Amid the turmoil of Tabcorp, knocking back punters and money laundering allegations, plus Saturday’s strong racing particularly at Gosford, the Gold Coast and Morphettville, prompted recollections of Melbourne Mick Bartley, who handled thousands like sanitary paper.
As the nickname indicates, Melbourne Mick hailed from the south and did very well indeed on the punt in an era when SP bookmakers fulfilled the role now held shaky by the TAB and mainly off-shore betting conglomerates.
In that era Melbourne was the focal point unlike Saturday where the Gold Coast has what promises to be an epic Hollindale with the Group One Goodwood at Morphettville, and top program at Gosford, a venue for speedy provincial squibs when Melbourne Mick was operating.
Punting for Melbourne Mick was more lucrative. Educated on the streets of Carlton he denied being a bookmaker. “I was more involved in money going out than coming in,” he pleaded to appease the necessary legal aspects although with SP there was plenty to go around, Politicians, cops and public opinion were satisfied.
During the 1960s and early 1970s Melbourne Mick invested over $5 million every year on the TAB when a million was a million.
Once called before the Australian Jockey Club committee to give evidence he declared: “You’re asking me about a $6000 bet? I put that in a drawer and forget about it. Do you know what a $6000 bet is? In my language that’s toilet paper.”
Millions were bandied off-course without a ripple. High rollers came and mainly went. Few if any were barred. Of course, in those days it was a matter of making black money serviceable, keeping the tax man at bay, a form of “laundering”. Cash was often buried in biscuit tins. Lotteries were a merciful release.
Melbourne Mick won the $200,000 Opera House Lottery first in 1960. “I go to the Lottery Office in the City quite often,” he admitted. Illegal gambling bosses invested heavily in lotteries. For instance, in 1957 Perce Galea, an illegal casino operator, won $12,000 in the lottery.
In the SP era City Tatts in Pitt Street, Sydney, was a hub of activity, especially on Mondays, when winners collected and losers settled.
Like the time Melbourne Mick was spotted going in with a David Jones bag by Pat Farrell, the Daily Mirror racing columnist.
“You’ve been shopping?” Farrell questioned. “Yeah, that’s what I want all the mugs to think. Actually there’s $48,000 in the bag which I owe a bloke and the safest way to carry it around is in a 10-cent bag.”
Now hard cash is becoming redundant. Winning, though, is still pursued, if not with the astuteness of Melbourne Mick who specialised in jackpots and daily doubles.
Irish-bred Birdman is an example of how imports have enriched the Australian turf since the Melbourne Mick era, playing fast and generally accurate but could always get set.
Rarely has a middle-distance horse travelled so easily as Birdman in the Australian Cup, ending up a wilting fifth. Maybe it was the surface (a soft seven) or the 2000 metre journey. Thus shorter will suit. “Forgive a horse a bad run,” was a theory active in the Melbourne Mick period. Personally the memory of Birdman is too painful.
Apart from them, Graham Begg’s She’s A Hustler, a New Zealand-bred five-year-old is still on the rise with only 12 races under her girth for seven successes. Last start she was fourth when resuming in the Queen Of The Turf at Randwick on April 11 indicating a strong campaign.
The Goodwood is tame without Rey Magnerio, scratched on Thursday. Flying For Fun, from Warwick Farm, gets me.
Flying For Fun should have scored in the Sangster over the Morphettville course and Goodwood distance (1200 metres) on April 25. Young Zac Lloyd pulled the wrong rein, not bad luck – a bad ride. But he has pulled plenty of right ones and can make amends.
Normally Lloyd would be riding at the Gold Coast or Gosford where now, with track renovations, the circuit is more conducive to topliners than the former up front on the turn advantage. Strong stayers are required for the Gosford Cup, littered with imports.
Sunset Park (Great Britain), has the assistance of Rachel King, the three gate and tactical speed. Being trouble free is vital and that gets me.
I doubt Melbourne Mick would have gone the same way. Female jockeys were not in action under his eye which had an uncanny knack for figures, a nose for a dead-un, and hearing? Well, he was also tagged “Deaf Mick” but none doubted he could pick up the vibration of “brick” (a ten-pound note) hitting the pavement stemming from his education on the street.
It’s not where you’ve been but where you end up. Melbourne Mick finished with a Harbourside mansion and driving Rolls-Royce.
