Platinum Racing

It was actually great to see journalist Richard Zachariah back penning an article on the At The Track page in today's Sunday Telegraph. Many would remember that Zachariah once wrote the entire page each week which in those days was called "Zac At The Track."

Zachariah once upset the racing powers that be so much with some articles that he had his raceday press privileges withdrawn and his return today was hardly a tame toe in the water exercise - he jumped right in from line one.

He immediately took to racing officialdom saying he believed "leadership on the turf has been non-existent." He added racing was dysfunctional "in its incessant tribal warfare with no national focus." He mentioned the court cases over the race fields legislation, the Bruce McHugh challenge to the banning of artificial insemination of thoroughbreds, the Cummings/Patinack imbroglio, the general; backhanders paid to breeders, trainers and agents that are ultimately paid by the owner, the financial lunacy of four pay channels covering racing etc.

We actually need journalists in racing who don't involve themselves in portraying everyone in the industry as having a heart of gold and being part of the best group of people in the world - spin that even the ALP would be proud of as it tries to bail Prime Minister Gillard's derriere out of the self-constructed quagmire.

I am not going to argue with "Zac" - it is one of the reasons I am very happy to spend most racedays by myself and just enjoy the industry without listening to all the crap from the so-called "insiders."

LUNDHOLM INJURED:

I can say this with unequivocally no fear of contradiction. There is no better horseman in the racing industry in this country than Coonamble octagenarian John Lundholm, so I was sad to hear today that he had been transferred to Westmead Hospital after being smashed up in a fall from a horse yesterday.

Yes, that's right - he's 80 years old - still breaks his own in, rides a few, shoes them, does their teeth and is his own self-contained vet. Lundholm has been one of the most successful trainers in country NSW for 50 years and has had numerous metropolitan winners in both Sydney and brisbane as well as countless winners all over the state.

And he has had some great horses, Star Tar, Gaivid, Nowarji, Native Orchid, Managed Funds, Drifting Girl, Gilgai Mail., Final Letter, Posting etc.

The respect people who know horses have for Lundholm is legendary, and not just in racing. Lundholm was also regarded by all the great rodeo riders as the greatest pick up rider the country has ever seen.

There was nothing he cannot do with horses which was evidenced one morning at Coonamble when a horse kicked and fractured a wooden rail, severing an artery. Lundholm stitched the artery with the horse's tail hair to stem the bleeding until a vet arrived - saving the horse's life.

Horseman of his calibre are very rare indeed these days.

MAL BARNES DIES:

Former top trainer Mal Barnes died this week aged 93. Barnes had a great career. The former Queenslander came to Sydney several decades ago with a few horses and an aspiring young apprentice called Darby McCarthy. One of those horses was Dream King who they combined to win a Metropolitan with. Another, Alspick was a very handy horse.

His next apprentice went alright too, a young bloke called Larry Olsen and Mal firmly entrenched himself among the top echelon of trainers in Sydney. He won races like the Sydney Cup with Veloso, a Black Opal with Bean (with another of his apprentices Ronnie Dufficy aboard) as well winning the Doncaster with Belmura Lad when he took over the Bart Cummings team when Bart was given a holiday by the stewards over a positive swab. Barnes was also the master of top apprentice Steve Jeffries.

Mal was a softly spoken charming man and I remember a funny incident in the 70's when Mal, his wife Lyn and I were guests after the Parkes Cup meeting for dinner at the then-secretary of the club, Julie Dickinson's stud almost adjacent to the Parkes racecourse.

Julie stood Star Kingfisher in those days - who actually sired a Araking a horse Mal won many races with including a Caloundra Cup with Craig Hyeronimous in the saddle. Julie's cat had a litter of kittens and Lyn took a shine to one of them. Later that night (after a few drinks) Mal, Lyn and I plotted how we could smuggle the cat on the 8.30 East West Flight back to Sydney.

I had an inside pocket in my bomber jacket and kitty, Mal, Lyn and I made it back to Sydney.

MARCO GETS ANOTHER CHANCE

The West Australianm Turf Club has granted a license to Hong Kong's 2007-2008 star apprentice K.L. "Marco" Chui. The former Tony Cruz apprentice hit the skids after his apprenmtice's title win and in his first year as a senior jockey he tested positive to Ketamine - incurring a suspension. He tested positive again at the start of last season and his license was revoked.

Chui has been given a 12 months visa to live and work in Australia and has undergone rehab counselling and the WA Turf Club has appointed former jockey John Claite as his manager.

If Marco holds it all together - he will ride plenty of winners in the west.

BIG DAY OUT FOR NESTOR:

Dubbo trainer Peter Nestor cleaned up today - winning two races at both Moree and Mudgee - including the Moree Cup with Izababe and the feature sprint with Lockers.

At Mudgee he won with So Choisay (Eleanor Webster-Hawes) and Sister Samantha (Jon Grisedale) while his nephew Kody steered Izababe in the Moree Cup and Glen Lynch won on Lockers.

I'LL BET THIS MAKES RACING OFFICIALS DROOL!:

As we prepared for the kick off in Hong Kong next Sunday - some figures from last season would be enough to make racing officials in any country drool with envy.

Last season there were 33 meetings in Hong Kong which attracted over a billion in turnover. 32 midweek night meetings topped the 800m mark - giving the club a 80b turnover for the season - an increase of 29.2% on the previous season.

No wonder the HK Jockey Club nor the Government will not countenance any competition and are extremely protective of their product.

No betting exchanges, no corporate bookies or competition - and the winner is racing!

COMPETITION FOR FULL SEASON LICENSES:

French ace Gerald Mosse has decided to go back to Hong Kong full time this season and has been granted a full season license. Aussie jockeys Tim Clark (new to Hong Kong), Tye Angland and Jeff Lloyd have been granted half season licenses along with English rider Brett Doyle, South African Greg Cheyne and Kiwi Mark Du Plessis.

All of the half season licensees will be hoping they can strike form early to get an extension for the full season.

SWINBURN CHUCKS IT IN:

Dual English Derby winning jockey Walter Swinburn announced this week he would hand in his trainer's license from the end of October. Swinburn had 50 horses in work at his yard - but his father in law Paul Harris has decided to get out of the industry due to the poor prizemoney and escalating costs associated with racing horses in the UK.

He was Swinburn's biggest client. On his recent return from the UK champion Aussie jockey Hugh Bowman summed English racing up perfectly - "the racing is great but they race for nothing!"

In contrast to countries that have a strong tote betting system that actually puts m oney back into the game - English racing is for the elite, many of whom don't care about a return, and is a very poor relation prizemoney wise to the rest of the world.

ONYA BRU!

It was just great to see former champion jockey Bruce McClune train the listed Farnley Stakes winner at Belmont yesterday with "ratbag" Mega Steel, ridden by Jason Brown.

Bruce was one of the best apprentices in Sydney in the post-war era. He won scores of feature races on horses like Sandy's Hope (Doomben Cup for the late Cyril Kearns), Villiers on Domino King, a Queen Of The Turf on Just Topic for Harry Clark to name a few. He was also stable jockey for Jack Denham for a period and rode many of his very best horses that raced in the Stan Fox livery. He was apprenticed to Jack Morgan at Rosehill and he finished second on Aveniam for his boss in the Metropolitan (beaten by George Podmore on the Ron Dickerson-trained Duo).

A few short weeks later Bruce was on board Aveniam when he finished a close up fourth in Melbourne Cup. Bruce actually had a horrendous fall at Randwick one day on one of Denham's horses, Top Class and was out of action for over 2 years.