Easter's Worth Fighting For
Sydney Morning Herald
Monday November 24, 2008
THE "Save Easter Saturday for Royal Randwick" campaign should get a conclusion this week. Australian Jockey Club members have been requested to petition Racing NSW and NSW Minister for Racing Kevin Greene over the issue. In a recent newsletter the AJC reported: "Easter was once described by the revered Sydney racing journalist Max Presnell as 'the sacred season of the Australian Jockey Club'." So true, but I'm not rusted in to the degree that I think change with good reason shouldn't be considered. Easter Saturday, though, should remain at headquarters even if it's not AJC Derby-Doncaster day. For the benefit of the industry, if the AJC must make a change, other major players, particularly Melbourne, are also entitled to be flexible. "Anyone supporting keeping the autumn carnival locked into Easter needs to get with the times," emailed Peter Lawrence. "It is idiotic in the extreme to have the derby on sometimes at the end of March and other times at the end of April, depending on the full moon that appears after the autumn equinox. Sydney racing taking on Melbourne would be like you fighting Mike Tyson."
A more moderate view from Greg Rudolph, the quickie who doesn't spin from Racing NSW: "I agree that Victoria is not entitled to ride 'roughshod' for the whole season in relation to dates. Racing NSW, however, is not pushing for any further Victorian take-over of race dates. In fact, I have written to Racing Victoria's Leigh Jordan who also chairs the National Race Planning Committee and he has responded and agreed that both states pursue a co-ordinated approach 'to publish a national calendar of race dates and to maximise revenue streams to the industry' ". However, Victoria has indicated previously it will not broach any switch to its Labour Day weekend. And taking on Mike Tyson for an AJC Easter Saturday is hardly daunting for a Randwick dinosaur.FAIR MARKER: The first time Kevin Moses took Codie McPherson on to Randwick for a track gallop, she jumped the markers. "Gee, this is good," the teenager told Moses, a former Sydney premiership-winning jockey. He replied that wasn't quite the idea. But McPherson is an example of what Moses puts into the development of apprentice jockeys. Yes, he now has Jamie Quinnell, seasoned in the bush with only rough edges to polish. However, Moses has educated McPherson from first workout stage. So far she has had 16 barrier trials for nine wins. "She's only light but horses go for her," he commented. McPherson will go to the country for experience but Moses predicted: "She will be a city-class rider." Another of his graduates, Adam Hyronimus, son of former jockey Craig, has also gone to the country for development. On the subject of markers Harden picnics of Saturday are believed to be the first Australian meeting to operate with them, and not running rails. Indications are that jockeys didn't attempt to take short cuts or do any hurdling.FRANKLY SPEAKING: Maybe the AJC mob is getting a soul. Frank Martin, 90 this week, was a special guest of the club at Randwick on Saturday along with others who have made a great contribution to NSW Racing. A shorthand writer giving his great wisdom to stewards and officials, Martin still works for the Australian Racing Board and dined with former stewards Brian Killian, Larry Morrison, Tom Carlton and John Schreck, a panel still able to handle any "Underbelly" elements or wayward Irishmen. Obviously the AJC budget, though, is still tight. Lynell Peck, the catering manager who recently gained the Australian "Caterer Of the Year" award was seen after the last marshalling traffic at Randwick for a night function. Surely the security hotshots harassing award-winning photographer Jenny Evans, doing her job during the afternoon, could be better employed with cars.HORSE TO FOLLOW: Zavana, still green with plenty to learn, proved too good in the first race at Sandown on Saturday. Being by Encosta De Lago out of Savannah Success she is bred to be more than just a flash three-year-old.DISAPPOINTING: Power Personified, the $1.90 favourite, which finished sixth in the first race at Randwick, was described by jockey Nash Rawiller as running 14 lengths below his best.QUOTE OF THE WEEK: 'I broke my T4 and T5 and crushed my T6, T7 and T8 as well. I also broke my neck, they call [it] a hangman's fracture. They fused my back from T4 to the T11 and put in metal plates and 14 screws to hold it all together. I had bleeding on the brain and crushed lungs. They put me into an induced coma for a week and then I got pneumonia.' WILLIE HERNAN, described as 'one tough kid', on injuries sustained in a Geelong race fall.
© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald
