Amid a plethora of human and equine talent at Rosehill Gardens and the Mudgee extravaganza last weekend, Ron Quinton, a Hall Of Famer in the Good Bloke Stakes and major contributor to the industry, was a strong presence.
Quinton celebrated his 77th birthday on Sunday after preparing the Queen Bee Project Sprint winner, Signor Tortoni who carried the red with white cap silks of the Tait family.
Mind you Baguette was one of the greats to take the Hobartville as was Quinton, a master in the saddle and on ground level, not only with horses but as teacher of apprentices.
Around 60 years back I was fortunate to be at Kembla Grange when Quinton rode his first winner: Dorothy June, owned by “Doc” McGirr, and prepared by Theo Green, a Wayne Bennett when it came to educating racing talent.
With Quinton, “Doc” McGirr and Green, Ken Stone, stable foreman for Green and big brother to Green’s “boys”, makes my top in the best I’ve met on the turf.
I am not judge enough to rate the finest of Green’s team. Johnston would win on a broomstick. Well, he would try even if it was stubborn. Beadman was a champion and Duggan no slouch, notching a Golden Slipper and Melbourne Cup. Stone had no hesitation when I put the question to him: “Ronnie Quinton”.
Did I think Quinton was going to be so good when he kicked off at Kembla Grange? He was 17 going on 30 but under Green’s tuition they all got better, so much better.
On Saturday Signor Tortoni was handled by Sam Clipperton, a graduate of the Quinton academy, in a smooth patient performance. Green would have been impressed but also with successful hoops on a program that featured the greats James McDonald, the best jockey in the world, and Nash Rawiller. Are there any better?
However other winners, Chad Schofield (three), Tom Berry (two), Darryl Gibbons and Adam Hyeronimus were as superb while the old zing was back at the corresponding Mudgee meeting where the Walkers are again holding the reins.
Max Walker is Mudgee president. Everybody should adopt a country race meeting and Mudgee, for the last 20 years, has been mine.
Despite the Mighty Rabbits having a barrier trial there on Sunday against the Sea Eagles, the pull of Rosehill’s Hobartville was too strong, even with cattle truck transport from Woy Woy. September at Mudgee is my chosen date.
If not smitten with injury the Rabbits showed me enough to encourage top four aspirations, being particularly impressed with the half prospect Ashton Ward, who looks freshly out of kindergarten. Ron Quinton never looked that young. Ward is 22 with the speed and skill to compliment Cody Walker, adorned with an under-nose “mo”, more Roy Rene (look him up on google) than Clark Gable. Hopefully our stalwarts Campbell Graham and Cameron Murray, having their first starts after long spells, pulled up well. Yes and Eleven Game Lattrell shone – making the most of photo opportunities.
It was all GOOD but while I cannot classify Autumn Boy as BAD, the colt by The Autumn Sun disappointed me. Maybe I expected more Autumn Glow.
Autumn Boy finished third, beaten just over a length and a half by Ninja, on route to being a polished topliner. A lugging bit was dropped from his gear indicating trainer Michael Freedman is ironing out the gelding’s kinks.
Chris Waller removed blinkers from Autumn Boy, with J-Mac ‘s opinion the colt did not require them, intriguing if they go back on next start. The pattern of racing has been offered as an excuse, with the track described as “hard to come down the outside,” although that did not take the edge off Piggyback in the Parramatta Cup. Waller, too, is a maestro at getting his class acts ready for a target.
Last Friday was obviously UGLY for Greg Hickman’s team of Warwick Farm. They went to Quirindi but found, on arrival, the meeting had been switched, ending at Tamworth on Monday.
Making an inspection at Quirindi, “stewards identified areas of concern between the 1000 metres and 800 metres that were inconsistent with the remainder of the surface. Due to the sections being unavoidable the meeting has been postponed (being switched to Tamworth on Monday).”
Surely with an industry like racing a better system should be implemented regarding the state of country tracks particularly with so many horses being travelled from Sydney in the modern era. Millions are being bandied around in court cases by Racing NSW that can be better spent elsewhere.
Incidentally Hickman’s Blocker ($11) was beaten a nose at Tamworth on Monday.
Horse sense: “Those on the board would also be aware Racing NSW is failing to meet its obligations under its own Act.” Arthur Mitchell, billed as Yarraman Stud Supremo, opined during a letter to Straight Daily News.
“The Act requires a strategic plan every three years. The last full plan was published in 2017, closing in on ten years, and not since 2024 has a draft been seen.
“In my opinion, instead of criticising the governance of the ATC, those on the board, along with the Minister for Racing, David Harris, should question why these responsibilities are not being met?
“Rather than patting themselves on the back for a substantial balance sheet, having become responsible for collecting the vast majority of wagering revenues, government taxes and grants, take a proper look out the window.
“These funds have been generated by you, the owner, the punter, the trainer, the breeder, stable staff, clubs and their employees, and they need to be invested back into the industry and its infrastructure to ensure its sustainability.”
