A WEEKLY REVIEW: The Good The Bad The Ugly

Chris Waller produced the best version of “Wallerism”, with Beiwacht at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday although it prompted official investigation.

“Wallerism,” where a winner beats its more fancied stablemates, has become increasingly prevalent in modern racing, particularly with Sydney’s leading trainer.

Biewacht, a $9 chance, accounted for Waller’s Wodeton ($4.20) with another of his four acceptors, Autumn Boy ($4.40), a disappointing eighth in the $1 million Golden Rose.

However it was his outsider Sixties ($41) that caught the attention of Racing NSW stewards. Jockey Rachel King was grilled over “her riding in the early stages”.

Yes, King was expected to be prominent but she gave the front up to Beiwacht who went fast and hard, too, as expected. Sixties could not cross him so she eased. King gave her mount every chance.

Had Sixties been prepared by another trainer would stipes have been concerned? They are wary about the whiff of team riding in this age of those with mass representation in a race.

Waller brings me undone with stablemates. Wodeton would have been a good result, the fourth leg of a winning parlay but I have no bleat about Beiwacht, ridden with purpose and confidence by Adam Hyeronimus.

Given an easy lead would have triggered complaint but Hyeronimus, who has expressed some doubt about him over the 1400 metres, maintained a demanding tempo. GOOD.

Again the racing at Rosehill, attendance around 6,000, worthy of 16,000, was strong and will be even better at the 160th running of the Epsom at Randwick next Saturday despite the shemozzle between the strangely mute, dollar poor, Australian Turf Club and Racing NSW.

The ATC will shout members one free drink as part of the Epsom festivities. I suggest Reschs. Meanwhile Racing NSW, rich in real estate, has leased land at Royal Randwick to build a $7 million facility dubbed the Base Camp. Bird watching and boozing rather than punting?

“The ATC put on a great show 52 weeks of the year and, yes, they can do things better but they need support,” Waller told Adam Pengelly who wrote an excellent piece on the problem in “Idol Horse”.

“And everybody knows the funding model has changed and they don’t get as much money, and Racing NSW gets a lot of money now. Everybody knows that, so that needs to be publicly addressed.”

No doubt Beiwacht, a Godolphin colt formerly with James Cummings, is an example of a three-year-old getting better but another boom colt, Reece Walsh, was flat for Broncos against Penrith on Sunday. More Latrell Mitchell than Melbourne’s Ryan Papenhuzen. Certainly, Walsh was not as involved as Penrith’s Dylan Edwards.

Walsh had a hand in the final try but also a simple spill and missing an easy goal. Fortunately the Broncos had Adam Reynolds, always remembered as a Mighty Rabbit. Reynolds turned the game for the home side against Penrith. The magic toe worked to perfection. How did Souths ever let him go? BAD.

Unmasked against suspect class on Friday night, Lady Shenandoah was also in the budding super-star category until the Manikato at Moonee Valley.

The Waller mare had problems with the Vally circuit. Still around the bend on one leg and pulling an anchor she should done better than her lustre less fourth. UGLY.

The Manikato title prompted memories of a great horse in a superb period. Manikato, a Golden Slipper winner, was a champion sprinter, big and strong, who sped around the Valley like a gazelle. Yet in the 1979 Australian Cup over the Flemington 2000 metres, as a three-year-old he was beaten in the last 50 metres by Dulcify, one of the top Cox Plate victors. None won better.