A WEEKLY REVIEW: The Good The Bad The Ugly

Viewing Sheza Alibi in Saturday’s Doncaster at Royal Randwick was worthy of sitting on a barbed wire fence, a triumph that rang personal bells generally dulled by age.

Yes, Autumn Glow built up the volume to a pitch, but three-year-old Sheza Alibi produced a crescendo in the Doncaster, a battleground for greats and champions.

Could any of the other outstanding Doncaster winners have beaten her under Saturday’s conditions: the flyweight, a heavy track with possibility navigator, Jamie Kah who found, or was forced, onto a faster lane?

My first Doncaster, gate admission and not through the fence, was Tudor Hill in 1959. The initial great was Fine And Dandy (1961).

After Fine And Dandy the next four in the top category were Tobin Bronze (1967), Super Impose (1990), Sunline (1992) and Winx (2016). Left outs include Gunsynd, Broker’s Tip, Maybe Mahal, and Tontonan.

How would they have gone against Sheza Alibi this year? With only 49kg, useful ballast to keep her grounded, prompting whether champions Winx (56.5kg), and Sunline (52kg), plus Super Impose (57kg) and Tobin Bronze (59.5kg) could have matched her dynamic finish.

Super Impose was rated Australia’s greatest miler in Warwick Hobson’s “All Time Greats”, complied before Winx and Sunline, who followed her first Doncaster success with another in 2002 under 58kg.

To even consider Sheza Alibi against them is testimony to her ability. Ironically she kicked off in North Queensland beaten at her first start at Rockhampton by Universal Harmony, a discard of the Hayes team at Euroa. Universal Harmony has won subsequently taking current prizemoney to $93,890. Sheza Alibi is now on $3,719,945.

Sheza Alibi was the standout on a dazzling Doncaster – Darby day that lived up to the title “Championships”, maintaining Australian racing is experiencing a boom period.

Apart from the filly, world champion jockey James McDonald confirmed his prowess with a Group One double for Chris Waller on Campione D’Italia (Sires Produce) and Joliestar in the T.J.Smith. Joliestar will head to Royal Ascot, sustaining the trainer’s knack will fillies and mares. Waller only missed out on Sheza Alibi because Peter Moody returned a telephone call from owner Fred Noffke quicker.  

Many reckon Zac Purton based in Hong Kong superior to J-Mac and Purtonise (superb in a Zac manner) was relevant on Chidiac (Country Championships).

Yet Kah, airborne on Sheza Alibi without a seat belt, was in the spotlight as was Rachel King, strong with a successful treble, particularly Green Spaces in the Group One ATC Australian Derby for Bjorn Baker.

While the Mighty Rabbits and Swans did not equal the Championships, they were GOOD with South Sydney overcoming a head barrage from the Bulldogs.

The Bloods were superior to the West Coast Eagles, very much the equivalent of a Benchmark 57 at Kembla Grange. But Isaac Heeney in full flight is experience comparable to Autumn Glow and Alex Johnston getting clear air.

However the punishment dished out to Rabbit fullback, Jai Grey, small of statue, big of heart, with anything but a glass jaw, was out of proportion.

The last strike would have done Dough Greenall, the Pom master of the coat-hanger, proud. According to educated reports, Greenall had his firing arm encased like a plaster caste which knocked Australian Noel Hazzard rotten in a 1950’s encounter.

Fortunately, Rugby League is now more civilised, no plaster, but Grey had to take a compulsory exit for a concussion check. BAD.

But the UGLY? Drawing the staircase lottery on the Woy Woy cattle truck last Saturday, en route to Randwick — stationed near the dunny, movement restricted, requiring oncoming relief traffic to hurdle a geriatric. Suddenly the Prime Minister’s public transport advocacy, born of the petrol crisis, grated.

He doesn’t travel from Woy Woy by train on Saturdays. I take into account Easter and very other puerile excuses for the last six trips by train. Maybe he has a padded posterior.

No doubt he would argue it’s a State matter and flick pass the responsibility to Chris Minns, no Nifty Neville Wran, who gained his foundation under tuition from Bill Waterhouse.

Max Suich, with whom I was a copy boy and gained editor status, always maintained Prime Ministers should be given respect due to their station but I’m more in tune with Alan Ramsay, the once great political writer and a stablemate from my early days on “The Sun”.

Ramsay opined dimwits, regardless of their tile, should be treated as such. The point was considered on the hard floor heading south from Hawkesbury River. Albo hardly hits the line like Travis Duncan, more Reggie The Rabbit.

Still I did not know how good Sheza Alibi was going to be but figured watching Autumn Glow, even in an exhibition gallop, despite the barbs of a journey, was worth it. Next Saturday in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes are Randwick will be better. Stay away in your thousands, feel free to miss the train from Woy Woy, and you’ll regret it.

But I’ll sit on the fence, wood not wire, regarding what would have eventuated had Autumn Glow, under her Doncaster weight, 56.5kg, given Sheza Alibi 7.5 kgs and beaten her on Saturday?

Two good judges, not named because it was given in confidence, had no hesitation. Autumn Glow.