Jockeys Celebration Day extended over last weekend, due to welcoming back Blake Shinn at Flemington, Rosehill Gardens gleaming with Nash Rawiller again showing he makes a difference in the saddle and the under-rated Tim Clark kicking home a treble, followed by Wyong, down market but contributing.
Shinn, returned after broken leg, Rawiller, aged but still dynamic, and Clark, so mobile out of the gates, were a feature of experience under Gai Waterhouse, which benefited the three.
Going back, Waterhouse imported Shinn and Rawiller from Melbourne, and the ability of Clark more recently lured the stable to him.
Shinn is now world class, Rawiller, 51, rates with veterans that vintage has not wearied, and Clark, without glory that goes elsewhere, achieves considerable success.
Rawiller got Run Harry Run home where others would not and his navigation on Wayburn contributed to the remarkable knack trainer Matthew Dunn has on Highways now tallying 47. Nobody, in my time, has made a speciality of being so fruitful in a class of events.
So where does Wyong fit?
James McDonald, the world’s best jockey but beaten steering three Rosehill hotpots on Saturday, made a one ride appearance handling Steel Will in a 1100 metre Wyong maiden that made the opposition look better suited to polo. J-Mac described Sir Owen Glenn’s Bay colt by I Am Invincible and tuned by Chris Waller as “gorgeous”.
Fleet Flying, Gerry Harvey bred with the benefit of Ron Quinton’s expertise, looked GOOD, too, under the Irish lass, Lisa Day, a rider the trainer rates highly. I have been listening to him since he rode his first winner, Dorothy June at Kembla Grange, for Doc McGirr shortly after Phar Lap.
In an early meeting, Quinton asked Day from whence she hailed in Ireland. She answered it was a speck on the map he would not know. The former champion hoop rode in Ireland and replied: ‘‘I had my 2000th winner there.”
Quinton later produced Generous Harry who scored under Matt Kirk, a youngster from Wagga. Kirk arrived at Randwick with the recommendation from the astute horseman Tom Donnelly.
Like Waterhouse, Quinton transforms riders, taking them on as green youngsters, like Kirk who has a 4.5kg claim. Lady Gai graduates were made, but she made them better.
Hugh Bowman and Sam Clipperton are two with the benefit of a Quinton teach, gleaned from Theo Green, the master tutor of apprentices.
Alas riding was more slather and wack in the Aurie’s Star Handicap, the feature event at Flemington, once a launching pad for Bart Cummings’ Melbourne Cup hopes. Currently it’s more based around speed that eventuated on Saturday in Boomtown Boss beating Royal Insignia by a neck.
Boomtown Boss received a shellacking from Moor, while Luke Cartwright, aboard Royal Insignia, lodged a protest claiming the whip applied to the winner breached the rules.
The margin was significant as was Moor’s enforcement. Stewards found he “used his whip on 10 occasions prior to the 100 metres, five more than permitted, four of which were consecutive.”
Does that equal a neck?
Moor was suspended for ten meetings, fined $3,000 with a further $500 for applying the persuader in consecutive strides on four occasions prior to the 100 metres.
Stewards could not be satisfied it affected the result. Surely with a close call the decision should go against the guilty party.
BAD but not UGLY like the Racing NSW appointed administrator’s report about problems with the Australian Turf Club.
Again, are they issues that arose under the current leadership of chairman Tim Hale, (vice chairman) Caroline Searcy and CEO Steve McMahon?
To what degree is the previous management, that pushed to sell Rosehill and was much fancied by Racing NSW, responsible?
The alleged theft by an ATC employee of $22,000 from a safe at Royal Randwick is intriguing. Still other points like “major decisions being constrained by short-term than long term focus, reactive rather than proactive capital management and allocation decisions …”
But no mention of the club difficulties due to being dip fed financially by Racing NSW. Randwick racecourse, the flagship of the fleet, is listing under a “range of historic maintenance issues that need to be worked through urgently,” according to the administrator.
I recall the quote from Jack Ingham, an AJC committeeman, spokesman when the club that controlled the industry depended more on the enthusiasm of racing men.
“You cannot pull up your socks if you haven’t got any,” Ingham, chicken king, massive owner and punter, declared.
Hoofnote: “A bit special with an influential ‘day job’, that took relaxing refuge in the wonderful world of racing as a punter, an owner and an administrator,” Peter Mair on Bill Evans, 76, who died recently. Evans was the Chief Economist at Westpac in a 32-year stint, one of Australia’s foremost financial forecasters, and served seven years on the ATC Board from February 2014, and was ATC Honorary Treasurer.
You covered it all Max!!