Death Threats Beat Bad Tips: Confessions of a Tabloid Hack in the Age of 293 Experts

“Australia now has 293 form analysts. I will never listen to any of them,” – Pittsburgh Phil.

To hear or read, that is the question?

“Form analyst” is a gentrified title for what, in the bygone era, was tip slinger, tout, or urger.

My advice?

Consider their view but the buck ends, regardless of who delivers it, with you.

Over a half century back the penny dropped that if I was going to end up destitute it would be of my own volition.

Unlike the original Pittsburgh Phil, the Yank expert of yesteryear whose advice still resounds, the latest version expounds guidance in worthwhile letters to “Winning Post”.

Bagging the current experts, he produced relevant points including “never bet early” … “never back anything under $3.50” … “don’t fall into the trap of the shorter the odds the smarter the horse” …. “never back horses with bad jockeys”.

Yes, worthy resolutions for 2026.

To what degree “analysts” have traction now is questionable. Often, I refer to how much more information is available. Valuable or excess? Replays, sectional times, barrier trials, and in the main, in-depth steward’s reports.

Once horse players had to tune into Channel Nine on Sundays or subscribe to private operators to get replays. There were few barrier trials and the timing or races was the final “three” or 600 metres.

However Clarence The Clocker (Arthur Davies), for 25 years on Channel Nine, tipped successfully from the corner of his mouth. Clarence received the title timing gallops for Tommy Smith. Also he was advised by my mate John Holloway, the STC director, who became George Moore’s favourite tipster.

Holly also directed “The Sun’s”, Des Corless, when he found the program at Warwick Farm. Holly contirubted an outsider.

But Pittsburgh Phil’s letter prompted memories of turf experts whose service to the public was strong.

Newspapers, even the ABC, had the benefit of trackmen, who surveyed workouts and could interpret them. Bob Jones, from Randwick, was the best but Horrie Gollan (Rosehill) Val Harland (Broadmeadow) and Bill Bell (Warwick Farm) provided an excellent mail.

The “Sportsman” was the highly prized racing text. Under editor Barry Parkes it produced at least eight consecutive front page specials that won. Or was it more?  Anyway Barry will come back and haunt me if I was wrong.

 2KY’s Turf Time, a radio program on Saturday mornings, under the baton of Ian Craig, had some pearlers. Dom Beirne, then an errant boy for bookmaker Terry Page, produced a great price service, matched by his selections.

Later Beirne became top fielder. With other bookmakers, Mark Read and Rob Waterhouse, he was one of the best form students of my time.

Shelley Hancox, from Melbourne, the first female of substance tipping, was cut loose on Turf Time and how good was she? Bob Charlie focussed on Newcastle with resounding results and later became AJC chairman.

Plenty listened to them and so, too, Laurie Sainsbury who had a knack with outsiders during my stint with Racing To The Max on 2SM. Sainsbury is still with Racenet.

“Curley” Aitken an associate on the Sydney Morning Herald had followers galore. With Tony Brassel, he also maintained a profitable winning streak with the Punter’s Club for the Australian Jockey Club.

So what about the current category scorned by Pittsburgh Phil?

Lizzie Jelfs was brilliant on Sky Channel. I don’t see enough of her with Channel Seven to judge.

Dan O’Sullivan, of Inside Running, is educational. “Monte”, much fancied by Peter Mair, normally sour and embittered with the state of racing, provides odds of what he thinks horses should be in a race for the Sydney Morning Herald.

Ron Dufficy opining for the Daily Telegraph, gets me because we often agree. But I fear for the Dufficy millions. His brother young Rod worked with me when a “D” grade journalist before heading to Hong Kong. Rod became one of Honker’s top punters, purchased a bar. He returned home on a jet. If he didn’t own it, he could have.

Obviously age has dimmed my mental processors. Back in the hay day it was easier to distinguish the quick from the dead.

Currently there are too many triers. In his first decade Chris Waller sent me into a depressive spiral scoring with the wrong stablemate triumph. Other big string outfits have continued the trend.

I am not a form analyst. Just a tabloid hack, giving an opinion: “Play the Exotics” is all care but no responsibility.

I once had a death threat because of selections. George Freeman, s.p bookmaker, winner backer and assassination attempt survivor, advised that a hit was never carried out after a warning.

Freeman had a 100 percent success record when used on Turf Time. Insider trading ended his brief appearance.