A WEEKLY REVIEW: The Good The Bad The Ugly

With the switch of the $10 million Golden Eagle, Australia’s second richest race, Rosehill Gardens is headed, like Canterbury and Warwick Farm, to die of shame.

Thus BAD and the UGLY take precedence over GOOD, centred around the mighty Rabbits and the Swans, very slick with Isaac Heeney in full flight.

The most disappointing aspect of the Golden Eagle going to Royal Randwick is the recently appointed Australian Turf Club playmakers, Tim Hale and Caroline Searcy, who were very much against the Rosehill sale, were so agreeable to it.

An extra Randwick meeting, four over the period from October 18 to November 4, is debatable considering the pounding of the course proper but Flemington has four in a week. Rosehill is regarded as a better surface than Randwick anyway.

Down on figures Rosehill deserves a chance to rebuild popularity so why take away a top drawcard? It happened at Canterbury and Warwick Farm, now derelict.

Every decision, most coming from the Mr Big at Racing NSW, confirms to what degree Sydney racing has lapsed with the departure of the Sydney Turf Club.

Melbourne has maintained three race clubs with major events at Flemington, Caulfield and Moonee Valley.

Suggestions often arise that the Cox Plate, generally our best race, should be switched from Moonee Valley, more of a dog circuit, to the bigger, wider Flemington course proper with public facilities that make Randwick look like Bong Bong.

Moonee Valley will get a remake after this year which instils remorse to we who have great memories of the Cox Plate remorse.

Yes, promoters chortle about 49,000 plus going to Randwick for The Everest last year, where those present endured discomfort the like of which took the sting out of the Golden Slipper at Rosehill, big crowds that left racegoers declaring they would never return.

The popularity of Flemington, basically for the Melbourne Cup carnival, centres around catering so well for 80,000, with a strong contingent being there for the racing, the horses, and those that make them. Social yes but having a good drink was not the major attraction, hardly the situation regarding Randwick for The Everest?

And what about “$7 million Base Camp entertainment precinct” touted for Randwick? Hopefully the ATC improves the dilapidated Randwick stables, and spend the necessary to make the lifts and escalators function effectively.

No doubt Latrell Mitchell influenced the South Sydney 20-18 result against the Titans last Sunday as did the toilers, mainly lightweights, up front.

Obviously South had the benefit of lineball decisions which, during the season, have gone against them. The tackle of Titan Jayden Campbell that could have made the difference was high but ineffectual with Jai Arrow involved. Again playing himself into the ground Arrow disclosed: “I was under so much fatigue I was just trying to move for my teammates to make the tackle”.

The jockey sized Jai Grey was significant and confirmed he should be full-back with Mitchell in the centres. And Ashton Ward, another on the slight side, after missing an early tackle showed what South Sydney spirit is about with subsequent stern defence, strong and heady play. The Ward lapse instigated thoughts why was he there instead of the bigger and more experienced Pom, Lewis Dodd? Ward showed us.

Mitchell, gets just acclaim as does Heeney who had Brodie Grundy, a robust main support. Any chance of Grundy backing up for the Rabbits?