ROB'S SHOUT - STOP OVER-ANALYSING THE CUP. IT IS, QUITE SIMPLY, ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREAT RACES
By Robert Heathcote | Thursday, November 8, 2012
Robert Heathcote is the leading racehorse trainer in Brisbane. 'Rob's Shout' - the personal blog of the multi-premiership and Group 1 winning trainer will appear every Thursday on HRO.
Well another Spring Carnival is about to draw to a close and another Melbourne Cup goes to Team Williams.
Bloody well done is what I say and yes, there will always, and I do repeat always, be the knockers in this industry who will say all kinds of nonsense about the Melbourne Cup each year.
This year there were those who said it was too ‘internationalized’ and even one who said the race was akin to a sham due to its 'poor quality'.
Blasphemy is what I say as I totally agree with the words of one of the world's great trainers in Luca Cumani who says it really is the greatest staying race in the world now.
The dream of Les Benton has been realized where we can attract the best stayers in the world to venture all the way down here to compete for the very lucrative prize-money.
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It is more than just the huge prize-money though that brings the Internationals here!
Cumani has raced all over the world and, so far, he has tried to win this race on six
Occasions. Sadly for him, he will have to come back again next year … even if he was a touch unlucky with Mt Athos this year.
Ed Dunlop who came oh so close last year with Red Cadeaux campaigned one of Europe's best race horses in Ouija Board successfully on three continents and he said the credit he and his team received here in Melbourne outweighed anything elsewhere in the world.
Perhaps the most glowing endorsement came from the legendary Irish trainer in Dermot Weld who has won the cup twice and who has just made his tenth visit.
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Weld was one of those lamenting the track conditions and the slow tempo of this year's Cup but, you know what, that's why there is no such thing as a good thing in racing as there will always be so many variables.
I predicted there would only be a slow tempo in this year's cup which is why I backed Glencadam Gold and Mourayan. I figured I would get a good run for my money and I sure did and its why so many of the true genuine European stayers were found wanting
with a final closing 600 sectional of 34-something.
It was once again another super race that did indeed stop the nation and it put racing on the front and back pages of the newspapers for the right reasons and those who want to stick the boots in, well they would complain about winning the lottery if it was in a foreign currency!
Lloyd Williams … he has invested millions in his quest for Cup glory and whether he’s worth $800 million or not, good onya Lloyd for following your dream.
That's four in the bag and if I guess right, he ain’t finished yet!
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On a sadder note, it not been a good look week for the industry with the stewards having their hands full with rider indiscretions and off track investigations.
I am a trainer and fortunately I have kept a clean slate with the ruling judiciary in my industry, but I do know that there are times where innocent errors can occur in any stable so I have to be a little guarded with what I say on this matter.
However, it is my view that tubing or drenching of horses to gain an unfair advantage is blatant cheating and any licensees found guilty of this offense deserve to have the full force of the authorities come crushing down on them.
It must be a level playing field for all involved and more importantly the punters must bet in the knowledge that it is indeed a fair and level playground!
I see here in Queensland where it has been advised that all horses TCO2 readings may well be published. This will expose those who are indeed playing with fire because, as sure as the sun comes up, they will get their fingers badly burned and any trainer tempting fate with the use of drenching will get exposed!
A very good move in my opinion.
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Anyway, enough of that negative crap which sadly does exist in this industry, even if it's only a small minority, so let's move on to massive Group 1 weekend coming up for my stable.
It's already been a super Spring Carnival for Heathcote Racing with Solzhenitsyn winning the Group 1 Toorak, placing's in a couple of other group races and, of course, Buffering winning two Group 2s as well as Excellantes running out of his skin to run third on Cup day in the big sprint up the straight.
Awesome stuff and what a climax the carnival can be for us with both of the stable stars well fancied in million dollar Group 1’s on Saturday.
Heady stuff indeed and I am already pacing around like a caged panther in anticipation. Both Melissa and I have faith that we have both of our stars in tip top shape for their grand finals.
Do ya think it's gonna be easy?
Of course it's not as they are both incredibly strong races with a host of winning chances, but I am sure both my boys will do us proud.
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Not only have I been delighted with the deeds of our interstate stars, but the team at home have been racing really well so a huge pat on the back to my team who do a great job.
The competitive nature of this industry means you have to stay focused all of the time and it does give me an immense amount of satisfaction to see the stable doing well and the support my team give me.
It has been an extremely busy time this past month and I have to be honest and say I am a touch fatigued but hey, that adrenaline stuff goes alright.
I hope to get a good dose of it on Saturday at Flemington.
Cheers,
Robert
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