A WEEKLY REVIEW

The Good

With her knack for penny dreadfuls, Angela Davies and Kathy O’Hara, first sighted at Louth 20 years ago last Saturday, figure prominently on what has been a good week with the exception of the Parliamentary inquiry shambles into the Australian Turf Club plan to sell Rosehill Gardens.

“Penny dreadfuls” was a term given by the legendary trainer Tommy Smith for cheap horses better suited to the scrap heap.

For nearly 30 years Davies, who plys her trade around Gosford, has been getting maximum results from minor outlays and Our Kobison, successful in the Ranvet at Royal Randwick on Saturday, promises to be the best of them.

Perhaps on paper Our Kobison, with breeding that wouldn’t generate a bid at a yearling sale, only beat moderates on Saturday when resuming after a spell. However the gelding did so after a scrimmage at the start, racing fresh, throwing his head around early yet produced some very smart sectional times.

“He has only scratched the surface,” jockey James McDonald, commented.

With the exception of Our Kobison’s potential Randwick wasn’t flash. Possibly it had an edge on the corresponding Louth, the once year meeting in Western New South, which I recommend. I went there in 2004 because Dubbo wise guys reckoned there was a young girl apprentice who has going to rate with the best. At that stage females riding in the bush wasn’t unique but were thin on the ground.

Later I was criticised by a Sydney Morning Herald reader for wiping an important headquarters meeting for an outback experience. On reflection I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

The apprentice was Kathy O’Hara who became a Group one winning jockey. She looked good at Louth but developed into a special talent. So where has she been lately? Partner Charlie Duckworth at Randwick on Saturday related how they are now celebrating their first child, a daughter Grace. Will Kathy O’Hara ride again? Duckworth didn’t seem positive about a return. O’Hara has nothing to prove.

Apart from the O’Hara, Louth recollections are still vivid. Questioning the background of a steak sandwich at the feed stall I was informed it was “road kill”. It went down like a prime wagyu.

Following the meeting I had a good drink at Cobar with Rodney Robb, possibly Australia’s most widely travelled trainer. Ironically his son Brett prepared a Louth winner on Saturday where five of the seven were ridden by females who figured in the quinella in every race.

Davies, though, was the Randwick highlight with Our Kobison. Yes, I have a predilection for the hands-on operation in this era of conveyor belt equine products due to my early days around Kensington when backyard stables were the norm and 20 horses was regarded as a big string.

Davies kicked off with Tincture, owned by her doctor and given to her after others had knocked it back. Still with few numbers, hardly dealing record priced types nor the support of high rollers, Davies keeps producing winners. Currently with only 12 horses under her care, six out of her last seven starters have scored.

Following Our Kobison’s success she was hardly complimentary about Racing New South Wales treatment of the Gosford club nor the bread and dripping prizemoney of lesser races compared with the flash promotions. Still Davies should be able to cash in on the upcoming Group pelf with Our Kobison.

Perhaps Schwarz impressed some at Randwick but he’s a wait-and-see, problematical, with me but not the Swans, after their scintillating latter stages anyway against Carlton on Friday night.

I’ve given up concern about Premierships and flags and just going to enjoy the talent bursts of Issac Heeney, Chad Warner and Errol Gulden. And what about Steve Hayward’s skill in keeping them alive during the doldrums. A change in heart medication for this geriatric is assisting, too.

Even Mighty Rabbits left at least one positive vibe after the Melbourne Storm clash in which they were beaten by the Premiership leaders but hardly demolished. We all know Taane Milne, the sometimes-erratic back, would have speciality and it again came to the fore: the tunnel ball, between the legs, delivery that led to a touchdown. Incoming coach Wayne Bennett could adapt to it to the South Sydney game plan next season.

The Bad

 The caterwauling between Peter V’Landys, the racing NSW powerhouse, and Mark Latham, a racing enthusiast and politician, did little for the proposal to sell Rosehill Gardens racecourse.

Not surprisingly ATC members on Saturday were not impressed with V’Landys and gave the impression they were more likely to go to Louth than the proposed brick pit alternative around Olympic Park.

Submissions were made by all and sundry. Wild life, birds and frogs were given consideration. Not too much regarding punters which is why I’ve given Peter Mair prominence previously in the comments of last week’s review.

The opinion of DAVID HALL, (https://maxpresnell.com/2024/08/13/inquiry-into-proposal-to-develop-rosehill-racecourse/) a former Australian Jockey chairman, untouched examination of the situation made in July gets a run while edited versions of Chris Waller and Bjorn Baker, New Zealanders, are worthy of attention. WALLER is one of the greats and his major operation is at Rosehill.

“I am writing in favour of the retention of Rosehill racecourse. I was born in New Zealand, raised on a dairy farm, and moved to Australia in 2000 with no money, but I was given the opportunity to train at Rosehill by the then privately owned Sydney Turf Club.

“I am still training there today and have been fortunate to establish Sydney’s leading stable. I now employ approximately 100 people, the majority of whom do not have any tertiary education, but they all love working with animals, and they enjoy the satisfaction of what this brings to their life….

“I do not think giving up the Rosehill racecourse for housing is the right way to go when you consider the great loss this would be to the entertainment and life of so many who live in Western Sydney. Once Rosehill is gone Western Sydney has lost one of its greatest community attractions. To suggest it can be replaced or another satisfactory sight can be found to build a racetrack is fanciful.

BJORN BAKER

“If Sydney is to maintain its standing in global racing it needs to invest far more in its training and racing facilities, not consider selling off its most valuable asset. I understand there has been some discussion of the Brickpit at Sydney Olympic Park being turned into a racecourse.

“As a former resident of both Wentworth Point and Rhodes I used to run around the Brickpit and its surrounds on a daily basis and, being somewhat familiar with the topography, roads and wildlife zones I do not believe this is a feasible option as a racecourse.

“I believe the discussion of the sale of Rosehill has not been of benefit to an industry that is already struggling with its perception and standing in the community. The talk of billions of dollars has not helped us with the general public who already perceive racing as elitist; when in reality the majority of industry participants are under financial pressure.

The Ugly

Is Rugby League breaking new territory with nose munching? Lug biting is brutal and painful but not unique.

Dragon’s Kyle Flanagan had to appear this week before the NSW Rugby League regarding an incident with Bulldog’s skipper Stephen Crighton.

Some asking what was Crighton’s nose doing in the vicinity of a chopping block?

Anyway it was ugly but not as affronting to the eye of South Sydney supporters as the picture of Latrell Mitchell on the front page of the Daily Telegraph. Nasty.