A WEEKLY REVIEW: The Good The Bad The Ugly

With John Hunter the playmaker, Mendooran races on Saturday was GOOD while the defeat of Lady Shenandoah at Royal Randwick was BAD and the vision, as well as the written word, of Victorian trainer Darren Weir’s exploits with the jigger was downright UGLY.

Mendooran, in outback New South Wales, epitomised the spirit of racing, people who want to be at meetings, enjoy the atmosphere and the events, whether they be top quality as at Randwick, or more picnic standard at the bottom of the ability chain.

The once a year at Mendooran exists on the effort of locals, volunteers like Hunter. A committeeman, Hunter had to clear the kangaroos off the circuit so racing could commence.

Later, in brilliant sunshine, he had to decide whether it was going to be a track with no beer. The bar was running dry. Thirst matched the betting ring, a hub of activity. Seven bookmakers did a roaring trade.

While his focus was on the locals, Hunter, like another Mendooran product, Claud Renshaw, who was also in attendance, is a shareholder in Vauban, the impressive minor placegetter in the Chelmsford at Randwick.

Hunter was also a part-owner in Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist.

“I got a bigger kick out of Chicken Legs today,” Hunter disclosed after the gelding, in which he is also involved, won the Royal Hotel under Billy Cray. Meanwhile, the seasoned Andrew Banks was seen to advantage getting Ternini home in the Outwest Maiden for Terry Fahey, the former great South Sydney winger.

Both required plenty of saddle assistance which was not forthcoming from James McDonald, the world’s best jockey, on Lady Shenandoah in the Concorde Stakes.

Lady Shenandoah went down by a short head to Headwall, though stewards reported she was “badly” held up for clear running from the 400 metres until after the 100 metres.

Luck? No inferior navigation. Surely the blame for the defeat ends with the jockey. J-Mac is a champion but can make mistakes. He had the Randwick straight to find daylight.

Chad Schofield was widely criticised for getting beaten on Ceolwulf in the Winx Stakes at Randwick two starts back by Via Sistina, he pulled out instead of in. While he would have finished closer the gelding would not have scored. Given another hop Lady Shenandoah would have.

Ceolwulf was given a much smoother course in the Chelmsford on Saturday but was a disappointing fourth. Maybe second up syndrome? Give him one more before sacking him as a rival for the best, a description befitting Nash Rawiller when it comes to weight-for-age riding emphasised on Lindermann.

Racing at Mendooran and Randwick produced much to enthuse about on Saturday. This came against the backdrop of the graphic video released earlier in the week showing Weir applying a jigger, the galvanic apparatus used to shock and stimulate horses, aggressively on a walking machine. The footage has triggered severe damage to the industry, particularly with the younger generation.

Why was it released when bad falls don’t get replays? Obviously they don’t want Weir back. In the good old days those in control, the Australian Jockey Club and Victoria Racing Club, would not have given him a license. No reason, no headlines. “Committee’s Pleasure”, regarding the time or penalty he served.

Of course I could now go into knowledge of jiggers, why and how they were used. It’s not the time.

I would rather contemplate Bruce Postle’s picture on my desk of trainer Tommy Woodcock, asleep with the stayer, Reckless. I can smell the straw. Woodcock, a major influence in the Phar Lap saga, was a gentle man, with humans and horses.