Mitchell Dry After Put Through The Wringer
Sun Herald
Sunday May 25, 2008
Not even Darren Beadman when beaten on the great Lonhro under critical circumstances in the 2004 Queen Elizabeth Stakes was grilled by Racing NSW stewards to the degree of his son, Mitchell, at Royal Randwick yesterday.
Beadman is a champion jockey, while Mitchell pleaded: "I'm only a three-kilo kid".Stewards took exception to his tactics on Bellagio Wynn in the Hurstville Welter on another program that failed with quantity and quality for what is required on a Sydney Saturday.Bellagio Wynn went down by a short half head to Kincharm. Make no mistake, in another half stride Bellagio Wynn would have scored and the stipes, headed by Ray Murrihy, were entitled to ask him for an explanation.However, the teenage apprentice was put under intense interrogation about his quiet ride to the degree he pleaded: "Can I have a swig of water - I'm a bit dry".The questions had been quick and probing. He parried as best he could but he should have had more assistance. An apprentice does have the right for his master to be present, which he declined. Earlier it seemed routine but the pressure increased.After the first two rounds, young Beadman had to handle Noble Edict in the Eastern Star Gas Handicap for Kevin Moses. Noble Edict, too, was going to need patience early for his to come with a late finish."Mitchell was very upset before the race," Moses said later. Noble Edict went down by a nose. Noble Edict was syndicated by Dean Watt, who was critical of the policy where apprentices are put under pressure before an engagement."Surely the inquiry could be held after the last or when he's finished for the day," Watt said. "Mitchell was close to tears. We had to change our game plan." After the three senior stewards - Murrihy, Steve Railton and Allan Reardon - detailed their queries over Beadman's Bellagio Wynn performance, the apprentice finally sought an adjournment so trainer John Hawkes, to whom he is indentured, could be present.Beadman stressed the connections were satisfied with the ride as he had been attempting to carry out instructions, have the gelding out the back early and making his run after the rise. Stewards countered he should have made more early ground, and that it was possible to do so."You were giving the leaders six or seven lengths on the turn in a race run at a moderate pace," Murrihy said and added "there didn't appear to be a lot of urgency from you". The chief stipe conceded Bellagio Wynn "got in over the last bit but it shouldn't have been left to chance".The Beadman defence was based on instructions, verified by trainer Chris Waller's representative, Paul Shailer, and TVN presenter Richard Callander, representing the managing part-owner, his wife Kaye."Rabbuka put a spanner in the works," pointed out Callander, who admitted having one of his biggest bets on Bellagio Wynn."We thought he'd run along . . . every map had him in front." But the odds-on favourite didn't lead and the tempo was against rear-enders. Beadman reckoned he was the victim of circumstances."Also if Bellagio Wynn hadn't hung in, he would have won by a half length," the apprentice pleaded. "If I get up I'm a genius, now I'm a dunce."Shailer thought Beadman made a "minor error coming to the turn" but overall had no complaints.Murrihy believed he shouldn't have attempted to cut it so fine, "like (Jim) Pike or (Darby) Munro. "What about the poor old punter [who backed him] today. He should have got a red-hot go," he said.
© 2008 Sun Herald
