Platinum Racing

If anyone thought that political correctness/madness had not made its way into the world of racing, an incident at Randwick's Doncaster meeting today will soon change your mind.

A disgruntled punter decided he would vent his dissatisfaction at Kerrin McEvoy's ride on Celts after race two - without profanities and simply asking rather loudly over the fence why McEvoy found himself back on the inside in the last couple on a horse, that had blown in the betting and had raced on the pace at her previous start.

Two police officers quickly swooped on the punter and escorted him away. The actions of the constabulary shocked even racing officials with AJC Committeeman Jim Matthews calling the police acrtions "ridiculous" while AJC Racing Manager Colin Tuck expressed "surprise."

One leading trainer told www.racenet.com.au that the punter had paid his $40 through the gate and he was entitled to have his say. "No wonder people go to the footy and not the races," the trainer quipped.

Even TVN presenter Bruce Clark expressed shock at the police action.

The cops have simply got to be kidding!

FARCICAL TAB RORT!

Once again the people who keep the racing industry going - no, not the puinter, but the people who pay bills for horses - are being robbed stone blind with the advent of an additional TAB country meeting in NSW being added to the TAB betting menu - but racing for non-TAB prizemoney.

This is simply a farce at best and treating the people in the industry with absolute disdain at the worst.

Already, the daily betting menu has reached outrageously stupid proportions that would stultify even the most hardened gambling addict. There is not enough room in most club, pub TABS and many agencies and branches, to display all the sheets for the day's racing. Yet in an attempt to dumb down racing even further and reduce the product to a roulette wheel or poker machine, the TAB has to keep adding meetings and expect owners and trainersw to run horses for a pitiful $2400 or $2500 first prizemoney. A fortnight ago, the industry was robbed at Wagga and today they robbed everyone who competed at Queanbeyan.

Both Racing NSW and the TAB has to be told by someone that they are totally destroying the product. They make it impossible for anyone to treat the industry seriously, study form properly and even SKY Racing Radio invariably has no time to broadcast the "run on" of races as they are set to go somewhere else immediately that race broadcast finishes.

The TAB did a lot to build racing - now it is trying its level best in conjunction with the peak (politically appointed) bodies in each state to totally destroy it.

KERRY NOT DISAPPOINTED:

I spoke to trainer Kerry Parker after ther Randwick meeting today and he was anything but disappointed with the performance of his very promising galloper Brilliant Light, who finished third to Rangirangdoo and Road To Rock in today's Gr 1 Doncaster.

Brilliant Light had little or no luck in the run, being forced to race three, four and five wide throughout without cover and his run to finish third was super. Kerry told me the horse would now be going to the paddock and prepared for a tilt at races like the Toorak and Waterford Crystal over the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

"Had he had a little luck in the running it could have easily turned things in our favour today," Kerry told me.

"Trevor Lobb (manager of Darley) told me after the race that Brilliant Light carted Drumbeats throughout the race and right up to the leaders and he couldn't still beat us home (Drumbeats finishing fourth)," Kerry said.

Brilliant Light's effort today was terrific and he has proved he is a genuine group one horse.

I WANNA BACK MOATIZE:

I hope you all caught a glimpse of Moatize's run in today's JRA Plate at Randwick. Carrying the topweight - the horse went super. He made very good ground late after being tailed off last in the early stages of the race.

Given a reasonable track next Saturday I think he, not Precedence, may be the one to provide Bart Cummings with yet another Sydney Cup.

I also liked the run of Yalingup today in the last race. He was in the wrong part of the track and made good ground late. He could be a horse to follow when the carnival spotlight swithces to Brisbane.

The Guy Walter-trained galloper has always shown ability and he could win a decent race in Brisbane over the winter carnival.

BUSH NEWS:

Veteran trainer Merv Corliss landed another feature race when Glenbarra Boy (Lee Menser) made it back to back wins taking out today's Warialda Cup in north-western NSW.

Menser also won on Slammed, ironically trained by Corliss' daughter, Leslie Jeffries. Jasen Watkins also rode a double at the meeting.

Kembla Grange trainer Kevin McLeod, continued his good recent run at Riverina picnic meetings when he landed a double at the annual Cootamundra picnic meeting today with Rambo Raider and Jack's Temper, both ridden by Kembla Grange-based amateur John Mills.

Bathurst trainer Paul Theobald also made a successful foray to the "Coota" meeting, landing two winners, Chronic and Bailey Boy. Ms J. LIndgren rode Bailey Boy and also won on Billigaboo for Young trainer Trish Anderson, the sister of Patinack Farm Racing Manager, Robyn Hartney.

Finally two jumping races were run in Victoria at Hamilton today.

It is only a month to Victoria's, no make that Australia's. showcase jumping carnival at Warrnambool. While there have been some jumping trials it must be worrying for Victorian jumping trainers trying to get horses ready for testing races like the Grand Annual, Galleywood and Brierly.

In a blast from the past I saw that Jason Babarovich has made a return to race riding in north Queensland. Babarovich was apprenticed to Ian Hocking in Brisbane in the last 80's and was a very talented apprentice, finishing runner-up in an apprentice's title in Brisbane to David Murphy (now a successful trainer in Brisbane).

I was also interested to see that Clayton Schumacher, jockey son of the legendary Mel, is now back riding in north west Queensland, and he made an unsuccessful trip to Blackall today.

It was Farewell Takeover Target day at Queanbeyan races today - with Joe Janiak travelling the old champion to his former hometown to give the folk who idolised the freak sprinter a final chance to see him.

While Joe and his old warrior were down the south of the state, another of Joe's horses, Moveover Target was winning a lowly benchmark 41 at today's Bowraville meeting wuth Stephen Traecey in the saddle.