How does a champion get defrocked, lose the title?
The question arose with James McDonald, also tagged the world’s best jockey, on Via Sistina in Saturday’s Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington, billed here last week as “The Six Horse Thriller – the Makybe Stakes Field Promises Fireworks.”
It was a fizzer.
The jockeys, headed by J-Mac, presented Craig Williams, a master saddle tactician, with the 1600 metre weight-for-age event.
Be they horse or human, champions are worthy of the rating because of excellence over a period, being superior to other greats and adaptable to any conditions.
In such hot seats jockeys can make mistakes, like those in other easier fields. Don Bradman was out for a duck, Clive Churchill had a negative experience against the French and Buddy Franklin missed goals in front.
Yes,J-Mac was responsible for a poor ride on Lady Shenandoah at Royal Randwick when she should have won a week earlier, but sizzling on her hooves he produced the Via Sistina debacle, worse than bad because it was so obvious where and what Mr Brightside would attempt.
Recent champions Damian Oliver and Jim Cassidy, also beaten on good things, would never have fallen into the web weaved by Williams.
Epitomised by race caller, Matt Hill, “they dawdled for the first 200 metres …absolute walking …. walked to the 850 (metres).” Horses were pulling and reefing, an eyesore while Mr Brightside, successful at his previous two Maybe Divas, had a picnic in front.
What happened to navigator initiative? Adapting to circumstances? Are the current topliners yoked to instructions?
“He added, as Via Sistina was not travelling well and inclined to lay out, he did not make use of her to hold a more prominent position and this was the reason, when carried wider, he eased and raced with cover.
“McDonald added that Via Sistina never travelled well in a slowly run race, continued to lay out and ultimately did not finish the race off as he felt she should…
“Trainer Chris Waller explained there had been no specific instructions, however, he was of the belief that with the small field and lack of exposed speed the mare may settle closer.
“He stated on review of the race he agreed with McDonald’s decision not to urge the mare along so as to settle outside of Mr Brightside in the early stages. Waller further added he did not feel it would have been in her best interest to improve around the field in the middle stages when moved wider by Mark Twain and added although somewhat disappointed, he was satisfied in the performance.”
Via Sistina was a $1.80 chance and not handled in the “best interest” of those who backed her. If she couldn’t race outside the lead in a predictable amble and do better, she hardly went like a “champion”, an assessment by some not mine which is “great”, a cog below. Saturday leaves the assessment in limbo.
Indeed UGLY, while Saturday’s Rosehill Gardens was BAD due to a bias described by Ron Dufficy, a worthwhile opinion, as “close to rail a big advantage” from which Waller’s Wodeton in the Run To The Rose was a major casualty.
Wodeton eased from $4.80 to $8 in the market. Had this occurred when stewards treated betting drifts as more significant warning signs, it would have prompted a call to warn the jockey he’d be under close surveillance.
Because of the conditions bookmakers and punters realised that from the nine gate Wodeton would go back and come down the outside in inferior ground which eventuated. The colt ended fourth, very strong at the end, to the impressive Tempted with Victorian based Ethan Brown adapting well to what he described as “the pattern of the day”.
Waller horses are harnessed into going back from wide gates, painful for me after being educated on the Tommy Smith ethic: jump fast, go forward and let bone and muscle condition do the rest. It’s frustrating. Waller, though, is putting Smith’s figures in the shade so I should keep a mug’s place.
BAD abounded with the verdict of Gai Waterhouse, racing’s first lady, on her recent return to Royal Randwick.
“I was saddened by Randwick’s state of neglect,” she later tweeted. “The old stand its wrought iron desperately in need of paint and the outside seating in the Queen Elizabeth stand looked like rats had been eating them.
“The escalators from the car park have been broken for the last four years. It’s disgraceful to think our premier track is not up to the standard it should be.”
But Lady Gai stressed the “racing was top class; the track was in pristine order”, GOOD like the South Sydney Awards last week.
Jai Arrow earned the George Piggins Medal for the best and fairest category. Arrow is cut in the Piggins mould: tough, and never-say-die with the full season, 24 games, accumulating 850 blood a guts tackles while the diminutive Jye Gray received the Jack Rayner, Player’s Player award. “Big Jack” was the captain-coach of another Rabbitoh lightweight Clive Churchill.
Joe Pride, the racehorse trainer, was present at the function and dismayed by Gray’s size is considering him for the Ceolwulf ride in the 7Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
