Racing’s most emphasised bleat, “luck”, again erupted around the success of Splash Back in Eagle Farm’s Tatt’s Tiara, the final Group One event for the season, on Saturday, a triumph for trainer Graham Begg and jockey Jordon Childs.
Begg, with the French bred Splash Back, continued the family knack with mares as his father Neville Begg, before the overwhelming Chris Waller, was renowned with them. The great Emancipation was a prime example.
Graham Begg, learning the trade, cut his teeth with Emancipation, while Childs has the connection with the champion Sunline due to his father, Greg Childs, riding her in 33 races for 21 wins.
Rarely, if ever, was luck applied to them. It has only become common, in turf parlance, over recent decades.
Following the Tatt’s Tiara, Begg waffled about it and Childs reckons Splash Back “needs a lot of luck”.
The jockey navigated a smooth path along the fence, not left to chance, on Splash Back while rivals checked, bounced and skirmished to no avail. Judgement avoided the mess.
The strongly fancied Tuileries was “wiped out at the 200 metres”, according to Chad Schofield, while Michael Rodd later commented Ahha Ahha “got into a lot of trouble”.
Dylan Gibbons reckoned Infancy was “buffeted around a bit” while Ben Thompson (Firestorm) had a similar explanation.
However Nash Rawiller on Gerringong endured most. “Really, just needed an ounce of luck to get through them,” he later declared. “I ended up quite tight and got a little bit knocked off balance.”
Gerringong was beaten 2. 2 lengths. Obviously she should have finished closer. Trainers Chris and Corey Munce had the mare as good as she’s ever been and ever likely to be. Frustrating, but the steward’s report confirmed Splash Back was a worthy winner.
“Hampered shortly after jumping away,” it stated. “Became awkwardly placed on heels leaving the 500m. A post-race veterinary examination revealed the mare to be coughing.”
Splash Back was GOOD, but how BAD was the ground at Rosehill Gardens, described by Ron Dufficy in the Sunday Telegraph, as “finding the fence during the race a huge advantage”.
Yes every race has strong and controversial chapters: Natski (1988) was the best winner. Subsequently Natski should have won the Melbourne Cup when second to Empire Rose.
“You cost me a Melbourne Cup,” trainer Jack Denham grunted later at the pilot Mick Dittman. “And how many races have I won for you that other jockeys would not have?” No mention of luck.
Natski and Glory Days were both Irish-breds as is Nellie Leylax, successful in the Fixed Odds Exotics at Caulfield on Saturday.
Nellie Leylax was scratched from the McKell Cup in which he was listed at $18, but left Gilded Water, owned by King Charles, in his wake.
Anyway, Nellie Leylax was beaten only five lengths last time out, but finished ahead of Glory Days (arrears 11.6 from winner) over the Rosehill 2000 metres in the same event.
Still the McKell Cup has a history for reversals. Perhaps 1962 was the loudest, according to the STC director John Holloway.
The presentation speech was bedlam. Racegoers bayed for blood. But McKell, a former State premier and Governor General, did not miss a word.
Holloway reckons it was 1962 when Moviegoer, prepared by Tommy Smith, beat stablemate Beau Tirage, who incidentally was runner-up for the next two years.
But Pirate Bird (1968) also figures in the Honour Roll for winners and demonstrations. The front-runner was a reversal specialist. Punters shouted in anger, giving vent to feelings when he did them wrong.
UGLY but in that era it was heart or pocket felt.
Mind you the Swans were 43 points BAD against Brisbane last week but would have gone down a cog without the brilliance of Chad Warner (four goals and 28 touches).
Brisbane headmaster Chris Fagan is again showing the Bart Cummings touch for winning the Big One. The Grand Final is Fagan’s Melbourne Cup. The Swans? Fast and loose beating also rans, but still well shy of Finals grit.
Horse-sense: “It may have been the most fascinating race in the world (the English Derby) this year but literally nothing beats spending a couple of hours with the legendary Australian trainer Gai Waterhouse and her fascinating husband Robbie.
“Gai has won a Melbourne Cup. 145 Group one races and seven Sydney trainer’s premierships. She is the equivalent of Coco Chanel, Lady Diana and Zendaya all rolled into one. Robbie, however, is one of the shrewdest observers of racing in the world.” – Charlie Brooks in “The Spectator” (June 13).
