Platinum Racing

TODAY'S RACING RETRO PROGRAM on SKY marked the end of an active race commentating career of one of the most groundbreaking media personalities in racing, Graham "Shadow" McNeice. It is not even a slight stretch of the imagination to say that McNeice pioneered racing television coverage the way Australians know it today.

It was McNeice's foresight, determination and business acumen that saw Club Superstation born which "morphed" into SKY Channel and racing started to get the television coverage we all now take for benefit.

McNeice struggled to carve his niche in racing, mixing calling non-TAB race meetings with driving a taxi in the early days before he was taken under the wing of Des Hoysted and joined 2UE as his understudy.

McNeice then spearheaded the introduction of Club Superstation which started off broadcasting Kembla Grange races and provincial dog meetings into selected clubs.

From the advent of SKY Channel McNeice has been not only a tireless worker, but a person that has nurtured the careers of so many on-air presenters that now not only bring you all the information on SKY Channel, but also have made their niche in other media forms such as Peter Overton of 60 Minutes. Overton commenced his career as an on air presenter at SKY.

McNeice has been an ornament to the Australian racing media and his imprint on it will be felt for generations to come.

ONYA MICK!

Talk about heart! How good was it to see Mick Hoppo win the first race at Morphetville yesterday - even if he was successful on a 30/1 winner?

The battle this young man has had to get back to the racetrack is out in the cosmos and one of the most courageous comebacks that would rival even the comeback of champion UK jumps jockey Bob Champion, the return to riding after beating cancer by Robbie Brewer and any other comeback you can think of.

Hoppo suffered horrid injuries in a fall, had a pacemaker installed in his heart and this alone would daunt most people from taking on such a bone jarring experience as riding racehorses again, let alone the risks associated with same. Not Hoppo. He repeatedly kept passing medical test after medical test to prove his well being and confoud doctors.

I hope Mick rides a stack of winners - he deserves it.

SO YOU THINK SO - STEVE!

Steve "Chicken" Arnold is a hard man to impress, very rarely does the tall champion jockey get carried away.

But after yesterday's Memsie Stakes he had little hesitation in labelling So You Think a "freak" and "the best horse I have ridden."

This horse is an absolute superstar. He has everything, a great physique, a high cruising speed, ticker and untold ability. I simply do not think they will be beating him this side of the Cox Plate.

WHAT IS GOING ON?
Last year there were all sorts of reasons put forward for the crackerjack batch of three-year-olds that we had, Denman, Starspangledbanner, So You Think etc.

But what about this year's crop?  I am discounting the Golden Slipper form, Crystal Lily, Decision Time and co will not cut the cake - but let's take a look at the others.

Masquerader is a very nice horse, but he is a miler and forget he ran in the Golden Rose on Saturday, Squamosa is very smart, Toorak Tolff is a winner, Blackball is untapped and very very smart, Praecido is going to be a nice stayer, Sea Lord is very promisinbg, Parables could be a superstar filly,Ringa Rosie is exceptionally talented and her and Parables look the best two fillies to me, Kudakalari is very good, Brightnight is very smart and could be Bart's Derby horse, Rockstardom is looking promising especially as a stayer, Kazumi is smart and has the makings of a very good horse as does Sasa.

And of course, we have got Nextanix - it looks like a vintage year for three year olds.

WELL DONE STEVE!

It was great to see veteran Grafton jockey Steve Traecey ride a winner in town at Doomben yesterday when he won on One Lickey Split for Coffs Harbour trainer Gordon Yorke.

Steve is a professional. He has just plied his trade non stop for decades since he moved back to the North Coast after spending some time in his youth living in Canberra, where his Dad, Bill, moved to rejuvinate his riding career.

Steve is in the veteran class now, but he showed yesterday if the cattle are good enough he is up to the task.