A WEEKLY REVIEW: The Good The Bad The Ugly

Meeting another relic of a bygone era on route to Rosehill Gardens on Saturday was good but later matched by Jean Van Overmeire, a saddle lesser light.

Well down on the batting order of Chris Waller jockeys, Van Overmeire won on Misterkipchoge, the gelding’s first success since January 2024 despite the assistance previously of the exceptionals Nash Rawiller, James McDonald, Jaoa Moreira, Kerrin McEvoy and Craig Williams.

Being able to have his mount so handy in the run kindled the interest of stewards, following the change in tactics bunkum pursued currently, but Van Overmeire just used initiative and adapted to the situation.

With the dust settling on the South Sydney debacle against the Dolphins and the Swans, so brilliant in many aspects, melting in the goal mouth, bad dominated.

How can an outfit like the Rabbits have so many good players and be such a poor team? And don’t bleat about injuries. It didn’t hinder the Dolphins.

While the Swans were downed by the Bulldogs on the slippery slide Sydney Cricket Ground, it didn’t temper the brilliance of Isaac Heeney nor the workload of Brody Grundy.

But the SCG is a far public service trip from the Eastern Suburbs to Rosehill, once smooth with a special race train from Central station when hundreds surged onto the racecourse from carriages but it was dropped. Punters then had to change at nearby Clyde for the final three-minutes to the Rosehill entrance. Not as easy but still enough to encourage racegoers.

Apart from Rosehill the need was so great the specials extended to Warwick Farm and provincials Kembla Grange, Gosford, Wyong and Newcastle.

Race trains, like trams to Randwick were rattle traps, hardly easy riding as the current model but quicker and were a feature of Sydney life.

Advice was passed down to generations. Don’t play cards on race trains. Arthur Bergman, a politician, who stood as an independent, ranted on race trains with the fervour that featured in the Domain, once the centre for gasbags every Sunday expounding their views.

Populated by the salt of the turf headed by rail for the horse sports with Bergman, were tipsters and urgers like Ronnie Waterbags, underworld heavies represented by Nattie Fox, seated near the dignified trainer Frank McGrath. Also likely in the same carriage was Australian Jockey Club committeemen, and later chairman, Tony Allport. Sheep also strayed on board, accepted as ready to be fleeced.

But the scene has changed …

Last Saturday leaving for Rosehill from Bondi Junction meant a switch at Town Hall for the link to Parramatta then the 920 bus to the Rosehill entrance.

A traveller asked the bus driver about the stop where to depart for Rosehill. “Follow me,” I said. Two or maybe three departed for the turf action where it was once a stampede.

On the uphill walk to the entrance it transpired the visitor, a lad in his 60’s, was having a return to the past. Originally, he hailed from Wollongong, cut his teeth at Dapto dogs, was a regular at Kembla Grange when he wasn’t at the Sydney majors. For the last 20 years he lived in Melbourne. Still goes to the races. “But nobody else does,” he related.

I mentioned the Victoria Racing Club has over 33,000 members, I am one and still thrilled by the Flemington Spring carnival, more so than any other race meeting.

“Normal days are dismal at Flemington and it’s worse at Caulfield, Moonee Valley and I went to Sandown recently and there were fewer there,” he maintained.

“I have come to Sydney to see how it is. Went to Hawkesbury the other day and only three bookmakers were operating. Three bookmakers at Hawkesbury? I am looking forward to Rosehill today.”

We talked of the bygone era. The great Golden Slippers he had seen. I didn’t tell him what to expect in the betting ring. Ugly came to mind.