleep even when on life support.
Alas Crown Lodge, once the Sydney hub of Godolphin at Warwick Farm, is fading fast. One hundred and twenty of the staff, some living on the premises, have been made redundant.
The former champion jockey and Group one winning trainer Darren Beadman, an assistant to trainer James Cummings with the blue army, has survived the chop as did the remarkable Suzanne Philcox, a world record holder, who had planned to depart previously.
Beadman is considering his options but would like to train, the problem being stables. No doubt he has qualifications for the now vacant Leilani Lodge at Randwick but concedes it could be too large for him. James Cummings is the perfect fit for the once family stable.
Philcox comes into the forgotten category who contribute so much but are basically ignored by the racing industry. Back in 2016 I wrote: “Suzanne Philcox is a Crown Lodge jewel …. at the venue (formerly under Woodlands Stud) since its inception in 1987, she works in the office and is worthy of a place in Guinness World Records.
“Nobody has named as many racehorses so well, the figure being 6500 at the last count, a difficult assignment for most, judging by the names refused, yet Philcox comes up with titles of worth and style, considering breeding and background.”
Asked about the process Philcox explained: “I attempt to keep them fairly short although there is an 18-space limit,” Philcox said, referring to the character number. “It’s for our people (Darley Australia then) as well as the race callers.”(“Copy”, out of “Plagiarize”, scored for Darley at Warwick Farm the previous Wednesday.) She leaves with over 10,000 names to her credit.
The Godolphin departure from Crown Lodge is bad but criticism of Gai Waterhouse over the Rosehill Gardens debacle is ugly as are the figures announced in the Australian Turf Club’s attempt to sell Rosehill Gardens.
Under the headline of “First Lady of Racing Has Been A Surprising absentee from Rosehill” appeared in the official ATC media outlet. Coming from “well connections racing sources”.
The Waterhouse contribution to industry has been immense. “Gai Waterhouse is the best thing to happen to racing since Phar Lap,” the Australian Jockey Club chairman, Bob Charley, once commented.
It’s a sucker play to attack Waterhouse on her Rosehill attendance in recent years rather than the industry statistics. Waterhouse explained that she doesn’t go to Rosehill or other Sydney meetings much these days so her partner Adrian Bott can be the focus.
She has notched more racecourse kilometres than most and she now favours Melbourne for which she is an ambassador. John Hawkes became a Hall Of Fame trainer at Crown Lodge and rarely went to the races. Peter Snowden carried the flag.
According to the ATC document, sent to members regarding the upcoming extra-ordinary general meeting about the resolution to off-load Rosehill for $5 billion, the industry in general and Rosehill are very much on the slide.
Obviously the playmaker who advised the Coalition is the last Federal election has been engaged by the ATC.
Unlike ATC directors, those keen to get rid of a wonderful asset, it’s just not modern-day necessity for trainers to go to the races. However ATC directors should list how many occasions they have visited Rosehill in recent years. AJC and Sydney Turf Club directors were regulars.
Alas the Rosehill attendance is devastating as is the betting turnover. Rosehill through the gates has halved from 191,671 to 95,310 while the ATC income from wagering is down 15 percent since 2017 -2018 from $85.3 million to $72.4 million. Canterbury and Warwick Farm are decrepit and Randwick is shadow of it was.
The industry is in decline yet Racing NSW and prizemoney is booming.
“It’s about focus,” wrote Dan O’Sullivan, an opinion worth stressing, wrote in a lengthy piece on X, entailing another underappreciated group.
“Racing has spent years talking about new fans, races, events, and carnival experiences. It has focused on owner returns, and trainers and jockeys are earning significantly more than ever, but the punter has been strategically neglected. That’s a significant oversight. They are the engine of the industry. Other stakeholders are also vital and deserve to have their needs addressed, but without turnover, there’s no funding.”
