Correspondents, letters, email or a thumb nail dipped in tar are welcome here but only those that are libel free. I have a heightened sense of truth and punter benefit but no wish to defend it in court.
Over the decades I have followed letters to the editor in newspapers, and racing publications, particularly Winning Post, and found them required reading thus I have kept the best, coming out of the barrier with one I saved for years.
MAX PRESNELL
There are healthy gamblers, and I’m one
“I was struck by the language of the seven anti-gambling letters on yesterday’s page, specifically the use of words such as ‘addict’ (included in the headline), ‘victim’, ‘problem’ and ‘weak’. I have gambled every day for the past 30 years or so, and such words relate to me the way the word ‘slow’ related to Phar Lap.
Gambling has never been a problem for me because – and I know there was those who don’t want to hear this – I decide how much to bet and when to stop. I don’t play the pokies, because of another decision: the odds are poor. If the odds were better I would play them occasionally.
I love gambling. It gives me joy. I feel enriched by it. I feel strong, not weak. I feel empowered (especially when I back a winner), not victimised, I feel in control, not addicted. In short – gambling no problem.
What are the odds that I’m not the only person on the planet who has this sort of relationship with gambling? Indeed I would wager I’m in a healthy majority. Perhaps those in the unhealthy minority and their anti-gambling apologists need to look hard at themselves rather than trying to spoil it for the rest of us.”
Stephen Romei, Matraville
Dubbo Races
“On Saturday May 25 I was one of the 1000 people who attended Dubbo races. In more than 45 years I have been to Dubbo meetings I have never seen the track and surrounds in better condition, a credit to CEO Sam Fitzgerald and his staff.
There was entertainment and a large infield screen. Food and drink were easily accessible. The main event was the Arrowfield Queen Of The West Benchmark 82 for fillies and mares, won by Deep Rouge from Tamworth.
These days Dubbo is a major training centre. Racing NSW shows Dubbo trainers have over 340 horses on their books with 150 to 180 constantly in work. Dubbo is now the largest provider of Country Club Trained Starters.
Dubbo has two major race days coming up: the $150,000 Dubbo Gold Cup on Sunday September 29 and Dubbo’s Biggest Social Event Derby Day on November 2. I suggest you get there.”
Peter Whealy, Dubbo
Thoughts "to the Max"
Hi Max,
Congratulations on taking this next step in meeting the challenges of technology.
Being of similar vintage to yourself, as well as someone I’ve known on radio, tv and print for almost a lifetime, I’m aware your passions extend beyond the racing game; more precisely to the finer things like fashion under the guise of ‘society Max’, the theatre, fine dining and travel – and more than balanced by a lifetime interest in Rugby League (a ‘Rabbitohs’ tragic) and more latterly to the ‘Swans’ (due to a compelling outside influence, no doubt) – a man of many interests and a raconteur of some renown!
Being newly subscribed to your blog, I’d be more than interested to hear your thoughts to the questions:-
1) “If you could choose the ideal place to spend a relaxing weekend away, where would you choose?”;
2) “It’s grand final time, with the dates for the AFL & NRL clashing for the big one – and the Swans, at the MCG, and the Rabbitohs, at the SCG, are represented – which event would you choose?;
3) “If you had to choose only one in each category, in your opinion (of those you’ve seen), name the best horse, the best trainer and the best jockey?”
I look forward to your insightful observations.
“Speed” of NORWEST.
Thoughts "to the Max"
Max’s response to “Speed” of NORWEST:
Question One Reply: Hardy’s Bay – with chosen sparring partners.
Question Two Reply: Swans at the MCG but if Jack Rayner or John Sattler’s Rabbits were involved it would be a tough decision. So, too, the Sam Burgess and GI’s team but only at the SCG. Homebush doesn’t hold a candle to the MCG.
Question Three Reply: The best horse, the best trainer and best jockey? The last winner I backed I Wish I Win,
under Luke Nolan for Moody and Coleman, in the Kingsford Smith at Eagle Farm recently.
Addendum: Asked at Randwick recently where I would rather be, Royal Ascot or Grafton, I had no hesitation going for the New South Wales country meeting. Royal Ascot has pomp and pageantry plus superb horses but like the Kentucky Derby been there, seen that. Grafton has memories that reverberate. Apart from the locals my favourites are Flemington on Derby day, preferable to the Melbourne Cup, and Cox Plate at Moonee Valley. One meeting not to be missed is Warrnambool but be quick. National Hunt racing won’t be around much longer.
“A Horse Named Winx”
Dear Max,
“A Horse Named Winx”
The Sydney Film Festival which has just concluded, included the premiere of the documentary “A Horse Named Winx” which was held at the Randwick Ritz on Friday 7th June attended by the director Janine Hosking, writer Andrew Rule (co-writer of the Underbelly series of books later adapted into a television series), Chris and Stephanie Waller, Winx’s owners, Larry Cassidy (won on Winx in the Sunshine Coast Guineas), racing personalities, racing and non-racing enthusiasts.
This documentary is not just a series of race replays but takes you behind the scenes and on a journey from foaling, to being sold at the Magic Millions, her early wins, defeats and battles with First Seal, before embarking on a winning sequence of 33, retirement and succeeding in her greatest battle (I won’t spoil that part for you, so I won’t say any more on that point). Even though I am a racing enthusiast and followed Winx’s career closely there were items that came up in the documentary that I did not know about.
While the documentary includes interviews with all the key players in Winx’s career, I found it particularly interesting that after her win in the Sunshine Coast Guineas, Larry Cassidy told Hugh Bowman prior to Hugh riding Winx in her next start that Winx was the best horse he had ridden. While Hugh thought this was high praise from Larry considering he won races on Sunline, Hugh admitted in the documentary that he took the comment with a grain of salt.
The term champion is often loosely applied to those not worthy of the mantle so it was interesting in the question and answer session that followed the screening that Chris Waller only thought Winx might be a champion after her second win in the W.S. Cox Plate.
Overall, an excellent documentary and a good evening with plenty of clapping from the audience during the footage of some of her memorable wins. “A Horse Named Winx” will appeal to both racing and non-racing enthusiasts. It runs for just under 2 hours and it will be released in early September 2024. Do go and see it.
Yours sincerely,
Anthony Spratt
“A Horse Named Winx”
Dear Max,
Horse lovers or not, when the documentary ‘A Horse Named Winx’ is released in September you need to go and see this remarkable story that is now etched in history.
Directed by Janine Hosking and written by Andrew Rule, the documentary premiered at the Sydney Film Festival on Friday 7th June 2024 at Randwick Ritz. This is a memorable journey not just of one of the greatest horses but one of the greatest athletes. From an unremarkable foal to an amazing feat of thirty-three consecutive wins, Winx became the people’s horse.
The documentary is more than race replays. From being purchased as a yearling at the Magic Millions sales, to her early races of both wins and defeats before achieving a modern-day record of thirty-three straight wins. Entwined with interviews from everyone who was part of this magnificent journey – the owners, trainer Chris Waller, stable staff, vets, the five jockeys who rode Winx and the beaten jockeys.
The race footage brought to life the excitement and the thrill of the crowds at seeing a horse that is now a champion. From young to old, people crammed every space available trackside to watch and sometimes only catch a glimpse of Winx. Wonderful memories of her final start came flooding back and to see people lining the fence on Alison Road outside the track, it encapsulated how the average person was part of this unique history.
Winx had many battles both on and off the track, some heartwarming, and others heartbreaking. Parts of Winx’s story have never been made public until now. No spoilers here.
The evening allowed me to sit back and relive the excitement of her victories and there was clapping from the audience throughout the journey, it was like being at the races.
In September, please go and watch an unremarkable foal grow into a champion.
Regards
Elizabeth Spratt
Cuisine Favourite
Hello Max,
As a long term fan of yours, knowing you are well travelled, would you please tell me which type of cuisine is your favourite….and why.
Many thanks
Kaye, Hardys Bay
Cuisine Favourite
Max Presnell’s response to Kaye from Hardys Bay:
Cuisine?
I am more of an eating joint epicurean. My first venture into the sphere was Bill Chee’s fish and chips opposite the Doncaster Hotel at Kensington around seven decades ago. It even surpassed the fish and chips at Fulham Road, London, accompanied by one slice of white bread plus a cup of tea for two bob, my only feed of the day.
Returning from the UK I was a regular at the Taiping in the Haymarket enticing a bias towards Chinese. After the Taiping, Stanley Wong’s Taiyuan was favoured and then the Barbecue King in Sussex Street which I tipped to the racehorse trainer Les Bridge only to find it difficult to get a table because he and his mates monopolised the tables.
In the UK I developed a taste for Indian, based along economy again. On return in the 1960’s I was a regular on Monday nights on route to the Sydney Stadium fights at the Bombay then the only Indian food within a reasonable radius. Now it’s the Malabar also in King’s Cross, tipped to me 20 years back by the turf enthusiast Lance Horan when it was over on the North Shore. For special occasions the Bronte Inn, food, with French twist, booze and service, contribute to a special night out.
For the best coffee and an Italian treat in the Eastern Beach suburbs? I won’t divulge the name due to the danger of a Barbecue King lack of space situation, but the barista is Enzo.
City Tatts and me
Dear Max ,
On Friday 21st of May at a Extraordinary General Meeting Meeting for members of City Tattersalls Club the Board had to make the difficult decision of asking those present to approve the sale of the long time site and home at 198 Pitt Street and the accompanying buildings attached.
Long time accumulated debt, downturn in trade along with decline in gaming revenue gave no choice.
First established in 1895 in the middle of a depression a small group of Leger bookmakers assembled and with 50 Guinness ($105.00) formed City Tattersalls following a dispute over their right to also field in the Saddling Paddock. Other vicissitudes of the time were part of matters.
The Club managed to survive much and in 1924 went to a purposed built home at 198 Pitt Street with the axis being the famous Lower Bar.
In 1968 my last year at school and familiar with racecourse life a job came for me at City Tatts . Being just sixteen years of age the youngest to be employed. The life of the Bookmaker and racing type was something I wanted to be near.
I learned a lot there very quickly and was welcomed by them, my own father was a well known long time clerk and with a City business was in the Club daily. Being a non drinker he mixed well with his lifetime mates.
The Lower Bar was the Bookies home for socialising plus the Settling and Registration of the Licence. Monday was exciting as they gathered to sort things out. The biggest of the day, and I now refer to the 1960s till 1980s. Huge amounts changed hands as Len Burke, Alex Gibson, Arthur Sing talked things through.
The other members and visitors were the racing characters like Dave “the dasher ” Segenfield, “Hoppy” Bob Kirkwood and Big Jim Mason, a regular attacker at the Rails and Clarence the Clocker (Arthur Davies). The British Actor James Mason would come with “Longshot” Tom Powell, a man who had a strong impression on me. The big SP blokes like “Melbourne Mick ” Bartley who would buy 3,000 lottery tickets at a time.
Upstairs were big card tournaments with nightclub owners like Joe Taylor, Eli Rose ,Sammy Lee and Reg Andrews. An American visitor Amarillo Slim (Tom Preston) came and smashed the place to pieces. Next also Snooker tournaments with Eddie Charlton, Warren Simpson, Alex Higgins from Ireland and Norman Squire who collapsed and died right in front of me.
I did witness a lot, the kind of thing that can form a personality and identity.
I am still involved there 56 years later. The last two years I spent collating the heritage of the place with hundreds of photos and beautiful artwork and of course I still go to the races still, a thankyou to Tobin Bronze .
Around about 1979 the astute racing man and bookmaker Charles Clarton said to me once City Tatts became less the home of the Bookies and the TAB gained strength City Tattersalls could see trouble ensue. Committeeman Owen Durham shared his fear.
Best wishes and stick around.
Mark Hewitt .
The Enthusiast Effect: Tabcorp's Chance to Reconnect
Blog Comment:
Not sure about bookies with horses!
Potential conflict of interest?
AllezPete
The Enthusiast Effect: Tabcorp's Chance to Reconnect
Max Presnell’s response to Allezpete:
Historically bookmakers have owned and raced horses in a less transparent period than Ladbrokes and others currently. Jack Mandel, a top bookie in my early day (late 50’s and early 60’s), had two outstanding horses, Prince Darius, and Persian Lyric, both rivals for champion Tulloch and beat him on separate occasions.
Rosehill and Victoria Park
Hello Max
Thought you might be interested in this. Rosehill and Victoria Park in perspective. Sydney Racing in the 1970s has sold really well, in no small part thanks to you. Jody says hello.
Wayne Peake
Racecourses. When they’re gone, they’re gone. The case of Victoria Park.
https://www.waynepeake.com.au/vic-park.html
Weights and Measures
Hi Max,
The constant search for the next winner is always a challenge. In weighing up the many factors determining how each runner compares to the rest, what do you consider to be the best approach?
There has been a bit of conjecture recently about weight variations and how much those changes can have – in particular, whether say what effect, if any, a 1k up or down change can have – if negligible, what change in weight can start to affect chances?
Your thoughts?
‘Speed” of Norwest
Weights and Measures
Max Presnell’s response to ‘Speed” of Norwest:
“Weights and measures” as advocated by Clif Carey, amongst others, in the good , old days, was considered more relevant than possibly the benchmark system currently. Three pounds or roughly 1.5 kilo equalled a length. Some modern theorists reckon horses are so big that few extra kilos doesn’t make a difference. Jockeys now are often allowed to declare overweight, even a kilo, which stewards once would not have permitted. Beaten a head and carrying a kilo more would have been treated with disdain. Still the benefit of a fit, healthy jockey over a half starved one is more the present policy. The best approach with personal handicapping? “Form” – “track” – “distance” – “potential” – “weight” – then consider the ground condition for the coming race, and tempo or how you feel it will be run. Get it right and you’re Einstein but when you put the effort in without a pleasing result you’ll figure pick it a pin is a better system.
Rosehill and Victoria Park
Great story by Wayne Peake on the history of racecourses around Sydney, and he hits on a very important point – the ATC own Rosehill, but do not own Randwick. If memory serves me, it was not so many years ago when the government decided to take some of the land at Randwick for public transport purposes, the then AJC had no choice in the matter – as an unfriendly government did in the past, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that some future government might decide that it has a better use for the land at Randwick.
Learn from history, and also look at the Singapore experience – some many years ago that government took the land at the previous racecourse at Bukit Timah for housing development (it still hasn’t been developed) and now is doing the same at Kranji where the club is to cease racing and once again the government cites need for housing as the reason.
Arthur Doyle
RACING INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS IN NSW & VICTORIA
Max,
I am thinking that your admirers are still mainly separate groups.
The first part offers links to industry news in Victoria and NSW that may be (should be but wont be) of general interest. The second part is a couple of personal observations about what is going on and next steps.
1
RACING INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS IN NSW & VICTORIA
Following are three links to media releases about both programming and prizemoney changes in Victoria and RVL’s new CEO (Aaron Morrison).
At the end is a link to the transcript of the Rosehill-sale inquiry in NSW on 9 August — an interaction that attracted attention is within pages 41 to 62.
https://www.racing.com/news/2024-08-21/news-industry-morrison-to-hit-ground-running
https://vrc.com.au/latest-news/all-star-mile-makes-for-a-super-saturday-at-flemington/
2
As regards RVL and Victorian racing one can only wonder what is going on. Under financial (and political?) pressure we do not know the full story behind the real movement at the station — expect regret to arrive home soon enough.
As regards RNSW, similar pressures in play are also unlikely to be resolved happily if the sell-Rosehill plan is abandoned, as seems likely. Any guess as to what plan-B might be but trouble is brewing
As for drawing additional responses, I am thinking the best option is a couple of letters to RVL and RNSW asking policy questions about what seems to be going on.
I will be giving that some thought.
I can never tell if the key industry players are smart or not — they sure talk like politicians, weaving stories that no one can understand.
My mind never wanders far from the idea that it is state politicians who run the game — which-party rarely matters — and the-game is about shifting money from the take on profitable city racing to subsidise provincial and country racing that is often not commercially viable on its merits.
Whenever there is ‘administrative discretion’ in the way money is distributed there are handmaidens corrupting the outcome. Time has taken its toll, it is now looking like more than one regret is about to come home, nationally.
Peter Mair