Platinum Racing

PLATINUM MAY HAVE HAD a bad start to the weekend but our trainers, David Payne and Gary Portelli won half of the program between them at Rosehill today.

Payne in fact trained a treble and also trained the runner up in the Run To The Rose. Payne's winners were Empire Place, Disco Dancer and Centennial Park while Portelli landed a plunge when Acquired won the opening race.

LOOK OUT! Everyone south of the border has been waiting for some time for Predatory Pricer to put it all together, and, most knew it was just a matter of time. Well, today the Paul Murray-trained gelding announced he had arrived. His win in today's Gr 2 Liston Stakes was a corker and this half-brother to Takeover Target is looking like the spring of '09 when he steps out of the shadow of his legendary half-sibling.

He looks the ideal Cox Plate horse and he could be a star of the spring.

IT WAS GREAT TO SEE NEIL PAINE land a winner at Broadmeadow today for Gai Waterhouse, when he scored on the $2-60 favourite Tairalei. Neil rides a stack of work for racing's first lady and is about to head off overseas again to take up a contract in Noumea.

Both Neil and his brother Rodney have never been afraid of travel with Neil having spent several postings in overseas countries throughout his career, in fact he even rode at the first registered meeting on the new track, Wuhan in China last year. His brother, former jockey, Rodney, has lived in the USA for some time working as an assistant trainer over there.

The travel bug has never quite hit the boys' mother, Rosemary, as she just will not get on a plane.

IT WAS INTERESTING TO see young Mitch Beadman's new whip riding style which fits in perfectly with the new whip rules. Mitch has now adopted a very European style of whip riding which he displayed clearly on Enzedex Eagle at Rosehill today.

LOVED THE "BUNKUM" associated with the appeal of top Victorian riders Brad Rawiller and Dale Smith in their appeal against whip infringements this week. Their counsel sighted to the appeal panel that they have been riding in a certain manner which they were taught for many years.

Give me a break! They are both professional jockeys, both reasonably intelligent and have had plenty of time to adjust to the new regulations. Heavens above, the grounds for the appeal was almost intelligence insulting and if they are not able to adapt and adjust - gee you wouldn't want them to try thinking on their feet in a Gr 1 if "Plan A" went awry!

WHILE ON THE SUBJECT OF whip rules, someone better send "the style doctor" Danny Beasley, a copy of the new rules and the instructional video before he returns home to ride again. I warched the races at Kranji last night as Danny landed two winners from his only two rides, Exotic Roi for Sam Chua and Moment Of Truth for Michael Freedman.

ON both horses Danny pulled the stick at the 200 on both horses and did not miss one beat all the way home. What surprised me is this is so out of character for Danny. Beasley was one of the pioneers of toe in the irons, gentle, change your hold and urge horses without the stick in Australia, which prompted former champion jockey Wayne Harris to hang "the style doctor" nickname on him.

Gee he has let his hair down in Singapore. Ease up Dan, you looked much better riding horses the way you used to here when you were winning Doncasters, Golden Slippers and Metropolitans!

IT WAS DISAPPOINTING TO see young Northern Rivers apprentices Adam Hyeronimous and Josh Jones get pinched last week for taking the weight reducing diuretic Lasix. Josh has always been a tall boy, and wieght was always looking a likely problem and young Adam's Dad, former top flight Sydney apprentice, Craig Hyeronimous, had chronic weight problems which eventually forced him to retire from the game, not long after he won the Caloundra Cup on Araking for Mal Barnes.

Lasix is a very debilitating and dehydrating drug, and I hope that Racing NSW's apprentice tutors get the boys a good dietician. They are both talented riders and if they are going to stay in the game they must realise there is no quick fix in a tablet to keeping your weight down. It is a 24/7 career and bloody hard work, careful and sensible eating and exercise.

WHILE ON THE SUBJECT of Lasix the push has re-emerged to allow racehorses to race on the drug in Australia (as they can in the States).  it is a fact that many horses bleed internally (in particular) during races, and Lasix has a therapeutic effect in controlling this.  It is another polarising issue that is facing racing at the moment.