THE GOOD
The ride by Sam Clipperton on Aramco at Royal Randwick on Saturday gave him an edge in “The Good” over Nash Rawiller, brilliant and mainly at his best, and the feisty Winona Costin who also performed with distinction.
Alas both had a downside.
Clipperton was positive out of the barrier from a wide gate to win the Toyota on Aramco, trained by Chris Waller and usually a not a tactic employed by stable navigators while Rawiller on hot favourite Bear On The Loose was caught outside and facing the breeze.
Being positioned perfectly Aramco had a more energy conserving run than Bear On the Loose. Rawiller later told stewards his mount was not disappointing due to the extra ground covered.
Yes. Rawiller can take a high, wide and often eyesore path that is successful but on Bear On The Loose, from Tulloch Lodge which usually produces gate speed, he was outpointed by Clipperton, under-rated when the outstanding are considered.
Bear On The Loose, to my eye, had lightened off since his impressive Australian debut recently, hardly a major negative.
Ironically Ha Ha Ha, like stablemate Bear On The Loose an Irish-bred, and getting the full Rawiller expertise, staged a form reversal to take the Sand and Soil earlier. Ha Ha Ha had previously disappointed second-up.
Stewards questioned the jockey about his tactics of getting back in the field when Ha Ha Ha was expected to be upfront. Rawiller adapted to the situation and won the event as he did on South of India, albeit down the outside fence, in the Schweizer.
However he was smooth leading all the way on Cranky Harry so why the negative? Twenty-three strikes with the whip on Dr Evil before going down to Charming Legend, possibly Hong Kong bound, in the Midway.
For the excessive use initiating a rule breach Rawiller was fined a $1000 and given a suspension which puts him out after next Saturday, taking the sting out of his challenge to James McDonald in the Sydney Jockey’s Premiership.
Still it saved the stewards from an embarrassing situation. Had Dr Evil scored and not gone down a nose, would stipes have upheld a protest, something they seem very reluctant to do in whip circumstances. Surely Nash power makes a difference.
When it comes to saddle strength Adam Hyeronimus rates next to Rawiller. Thus when he couldn’t make the weight for Wanaruah in the TAB Handicap it created alert because Wee Winona was substituted. Once a jockey change had to be replaced by one of similar calibre. With the announcement Wanaruah, who gave Waterhouse – Bott combination the 23rd two-year-old win of the season, eased in the betting from $2.3 to $3.1.
Costin, also Tulloch Lodge trained, did the job in style but the day didn’t end on a happy note for her. She was fined $500 for verbal abuse of bush jockey Andrew Bullock at Randwick a week earlier after leaving the steward’s room. Bulloch is fortunate the incident didn’t involve the American Hall Of Famer Julie Krone, who when a rival male jockey did her wrong in a race she later attacked him with a stool.
THE BAD
Could it get any worse than South Sydney’s gaol-kicking effort against the Dolphins last Thursday night? Reggie The Rabbit or the ball-boy would have done better. Maybe Adam Reynolds made it look too easy or perhaps recent efforts by the Swans in the last minutes have made the misses more painful.
THE UGLY
New claims about “horrific animal cruelty” regarding greyhounds will be investigated. Back in 2016 the greyhound situation was regarded as “beyond remedy”, but my mate, the late Bookie Bob Dorman, who bred greyhounds that raced worldwide, answered my telephone question about the problem and said his two pet hounds on the couch with him had no complaints. Be it horse or dog, human kindergartens or nursing homes, there is deplorable treatment, but should that be held against the industry? I don’t know enough to take a side. However, I am prejudiced towards Wentworth Park having triumphed in a Celebrity Hurdle over the course during which major rivals Frank Kennedy was too top heavy and ran off at the jumps, Jeff Collison fell at the last and Ian Craig had an asthma attack.
