ROB’S SHOUT - THE KNOCKERS HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT UNCERTAINTY IS PART AND PARCEL OF THE GAME

By Robert Heathcote | Thursday, April 14, 2011

Robert Heathcote is the leading racehorse trainer in Brisbane. 'Rob's Shout' - the personal blog of the premiership winning trainer will appear every Thursday on HRO.

I am often amazed by many things I read about in this thoroughbred racing industry which is a major part of my life.

There are both positive and negative comments as well as comments that are right and sometimes just plain wrong.

I have always been a believer that everyone is entitled to an opinion.

Clearly though, there are many times when people's opinions are 'clouded' either by 'talking through their pockets’ as we often say in racing, given that the industry is driven by the gambling dollar, or perhaps their views are clouded through ignorance of the issues … or, as in some cases, certain opinions are just plain stupid and nasty which at times maybe fits the character of the person making the statement or comment!

As a case in point I want to bring to your attention an issue which recently occurred with one of my stable runners … and the subsequent stewards enquiry … and the reasons behind it, which may help some people understand the actual process which takes place when such an issue arises.

I refer to my horse Captain Clayton who ran as a beaten favourite in a race at Doomben Saturday.

It's been brought to my attention there has been much comment about the way the race was run and, in particular, the effort of Captain Clayton. I can also say that I also received some comments regarding the race personally which has prompted me to write this blog!

Perhaps this has happened because Captain Clayton was a beaten favourite with all the conjecture about the way he was ridden, but primarily I feel the result attracted attention because the winner was well backed.

Yes, I was disappointed not to win the race which would have capped off a good day for the stable and I would have been delighted for my owners … but I was certainly not unduly upset for the punters who backed my horse as that's just part and parcel of this racing and gambling industry.

Captain Clayton might have been beaten, but he still ran a huge race!

In spite of that, questions were posed regarding the run of Captain Clayton.

A good starting point to provide evidence to help accurately evaluate his performance would be to look at the Stewards Report for the day.

The next five paragraphs are a straight copy of the official extract from the Stewards report on the race which was available for everyone to see after the enquiry.

‘Stewards questioned jockey L. Cassidy in respect to his riding of Captain Clayton in the early part of the straight where it appeared that he did not exhibit his usual vigour. L. Cassidy stated that he commenced a forward move around Agent Blue (J. Kropp) near the 500m and rounding the home turn he was forced very wide when Tunahog (L. Rolls) shifted to the outside of D'jet.

‘Jockey Cassidy added that as a result of this Captain Clayton became unbalanced and whilst he was riding forward with his hands and slapping the horse down the shoulder, he advised stewards that his riding was intended to balance Captain Clayton up under the big weight. Jockey Cassidy further added that Tunahog again shifted out to his inside near the 250m, again inconveniencing him.

‘Trainer R. Heathcote advised stewards that he instructed jockey Cassidy to ride the horse in a mid to rearward position and believed the manner in which the race was run did not at all enhance the chances of Captain Clayton.

‘Mr Heathcote added that on behalf of the owner Mr J. Thompson he specifically outlined to jockey Cassidy that he wanted the horse to be ridden in a manner that enabled it to finish the race off strongly as he was not entirely satisfied with the manner in which the horse was ridden at its previous start. Mr Heathcote expressed his satisfaction with the ride of jockey Cassidy.

‘After viewing the stewards' patrol footage and considering the evidence put forward, stewards accepted the explanation tendered by jockey Cassidy given the manner in which the race was run and the specific evidence put forward by Mr Heathcote regarding the instructions given.’

It’s important to understand some of the facts in this case and what took place.

Captain Clayton is a horse which is usually ridden quietly in his races which has already seen him enjoy a good level of success which is reason why he was favourite on Saturday.

These riding instructions are from the owners who pay me to train the horse, and these instructions will be requested to be carried out by the jockey to the best of their ability, within reason.

At the horses previous start he was ridden forward which subsequently saw him travel deep and exposed and it's fair to say he was unlucky .

The connections requested a change of rider for the horse because the horse was not ridden quietly first-up as instructed and as advised to the stewards prior to his first-up run … and that's an owner’s prerogative!

I would like to point out that this fact was indeed in the post-race stewards report available for all to see after his first-up run.

Larry Cassidy was the new rider and Larry was asked to ride the horse exactly as the stewards have stated in their report and that was certainly quieter than the previous run.

The fact that the horse was not ridden how some punters out there wanted him ridden is of no relevance to me as Captain Clayton was ridden in a way which was advised to the Stewards and which was his normal racing pattern and the horses owners preferred instructions … all designed to give the horse his best chance of landing another victory.

Going into the race there looked to be reasonable speed in the contest. Unfortunately, that did not eventuate and this afforded Seek And Find a very soft lead which allowed him to sprint home strongly and win the race.

I have no doubt that this fact was recognised by some astute punters hence you already have one reason why Seek And Find was well supported. I should also point out that the winner has been very well supported in the past so I have no doubt that the horse is well regarded by the trainer and connections.

I also know he goes well as not long ago another of my runners just pipped him under the line in an 1100m race.

That horse was Woorim who went within two strides of being a Group 1 winner so the form stacks up in my eyes and, given the way the race unfolded, I was not surprised to see Seek And Find win.

The stewards extract is a fairly accurate description of events which transpired in the steward’s room after the race, but it does not describe the level of tension that existed at times during the enquiry.

Some very direct questions were asked which caused a few raised voices, particularly from Larry Cassidy when it was suggested everything was not in order.

The questions had to be asked which is what the stewards are doing to ensure that the integrity of every race is not compromised.

Larry, of course, understands this and he in fact later apologised to the stewards panel for the tone of his voice and his manner. His apology was accepted but, as the Chief steward said, the tough questions have to be asked on behalf of the public!

It's ludicrous to think that either Larry or myself would risk our respective successful businesses and careers for the sake of short term financial gain for an impropriety.

It was quite simply a case of the way the race was run, as Captain Clayton would have always found it hard to have won as the final sectional was a slick 34.5 or so on a slow track which this particular horse is not at his best on.

There is another fact that seems to have been missed by many!

If a touch more pressure had been applied to the leader during the race, it is conceivable that Captain Clayton could have run Seek And Find down, just as Woorim did late last year!

No one has a crystal ball to foresee the way any race is run. Sure we have speed maps that can give an idea, but often these do not pan out as thought, as per the Captain Clayton example.

The stewards have really stepped up their policing of the rule that states any riding instructions that greatly differ from previous runs must be reported to the stewards and numerous fines are handed out when this rule is breached.

It's a shame that so often we see negative comments when well backed horses win (like Seek And Find) and, vice versa, when favourites (like Captain Clayton) get beaten.

Unfortunately it is going to happen often as it is the nature of the racing game and there is no doubt that many disgruntled people do actually talk through their pockets, which is as unfortunate as it is, to a degree, understandable.

The stewards are in a position to ask the tough questions as they did in the case with Captain Clayton’s race last Saturday.

It is the ill informed 'experts' or perhaps people ignorant of what transpires regarding the stewards enquiries who I find so irritating, especially when the relevant information is readily available.

I see a certain website, whose writer is an old sparring partner of mine, is having a dig at me off for having two favourites (Captain Clayton and Racing Heart) beaten and winning with a long shot (Hidden Kisses) last Saturday! Many who know me will know who I refer to!

For the record, Racing Heart has not run a poor race in his last ten starts, several which were on bog 10 tracks. Yet when he gives away 5 kilos, carries 57.5 kilos and gets beaten a short head this certain web writer still wants to pot him for getting beaten.

His run was huge last Saturday and he was beaten by a better horse on the day at the weights!

I then won a $75,000 race with a horse (Hidden Kisses) for her owner at the odds of 20-1 and the web writer suggests that's not the right thing to do by punters either!

He forgets that Hidden Kisses has always been a good filly and Michael Rodd said her run at Flemington (in her previous start) was a cracker and he can't wait to get back on her during the upcoming winter carnival!

Remember, the horses do not know what price they are when they jump from the barriers so as long as they give a good account of themselves and race genuinely I will always be satisfied as their trainer … as I was with Hidden Kisses’ win on Saturday.

The filly isn't usually comfortable on wet tracks so her effort to win on the slow track on Saturday was testimony to the how well Doomben raced last Saturday and hopefully how well she has come back this time as we head into the carnival.

She will now get beaten down the track as a fancied runner and the web writer in question will get off on 'potting' yet another racehorse!

Mind you, the website I refer to always gives a bagging to trainers like Mark Kavanagh, Gai Waterhouse and even the great Bart Cummings and I see now when he now he is stepping into Chris Waller.

Honestly, this guy will bag Black Caviar when she eventually loses a race!

Recently he bagged Excellantes for being an odds-on loser first-up on a wet track, but yet when the same horse wins a $75 grand race second-up that fails to get a mention!

The good news though is the upcoming QTIS sale where the website 'expert' will no doubt put all of his self proclaimed expertise into choosing the best yearlings on offer and taking out his trainer's licence and winning the Slipper and the Magic Millions next year.

I will also be there buying some horses for some new owners so maybe we can track each other's progress!

I love the quote that ‘a racehorse is an animal that can take many thousands of people for a ride at the same time'!

That is exactly what can happen in racing and its why we have stewards police the industry and ensure that the integrity of racing is not compromised.

When it is, they have to power to hand out very harsh penalties as we have seen recently.

There will always been plenty of uncertainty in racing and its very important that more people understand that fact!

Like I said earlier, everyone is entitled to their opinion in this game. Just as important though that the opinion not be too clouded by financial influences or just downright bitterness!

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