For more than a quarter of a century, the "Old Coat-Tugger", Phil Percival, has been writing his Racing around the Ridges column for The Argus. There's been good times, there's been the trials and tribulations of life, cancer battles, serious injuries, but, "Ridges" always, always, pops up in our "inbox" every Monday morning. Even lowlife thieves can't stop the 82 year-old racing lover, a man proud of friends, family and everything to do with Goondiwindi. READ ALSO: A former Goondiwindi councillor who would occasionally frustrate fellow councillors due his passionate support of seniors, the environment, and anything else he believed in, had his faith in his fellow humans tested last week after thieves broke in and stole his car. But, first thing Monday, as soon as we opened up our laptop, there at the top, was his weekly column. "Here's ridges for this week mate. Regards, Phil." We weren't surprised. Phil was born on Australia Day and is as true-blue as anyone we have ever met. And he's the last person to let anyone, no matter how heartless, stop him from getting on with it all. So, with pride, here's Ridges for yet another week. And here's to many, many more. Some people well up in the pecking order of Australian Racing say action should be taken after the UN HUMAN RIGHTS Office demanded proof the daughter of Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid AL-Maktoum was still alive following a BBC report. Sheikha Latifa has not been seen since she tried to escape from the Emirates in March 2018. She was captured not far from India and returned to Dubai'. The BBC has shown Sheikha Latifa crouched in a corner of what she says is a bathroom. Other sports such as rugby, tennis swimming etc demand a certain code of conduct by its members and participants so it will be interesting whether the issue is discussed at board level. Rachel King continues to clock up the winners kicking home four at Randwick on Saturday. It was the second time this season. One of her winners was Nimalee who's trainer Matthew Smith was wrapped with her ride: "She is in the zone. When a jockey is riding in the form she is in, they get a feel for the race and seem to pull the right rein". Another positive story was the win by Blue Missile trained in the bush by Michelle Richie. Michelle's voice was trembling after the race telling the story of the horse as a youngster who became traumatized after a truck accident and he was left on the truck for hours. I had to nurse him back to health. He was going to be just a paddock horse at my place but here he is today winning a race at Randwick." An Irishman was looking through a catalogue and says, "Geez look at these women they're glorious and their prices are reasonable too. Mick says,"I'm ordering one right now." A few weeks pass and Paddy says to Mick, "Has your woman turned up yet?" "No," says Mick, "But it shouldn't be long, her clothes turned up yesterday."
Queensland's premier trainer Tony Gollan with the old Coat-Tugger, Phil Percival, and legendary jockey Larry Olsen. File pic.
For more than a quarter of a century, the "Old Coat-Tugger", Phil Percival, has been writing his Racing around the Ridges column for The Argus.
There's been good times, there's been the trials and tribulations of life, cancer battles, serious injuries, but, "Ridges" always, always, pops up in our "inbox" every Monday morning. Even lowlife thieves can't stop the 82 year-old racing lover, a man proud of friends, family and everything to do with Goondiwindi.
A former Goondiwindi councillor who would occasionally frustrate fellow councillors due his passionate support of seniors, the environment, and anything else he believed in, had his faith in his fellow humans tested last week after thieves broke in and stole his car. But, first thing Monday, as soon as we opened up our laptop, there at the top, was his weekly column.
"Here's ridges for this week mate. Regards, Phil." We weren't surprised. Phil was born on Australia Day and is as true-blue as anyone we have ever met. And he's the last person to let anyone, no matter how heartless, stop him from getting on with it all. So, with pride, here's Ridges for yet another week. And here's to many, many more.
Some people well up in the pecking order of Australian Racing say action should be taken after the UN HUMAN RIGHTS Office demanded proof the daughter of Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid AL-Maktoum was still alive following a BBC report. Sheikha Latifa has not been seen since she tried to escape from the Emirates in March 2018. She was captured not far from India and returned to Dubai'. The BBC has shown Sheikha Latifa crouched in a corner of what she says is a bathroom. Other sports such as rugby, tennis swimming etc demand a certain code of conduct by its members and participants so it will be interesting whether the issue is discussed at board level.
Rachel King continues to clock up the winners kicking home four at Randwick on Saturday. It was the second time this season. One of her winners was Nimalee who's trainer Matthew Smith was wrapped with her ride: "She is in the zone. When a jockey is riding in the form she is in, they get a feel for the race and seem to pull the right rein".
Another positive story was the win by Blue Missile trained in the bush by Michelle Richie. Michelle's voice was trembling after the race telling the story of the horse as a youngster who became traumatized after a truck accident and he was left on the truck for hours. I had to nurse him back to health. He was going to be just a paddock horse at my place but here he is today winning a race at Randwick."
An Irishman was looking through a catalogue and says, "Geez look at these women they're glorious and their prices are reasonable too. Mick says,"I'm ordering one right now." A few weeks pass and Paddy says to Mick, "Has your woman turned up yet?"
"No," says Mick, "But it shouldn't be long, her clothes turned up yesterday."
