The highlight of the “Great Aussie Race Day“ at Gunsynd Park was the training performance of former legendary jockey Ken Waller who brought three to the races. Won two, but with a bit of luck could have had a treble A 100% strike rate.
He won the opening event with Pop’s Choice who was well handled by apprentice Brooke Richardson.
Obviously suited by the wet track, she held off the favourite Realee in the drive to the line.
In the class B Handicap, Olliewood owned by Geoff and Jennifer Makim was poised just behind the leaders approaching the turn and Geoff was reaching for the betting tickets.
In racing confidence can quickly turn to despair.
Olliewood was about to commence her run when she copped a severe check and lost all momentum and on the heavy track just couldn’t recover quickly enough and had to settle for an unlucky fourth placing.
In the last, Ken produced a first starter called Sandy View and what a debut it was.
Most punters latched onto Owan who had finished runner-up at the Gold Coast at his previous start and as they lined up he was well into the red at “Take Two’s” or in the modern sanitised term $1-50
Punters who had laid the odds on Owan were heading to the bar for a brandy at the top of the straight when jockey Brooke Richardson released the ribbons and Sandy View exploded away and proceeded to give the opposition a galloping lesson, bolting in by a conservative five lengths.
Owners R. Webster, B.Rae, J. Mulckey, G. Arthur, J. Montgomery and A. Henry are in for a fun ride, as this one has plenty of ability and with Ken putting the polish on will be winning its way through the classes pretty quickly.
Great to see the re-introduction of the time honoured Inglewood Cup.
A progressive Chamber of Commerce in Inglewood whose theme is “Catch the Country Spirit” was behind the staging of the Cup, which is steeped in local history.
The Cup was won by Frisco Lights, from the Shane Burns stables in Dalby.
It started in the red at $1.60 and got home by a nostril from Toowoomba gelding Shale Shaker.
As with all country racing, there are tall tales to tell, many coloured by the passing of the years.
A couple of the best “Tale Tellers” in the country, Jeff Hannaford and Geoff Lyons, would have had fellow travellers enthralled during the trip home.
The Phone rings. It’s the Doctor.
“So sorry but we have two reports mixed up. We don’t know if your husband has Aids or Asthma.”
Wife: “What should I do?”
Doctor: “Send him on a four kilometre jog. If he comes home, don’t sleep with him.”
The racing industry is awaiting the High Court’s decision on the NSW race field legislation with bated breath. It’s almost six months since the hearing of the appeal by a Corporate Bookmaker against the lower Court’s decision.
There is no doubt the future of racing relies largely on the decision.
Most CEOs of big business would be wondering what all the fuss is about.
If you want to use the product (the race fields owned by the racing industry), you pay the price set by the provider.
We did mention the Waterhouse youngster Raceway would be going to Melbourne for the Blue Diamond but it appears Bookmakers are trying to lay the youngster.
Generally when Bookie boys blow the favourite in pre post betting put the guard up and zip the wallet shut .
You only have to go back to the night “Dr Turf“ advised punters to be careful about Cox Plate favourite Whobegotu as he had blown in pre-post betting.
The horse was scratched a few days later and punters who had taken the all-in price did their dough.
“I was standing in the nude in front of the bedroom mirror and the wife walked in,” Rather Rotund Resident of Baker Street informed drinking partner.
“I said I feel crook. I look old and fat. I really need you to pay me a compliment.”
She looked me up and down and said,”Your eyesight’s damn near perfect.“
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