A WEEKLY REVIEW: The Good The Bad The Ugly

Amid the turmoil of Ka Ying Rising and the Beadman debacle last Saturday the passion of a bygone era was epitomised by John Tapp and Ian Craig.

Hong Kong champion Ka Ying Rising, the New Zealand bred penny dreadful but the hottest import ever to come to Sydney, was under a cloud, described by trainer David Hayes as fake news.

Prior to his Randwick barrier trial last Tuesday Ka Ying Rising was a $1.50 chance with the TAB which recently had a liability of $3 million contributing to his short odds for the $20 million The Everest at Royal Randwick next Saturday.

According to Racing.com on Sunday $51,023 was matched on Betfair between $2.10 and $2.50 for Ka Ying Rising thus if the ploy was circulated to get a better price it succeeded.

Mingled with Ka Ying Rising, by Shame Express out of Missy Moo and bred more for the cart than turf immortality, was Beadman—a colt as impressive in appearance as his namesake in the saddle. His defeat in the Roman Consul Stakes was excruciating, an experience jockey Tim Clark would like to forget. Circumstances contributed, but Beadman should have won comfortably. The bottom line: UGLY.

Perhaps the Tapp-Craig was not the feature of the day, but a sprint that honoured two microphone greats, who contributed so much to racing when it rivalled Rugby League and Cricket in the Popularity Stakes. GOOD.

Ian Craig celebrated the rebirth of Saturday racing on 2KY on Hill Stakes Day, 1974. Racing was on the radio wane. Previously broadcast on the ABC, 2UE, 2GB, and 2UW, television, on which John Tapp played such a significant role, contributed to the demise.

With 2KY Craig became the major tone on the airwaves while Tapp was the vision, splendid and still is with his current podcast, billed as the voice of Australian racing.

Yes, they played in a different era but their enthusiasm was infectious, and on Saturday Craig recalled the 1974 Hill Stakes won by Leica Lover, prepared by Bart Cummings, from Passetreul, and Battle Heights.

Was Cummings the first trainer Craig saw on the day, the broadcaster’s eternal tip for backing a winner?

But the 1974 result made my claim questionable about current horses, trainers and jockeys being the equal of those of yesteryear.

No doubt Lindermann, the Hill Stakes winner, is a solid weight for age horse and Nash Rawiller top class in any period but those that chased him? Hardly a Battle Heights there.

Only 3,600 were at Rosehill on Saturday, more would have departed from the race trains in 1974. Racing then was the Saturday sport where Sydney blended with Melbourne, not in direct competition like Saturday at Caulfield, described by one seasoned horse player as the worst Toorak meeting ever. Only four started in the Might And Power, at times a battle ground for greats.

Still Autumn Boy, Chris Waller’s second string emphasising his skill taking target events, looked promising in the Caulfield Guineas at only his fifth start while the more favoured Wodeton was woeful. He pulled up lame. BAD.

Next Saturday’s Caulfield Cup is time revered as being one of Australia top three races, and in 1974 was a triumph for Leilani under Mick Mallyon.

With ballyhoo and a Hong Kong champion, The Everest this year has stolen its thunder.