MY CALL: SATURDAY'S SYDNEY AND MELBOURNE MEETINGS ARE ALREADY IGNITING ROBUST DISCUSSION

By David Fowler | Tuesday, February 6, 2018

David Fowler is the principal thoroughbred caller for Radio TAB. David, who is a keen form student and punter, has enjoyed a lifetime involvement in the racing media. His personal blog, ‘My Call’, appears exclusively on HRO.

Racing's main stage is rarely vacant thesedays.

Carnivals Australia-wide roll on seamlessly one after the other and a "plain" Saturday is the exception rather than the rule.

Holidays are always appropriate for me after the Magic Millions Carnival but one is no sooner back and we're confronted with some great water cooler topics this weekend.

Sydney and Melbourne meets at Warwick Farm and Caulfield this weekend are already igniting robust conversation.

While the two-year-olds continue their run to the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper, the She Will Reign versus Nature Strip in the Inglis encounter at Warwick Farm may answer some significant questions.

Will Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign recapture her rich vein of juvenile form? Was The Everest flop an aberration?

Is Nature Strip as good as so many want to keep telling us?

Group One Racing kicks off at Caulfield with the Orr Stakes and old hardheads like Tosen Stardom, Black Heart Bart and Hartnell are ready to resume.

The reappearance of Coolmore winner Merchant Navy will be the day's highlight in the Rubiton.

That zig zagging screaming finish in last years Group One was memorable.

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It's perfectly understandable that connections of Winx may delay her racing return by a week or two.

Daily Telegraph Racing Editor Ray Thomas broke this news on my radio program PRESS ROOM yesterday which was before Hugh Bowman lost his appeal against the severity of a careless riding charge.

This is such a unique situation with not only a target of 23 consecutive wins on the horizon but the affinity between horse and jockey something to behold.

The pressure on a replacement jockey would be treacherous let alone for Waller and the owners.

A deferral is a wise option.

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Winx's betting presence in the Apollo Stakes at Warwick Farm on February 17 has raised an interesting point.

If you took the $1.10 (some do), do you do your dough because of the "all in" rule if she doesn't run.

Or is their a refund because nominations haven't been taken yet and the list slated is a probable field.

Betting has now been suspended on the event.

Over to you Ubet!

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I laughed when I saw a social media post complaining that Peter V'Landys was on a "junket" in America,

To quote Ray Thomas, "He wouldn't know how to spell junket"

Amazing how some of these keyboard warriors can be so assertive without even knowing the person.

Fortunately, I've known V'Landys for over 20 years and he abhors that type of activity. Always has.

You could bet your bottom dollar he was only in the States if there was an edge for New South Wales racing.

And as we know now he has secured USA television coverage for The Everest, a possible co-mingled betting pool and an American presence in the race itself.

The bitter, jealous and unsuccessful will keep potting V'Landys. They'll always run second.

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Liam Birchley will strenuously defend charges against him by Victoria stewards relating to events several years ago.

What I found peculiar was that he has agreed not to run horses in Victoria but such a restraint doesn't extend to any other state.

Haven't seen a scenario like it before.

David Fowler

It's perfectly understandable that connections of Winx may delay her racing return by a week or two.