When it comes to a pre-race parade horses are much like people. Most of them go through the motions like a lunchtime throng in a city street.

Very few race meetings go by when at least one win on the programme isn’t a direct result of an improved barrier draw. Saturday’s Midway win by Modella is a perfect example.

As El Morzillo swamped the opposition to win Saturday’s $1 million dollar Inglis Sprint, it was hard to believe this was only her second win and a full thirteen months after the first.

It’s not hard to imagine the reaction in homes, pubs and clubs when Grant Buckley coaxed La Bella Bondi to a narrow win in Saturday’s 1200m maiden at Newcastle.

Brad Widdup can’t recall having trained a longer priced metropolitan winner than Art’s Alive in Saturday’s Asahi Super Dry Hcp at Rosehill Gardens.

A Group 3 win at Sandown on Saturday with a horse owned by his 94 year old father should have been a joyous occasion for trainer Grahame Begg.

I gained an early insight into the resilience of Keith Banks during a stint as guest commentator at the 1970 Grafton July Carnival.

Two key factors paved the way for Kingston Charm’s win in Saturday’s $500,000 Four Pillars Midway at Rosehill Gardens.

It was reasonable to assume the touch of raspiness in Tyler Schiller’s voice on Sunday morning was the result of a little socialising the previous night.

You might see one or two winners dominate any given race programme, but five “demolition jobs” in one day isn’t common. To see it happen on Epsom day at Randwick, is even less likely.

It was a sunny Thursday on September 7th last year when Kerry Parker pulled into the Hawkesbury float parking area with three horses on board his trusty angle loader.

His devoted family and an army of friends always knew the man was widely loved and respected. In the past week they’ve discovered the magnitude of that adoration. Through his childhood years Graham McNeice would have been the kindest kid on the block.

Adam Duggan was watching his eleven year old son Jack competing in a Central Coast basketball match when distracted by the shrill ringtone of his mobile phone.

When Passive Aggressive went off to Yarraman Park Stud last spring, trainer Grahame Begg was probably hoping he’d get to train some of her progeny down the track.

We’ve seen an amazing sequence of Sydney metropolitan wins lately by horses of humble origins. $7000 online purchase Willaidow recently made it four straight with a Midway win at Rosehill. 

Marc Conners was still shaking his head in disbelief half an hour after Willaidow’s impressive Midway win at Rosehill Gardens.

I’ve always been a pushover for anybody seeking to find a new home for an ancient scrapbook, newspaper or photograph. One day I’ll have to do something about the pile of memorabilia at my place that Red Rum would have had trouble clearing.

All it took was a sidestep and a swerve from a green three year old filly to remind Anna Roper of the vagaries of racing.

When giant gelding Possibly So grabbed the lead in the final few strides of Saturday’s TAB Highway he triggered great emotion among connections.

 Respected Ballina trainer Stephen Lee landed two winning doubles in the final month of 2023. The first came at Ballina on December 4th when Cosmic Fortune (Adin Thompson) and Inlanda (Robbie Dolan) were successful.