FROM THE SHERIFF'S DESK - ACKNOWLEDGING THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVINCIAL AND COUNTRY CARNIVALS

By John Schreck | Wednesday, May 4, 2016

John Schreck, a former Chief Steward in both Sydney and Hong Kong, has seen both the colourful and the dark sides of racing. His wealth of experience and his deep knowledge of racing matters across the board is unquestioned and the reputation he built as a racing ‘lawman’ remains firmly entrenched in racing’s history. Shreck’s personal blog, ‘From the Sheriff’s Desk', appears exclusively on HRO.

The Warrnambool Carnival is currently taking centre stage in Victoria.

Without question carnivals such as Warrnambool, Grafton, Wagga, Oakbank and others are important to the sport for all sorts of reasons ... and they will always be important.

They generate so much publicity and provide a particular type of platform for participants so they need to be promoted and maintained.

It is to be hoped that they can continue to hold their place in the general racing landscape.

On a different note ... and I know these thoughts are going to be against almost everything that has already been aired publically ... I am not in favour of having stand-alone meetings away from the metropolitan areas, as they did at Hawkesbury on Saturday.

About five million people live in Sydney and the tracks there are worth millions and millions of dollars.

To have no racing in Sydney on any Saturday makes no economic sense to me at all.

The value and importance of racing at headquarters should never be diminished.

So, while I support provincial and country carnivals, in my opinion Sydney racing should never close down and have those tracks sitting idle in favour of a stand-alone meeting provincial meeting.

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As expected Chautauqua stormed home from behind in the sprint feature in Hong Kong on Sunday.

What was not expected was the decision for Chautauqua not go on to Ascot. I’m not privy to the details but I’ve no doubt the correct decision was made by a very experienced stable.

We take so much for granted these days but horses travelling to international venues in confined spaces on aeroplanes are liable to all sorts of illnesses because they have got such big lungs and the lungs aren’t operating as they ought to.

They are just standing still for hours and hours and it is always a risk for them because of the way God made them ... with great, big lungs that should be filled every now and again. Just standing still for a long time can be problematic.

Then, by contrast, there is the effort that they put into the race itself. Racing against top class opposition, whether winning or losing, can take a lot out of a horse.

Taking aim at an international target is not an easy operation to manage and has to be carefully planned in advance so all credit to the Chautauqua and Buffering teams for getting their International Group 1 successes in Hong Kong and Dubai respectively over the last six weeks.

It was a real thrill seeing them get home, in their own, vastly different racing styles.

They have both done Australia proud!

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And a last word ...

As I’ve stated before, I am vehemently opposed to separating the Integrity Division of racing from the sport itself ... an outcome which is now sadly in the process of being set up in Queensland.

I believe that, over the years, you will find that the cost of this exercise will be frightening and the results will be no better than if Integrity had been left closer to the sport.

I can’t see many benefits coming from it at all.

Clearly the Queensland government is getting the wrong advice!

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