SEVEN DAYS (THE WEDNESDAY REPORT): THE WEEKLY REVIEW (APRIL 9 - APRIL 15) - NEWS COMMENTARY

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, April 16, 2014

HRO's news and commentary feature - SEVEN DAYS (THE WEDNESDAY REPORT) - provides a weekly review of racing activity, both on and off the track.

NEWSFLASH – IT”S ALREADY ‘LATER’

How much longer will racing’s stakeholders and enthusiasts actually have to live with the constant, seemingly never-ending delay before the Eagle Farm track and training precinct upgrade comes under stater’s orders?

According to some reports government approval for the project is ‘imminent’ but that would hardly have settled any nerves.

‘Strangled by red tape’ is a description I have used before and if ever there was ever a prime example of how suffocating an exercise it can be following an overregulated governmental process at the snail’s pace that seems its norm … this is it.

‘The government just don’t get it,” said one leading official. But that’s hardly news.

The project has been on the drawing board for so long it is time almost time to replace the drawing board itself, yet there is still no concrete action on the plans that have long been submitted other than having been informed that the plans for the project ‘have finally made its way to Treasury.’

It has been reported that the $10 million that is needed for the actual track reconstruction has been approved but access to a further $12 million, which is needed for tunnels and other infrastructure, is proving a sticking point … as is the fact, as I understand it, that the multi-layered project is all encompassing, intended to be completed as a whole and therefore having approval for half the package is the same as having nowhere to go.

The plan, in its entirety, has an urgency about it which is out of step with the government’s sedate pace. Racing Minister Steve Dickson says government is still undertaking the ‘checks and balances’ required before any approval can be given and he ‘makes no excuses’ for the need for that process.

Of course that ‘due diligence’ undertaking is to be expected, but the current situation does beg two questions.

Firstly, has the bright and cheery, good news spin ‘relationship’ between Racing Queensland and government hit a hiccup?

I know this is technically a Brisbane Racing Club matter but Racing Queensland have the ear of the Racing Minister. Other matters have followed Racing Queensland’s advice and they still might well do on this occasion, but clearly the road travelled jointly by these two powers has not been quite as smooth when it covers ground on this issue.

Do the checks and balances by all means, but instead of not making excuses for the delay the Racing Minister should be expediting the matter to meet racing’s needs.

It is well documented how large and important an industry racing is in terms of how many mouths it feeds and what it means to the economy. The Racing Minister himself has joined in that chorus. If he truly understands what that all means, then he will understand the approval process for the Eagle Farm track and training precinct upgrade, and all of those people that the project will impact, can no longer be left in limbo.

A resolution date needs to be placed on this matter now so racing can stop revising and juggling fixtures which serves no good purpose at all. Telling us ‘treasury should make an announcement this month’ means nothing. Racing needs to have a date to work on.

Which brings us to the second question … and I’m playing devil’s advocate here. What happens if those checks and balances produce a result which leads to racing’s access to the extra $12 million being declined?

Has anybody thought of that? Is there a Plan B?

Sorry that’s four questions in all.

It’s understandable that racing officialdom outwardly remain ‘hopeful and upbeat’ about the final call on this matter. Inwardly I doubt if they are upbeat. Some have said they expect an outcome ‘sooner rather than later’.

Well, here’s a newsflash. It is already later!

This is a ticking time-bomb that ultimately will blow up in racing’s face if Eagle Farm does not get the urgent attention it needs. Track-wise, the carnival has flirted with disaster for several years. The law of averages suggests it is now officially pushing its luck.

There are many things in racing that need to be done. Different parties will get involved in a tug-of-war over which matters should be given priority and arguments will rage over wasted money and missed opportunities … but there are certain issues about which there can be little debate.

The well-being of the Eagle Farm metropolitan racetrack is one of them.

Hopefully it won’t be long before that phone rings and is answered with a, “Yes Minister” …

What happens next will be critical to Metropolitan racing in Brisbane!

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WHO ELSE DOESN’T GET IT?

If the government ‘just don’t get it’ … that is one thing but, when seasoned racing officials weigh in with their preferred interpretation of the facts (some of which can be construed as blindsiding tactics) … well, that is another matter altogether.

It’s just a pity they don’t liaise with each other before they do so.

Racing Queensland’s CEO confirmed in a report in the Courier Mail that he had received approaches from stewards, trainers and jockeys expressing concern about the condition of the Eagle Farm track. In that report Condon himself acknowledged that the track ‘is not performing, even at the better end of the weather scale. Jockeys say it crumbles underneath them.’

A Brisbane Racing Club spokesman on the other hand produced figures showing statistics of average runners per meeting which apparently led him to the following conclusion, ‘Clearly owners and trainers don’t have a problem with Eagle Farm. If it was that bad, they wouldn’t be running there.’

Those mixed messages are just another example of Racing Queensland’s ‘we run as one’ concept imploding.

The bottom line, and this is something that officialdom in general seem to have great difficulty in accepting, is that punters are not stupid. In fact, the regular, seasoned, form-savvy punter could probably tell you lot more about how the track is performing than many of the owners as well as some trainers and jockeys.

These punters … racing’s customers … don’t need anybody stating the obvious about how the track is performing or any statistical rhetoric.

They just need the problem fixed.

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SATURDAY METROPOLITAN WINNER FEEDBACK:

Winner feedback from jockey Tim Bell (Jockey - Sovereign Son): “Mr Sears said to me the horse might be a little bit suspect. He said, just come out ride it cold. It probably should have won last start. Just a couple of things didn’t go his way which that track (Toowoomba) can do. Today he cherished the ground and really ran the 1200m out.” (Doomben April 12 – Race 1).

Winner feedback from trainer Brian Smith (Trainer - Elusive Storm). “You don’t think any horse can win three wide but Elusive Storm’s gone to another level. We had trouble with her last time in with her not wanting to concentrate. To the credit of the kid (Samuel Payne) today he sat still when he was three wide. He didn’t panic. We slap him up every two or three times a week, but he is a listener and I want to get him really riding well for us. He is from a real, good family and he is a good kid. I hope he keeps his head in the right place … which he will!” (Doomben April 12 – Race 3).

Winner feedback from Samuel Payne (Jockey - Elusive Storm): “The main thing is to keep moving forward and to have trainers behind you like Brian Smith is just fantastic. Yeah, he does keep me in line and I appreciate every bit of advice I get off Mr Smith. The horse was fit. I galloped the horse the other day. I cursed myself when I got around to the 800 and was three wide, but with the barrier it was just tough to get in. She did very well to kick on from there.” (Doomben April 12 – Race 3).

Winner feedback from David Kelly (Trainer - Final Crescendo): “I’m just lucky I had Michael (Cahill) on. He just showed all the patience in the world. Also lucky that the horse had enough acceleration to muscle through there. It’s just a maturity thing. He was just a little behind the eight-ball when I first got him and he has matured into a really nice horse. Everything went right today. The other day Tegan (Harrison) got decked on him going into the first corner and then she had to try and angle out. I was happy enough with that run but I just forgot about it. Freshened him up and he trialled pretty good at the Gold Coast about a week and a half ago, so, if he had the luck this time, I was pretty confident.” (Doomben April 12 – Race 4).

Winner feedback from Michael Cahill (Jockey - Final Crescendo): “There wasn’t a lot of room. It can happen sometimes with barrier one. It was pretty tight. A lot of horses don’t like going through those narrow openings and they tend to be a bit reluctant, but that horse wouldn’t be denied. He was very solid. He went straight through the gap and in the end I thought it was a soft win. It might sound strange that he won the race in testing circumstances but never really got right to his top. When he got through that opening the race was over!” (Doomben April 12 – Race 4).

WINNER FEEDBACK from Kelso Wood (Trainer - Seeking More): “He is a very consistent horse. The boy (Kirk Matheson) rides him well. He used a lot of brains today. I gave him the instruction. I said, ride him to lead, or, if they go mad, take a sit. He found himself in front. He didn’t drag him back or anything like that. He just rode a very well judged race. He is an easy horse to train. It’s just a shame he struggles a bit at the 1200. He is a little bit lower than the top class but he’s earned himself a shot at races like the Lightning over 1000m at Eagle Farm or even a race like the Eye Liner at Ipswich … I know it is over 1200 … but, without trying to contradict myself, I think in a race like that he could go well.” (Doomben April 12 – Race 5).

WINNER FEEDBACK from Dan Meagher (Co-trainer - Revitalise): “He came to us from the David Murphy stable in terrific order. He had a spell and he came back really heavy. He came back about 615kgs. He is a big horse. We don’t usually train them very hard on the tracks. We usually race them into fitness. He’s had a 1200, a 1400 and the other day he was over a mile. He came out this time just that little bit fitter and he was ridden very well by Ashley (Butler) … but he is still not fit yet. He’s still got about another 10kgs to lose so he has done a really good job today. We copped a bit of a flogging from a few people the other day, all joking of course, because we worked him in a sweat rug (which is an old school way of doing things). It’s just an old rug and we just put the saddle over the top and make him sweat a bit and that just helps him to work a bit more than normal. Well, it did the trick anyway.” (Doomben April 12 – Race 6).

WINNER FEEDBACK from Helen Page (Trainer - Rudy): “The plan is the Queensland Guineas. He is better than Celestial Fire … and I ran third in the Stradbroke with him. If I can Rudy into the Stradbroke (the Guineas winner is an automatic qualifier), yeah I’ll consider it. He handles all tracks so at least that won’t be a worry. He is a special horse. He is different …. He is different! Blinkers first time today. I wanted to see how he went with them. My work rider, a great work rider, he just said to me the blinkers have improved him. He said he is lengths better with them and that showed as he just put the opposition away.”

WINNER FEEDBACK from Tegan Harrison (Jockey – Rudy): “I was very happy to prove today that he is not just a wet tracker this horse. He is a very good horse. Coming up to the 600m I thought about riding for luck. Then I thought, you know what, he is too good a horse to ride for luck. If I copped any sort of check and he lost his momentum the race would be over for him. So, that’s why I just came outside the heels of Tim Bell (on Shiraz Attack). We did cover a bit more ground but that way he was in clear running and he could do what he does … finish it off. He is a freak. I was lucky to ride him today and hopefully I’m the lucky jockey who gets to stay on him.”

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SHORTS:

It is not of often a horse wins by ten lengths. The Barry Mitchell trained Twisted Mountain did just that at Doomben embarrassing his ten rivals in no uncertain terms. This was Twisted Mountain’s second start since transferring into the Mitchell stable. The lightly raced four-year-old gelding (four starts in all) had finished second first-up in his previous start which came after a twelve month layoff. (Eagle Farm April 9 – Race 3).

There was plenty to like about the very professional debut win of Furbish at Doomben. The Alan Denham trained, two-year-old son of Collate, had won two barrier trials (five months apart) before being sent up to Brisbane from his Wyong base to face his debut assignment which he handled with aplomb, accelerating away to a clear-cut victory under the competent guidance of Jim Byrne. (Eagle Farm April 11 – Race 3).

It is still virtually impossible to separate premiership leaders Tony Gollan and Matthew Dunn. One lands a blow. The other lands one right back … as has been the case at so many meetings this season. And they are certainly not just getting there with fancied runners. At Eagle Farm last Friday Gollan won with Mr Jetset ($7) and Dunn came up with Lucky Lucre ($8). (Eagle Farm April 11 – Races 4 & 7).

A tip of the hat to Ruby Ride for a really good winning effort on Romeo Lad. Romeo Lad tested the strength of the running rail which it pushed in onto it with some force for a fair number of strides after being cramped for room in the early part of the race. The horse then fired up a bit, wanting to over-race, but Ride kept her composure and, with a confidence that comes from riding a host of recent city winners, Ride duly guided Romeo’s Lad to a comfortable win. (Eagle Farm April 11 - Race 5).

Want a tip for the ‘Get Out Stakes’? Well, in recent times you could have done a whole lot worse than go to ‘Last Race Luke’ Tarrant, who rounded off the card for three successive days when scoring with Hypothesis ($13) at Eagle Farm on Friday, with Just A Perla ($4.60) at Doomben on Saturday and with Simply Chanel ($10) in the last at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday. Simply Chanel was actually the second leg of a race-to-race double on the day with Tarrant having clocked in on Sugar Daddy one race earlier.

While young riders are getting used to claiming their share of the limelight, at the other end of the scale it is still well worth noting just how solidly defending champion Michael Cahill continues to get the job done in his own quiet fashion. His steady flow of winners has kept him well out ahead of the chasers in this season’s Jockey’s Premiership race.

Trainer Tony Sears looks to have a fair two-year-old in his care in the form of Sovereign Son. The gelding won by 4.50 lengths of debut but had to settle for second best in his next start. Both of those starts were at Toowoomba over 1000m. Sears had no fears about stepping Sovereign Son up into city company or extending the distance to 1200m and the horse justified that confidence by landing the victory. (Doomben April 12 – Race 1)

Fresh from her double the previous Saturday in her first day out as a senior jockey, Tegan Harrison was at it again landing another double at Doomben. Her first winner came aboard Brave Ali, who she piloted to another end to end victory (just as she had done in the seven-year-old’s previous start). The margin was a bit tighter and this time and the horse raced for Tony Gollan (it had won previously for trainer Craig Martin), but apart from that, Brave Ali’s control of proceedings was very much in keeping with his previous effort. A little later in the day Harrison followed up with a cracker of a ride on Rudy, who really looks to be going places. (Doomben April 12 – Race 2).

Hard work, talent … there are many prerequisites for success but, ultimately, numbered right up there with the best of them is ‘opportunity’ and that comes in a two-part package. Firstly, you have to get the opportunity. Secondly, you have to make use of it. So, full credit must go to apprentice Samuel Payne for making the most of the recent opportunities afforded him. The young rider, who looks to be learning quickly now, brought home three winners in town this week for Desleigh Forster (Amizade – Eagle Farm April 9 – Race 1)), Barry Lockwood (Burning Sails – Eagle Farm April 9 – Race 6) and Brian Smith (Elusive Storm – Doomben – April 12 – Race 3). *Payne also rode a winner for Paul Duncan (That’llbgood) at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.

The David Kelly trained Final Crescendo is establishing a healthy race record. The chestnut son of Foreplay won for the fifth time from only thirteen starts at Doomben and he has won three of his last five starts. Michael Cahill did the honours in the saddle. (Doomben April 12 – Race 4). *Kelly also saddled the Metza, the first race winner at the Gold Coast.

As mentioned earlier, Rudy is a horse on the move. If Furbish was the eye-catcher on Friday, Rudy was the run of the day on Saturday and the way he flew past his rivals out wide in the home straight, coming from well back, augers well for his Carnival campaign. This is definitely one for the notebook. (Doomben April 12 – Race 7).

Cassandra Schmidt landed a treble at the Gold Coast on Saturday. Two of those winners (The Dow Jones and Anton En Avant) were saddled by Stephen Lee while Flying Riddle was saddled by Julie Green. (Gold Coast April 12 – Races 2, 4 & 7).*Schmidt made it four winners for the weekend when she won on the Dwyane Schmidt trained Only Amother Could at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.

Scott Galloway is starting to warm-up after a long spell out of the saddle. Galloway scored a double at the Gold Coast bringing home Avalanches for Trevor Bailey and Akro for Kelly Doughty. (Gold Coast April 12 – Races 3 & 5).

It was a night of mixed returns for Brooke Stower at Toowoomba. Stower landed two winners (Hussy Erin for Lynda Powell and Total Authority for Paul Facoory) to equal Jim Byrne’s double as the best individual showing at the meeting, but the apprentice also picked up no less than two suspensions which took the gloss off her day. (Toowoomba April 12 – see STEWARDS SUSPENSIONS).

Norm Hilton and Michael Nolen might have both saddled doubles but the Weetwood meeting belonged to Kevin Kemp and Nozi Tomizawa. Kemp saddled the quinella in the big race feature, winning with Typhoon Red ($10) who ran down his better fancied stable companion Kempelly ($4.40) in the final chase to the line. This was Kemp’s fourth Weetwood success and it was a first for Tomizawa who allowed Kemp to decide which ride he should take in the race. "Kempelly only really came into contention over the last couple of weeks, and next year might be his time,” said Kemp … “but Typhoon Red has been set for the race all along and this is a great reward for all the members of our stable who have helped get him here." (Toowoomba April 12 – Race 6).

There was seemingly quite a boil-over in the Capricornia Yearling Sale Two-Year-Old Classic in Rockhampton. The $100 000 contest was won by the Andrew Suli trained Quick Assault at odds of $13. Quick assault was chased home by the $26 chance Born To Fire and the $16 chance Maximum Felocity, but it should be noted that only two runners were quoted in single figures due to the high regard in which the strong $2 favourite Our Neddy Boy was held. Our Neddy Boy finished fourth and will now be spelled. (Rockhampton April 12 – Race 5).

Last year’s Capricornia Yearling Sale Two-Year-Old Classic winner Mythologist has now added the Capricornia Yearling Sale Championship Handicap (for three-year-olds) to his winning resume. (Rockhampton April 12 – Race 4).

While there might be some currently unknown extenuating circumstances involved, on the surface Tim Bell’s effort at the Sunshine Coast has to go down in the ‘most disappointing’ column. The rider pulled the plug and went home before the sixth race. His actions were explained in the steward’s report of the day with the relevant portion reading, ‘As T. Bell expressed concerns with visibility and did not wish to fulfil his engagement, R. McMahon was substituted as the rider of Wine By The Glass.’ (The meeting was run in continual rain with numerous track downgrades throughout the day).

While Bell left the track, nineteen individual jockeys (including some inexperienced apprentices) remained involved in playing a responsible and professional part in seeing that the final three races on the day were completed without incident. That is more or less what was expected of them.

Jockeys do have the right, either collectively or individually, to pull up stumps if they feel uncomfortable in the going and, realistically, nobody wants a rider out on the track who doesn’t want to be there.

That said, I have witnessed many occasions where some senior jockeys have felt quite strongly about the fact that racing should not go on but have fallen in line with the majority decision even if that was to continue riding. As one leading rider said to me on one of those occasions, ‘if everybody else is going out to ride I have no option but to ride.”

So, to repeat, Bell had the right to make the decision he did but that doesn’t necessarily mean it was a good call. (Sunshine Coast April 13).

And last, but not least, let’s talk about the fallout from the race-books at Eagle Farm and Doomben last week. I mean fallout … quite literally … as in pages falling out of the book making it quite unmanageable as a workable sort of information. I know racing is trying to cut financial corners everywhere but saving on glue is not part of the solution and it just won’t stick with punters!

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