“I have seen first-hand horses suffering from heat stress,” Peter V’Landys, NSW Racing’s Mr Big declared earlier this week regarding the switch from Rosehill Gardens on Saturday to the anticipated cooler Sunday.
Well, join the club.
Racecourse temperature and the standing of Willie Pike with West Australian saddle greats overshadows Saturday’s eastern seaboard features.
Regarded as the wizard in the West, Pike will be out to further his reputation on unbeaten King Of Light in Ascot’s $1.5 million Group one Northerly Stakes.
Ironically Ascot was the venue for my hottest racecourse experience in more ways than one. The temperature soared over 40 and was matched by the result: Rocket Racer bolting away with the 1987 Perth Cup by nine lengths ridden by John Miller, the Pike of his era.
Pike, though, is dominant in his home town while Miller was in the all-time great category anywhere.
West Australia punches above its weight with jockeys. Damian Oliver, a champion, followed Miller but as with others from the state went to greatness via Melbourne. Damian Lane, too, is making a mark elsewhere. Lane goes back to Ballarat on Saturday after spending time in Japan, notching 38 winners this year.
Before departing his home state Mark Zahra was battling to get rides at Kalgoorlie. Currently he leading the Melbourne jockey’s premiership and has gone on holidays.
However, Miller’s move was officially instigated. Stewards did not like him in the 1960’s thus he was exported to South Australia. He came under the eye of Bart Cummings who engaged him to ride Galilee when he notched the 1966 Caulfield – Melbourne Cup double.
By 1987 Miller was well fried back in Perth. The family had a bakery and the jockey used an oven as sauna. On one occasion he was locked in. Fortunately he was released but it was useful experience.
Miller had to drain every ounce to make Rocket Racer’s 49kg in the Perth Cup. He looked like a broomstick but rode like a banshee.
Rocket Racer was owned by Laurie Connell, a merchant banker and the turf’s “Dirty Rotton Scoundrel”, a record that more than compared with previous scallywags. Connell enticed a then apprentice jockey, Danny Hobby, to take a dive at Bunbury. Hobby landed on a million-dollar cushion before coming clean after a well-paid stint abroad but ended up doing goal time.
Earlier Connell attempted a Kalgoorlie sting: rigging a race broadcast to get set after the result. Connell was outed from racing two years for “dishonourable conduct”.
Certainly it didn’t impede the rise of Connell and his merchant bank Rothwells. He became one of racing’s biggest spenders with top horses, stud farms, and brood mares, possibly the biggest turf operation in Australia.
Alas the stigma of elephant juice wafted around Connell. Brash Son, owned by him, scored at Ascot and returned a positive to etorphine, the juice used to sedate elephants but lubricates horses to run forever. Connell beat the wrap. Trainer George Way was disqualified for 20 years.
Connell, though, flourished: Rocket Racer demolished the 3200-metre staying test, earning $250,000 in prize money, big bucks then, plus $500,000 off bookmakers. Despite the heat and distance Miller had trouble pulling Rocket Racer up after the finish.
Still Rocket Racer was near collapse on returning to the enclosure. Officials had to carry him back to the dressing sheds. Because he had to be treated for dehydration no blood or urine samples were taken. Being at the scene I understand why stewards had no option for further action. Rocket Racer died shortly after.
Well-tuned to extremes, including official roasting, Miller pulled up well. Now 92 “J.J.” is still going, no doubt with dash and panache. On horseback he was effective, not classic like Ollie. Zahra is more Miller than Ollie and Pike, who is light and smart. Maybe he didn’t set Sydney alight but Pike plays Ascot like his backyard.
With Pike aboard, King Of Lights has scored at his only five starts but Perth credentials? Another local favourite Jokers Grin was unplaced in last Saturday’s The Winterbottom behind Sydneysiders, Libertad and Overpass. Jokers Grin did not have Pike.
Nash Rawiller will take the vacated seat on Watch Me Rock. Like Miller and Zahra, Rawiller makes a difference, sometimes rough to the eye but very ready.
