When Racing NSW increased the riding fee for the State’s jockeys two years ago, a new window of opportunity opened for those riders who are prepared to travel.
Norm and Diane Gardner breathed a sigh of relief when Upper House won Saturday’s TAB Highway at his metropolitan debut. Norm is the breeder, trainer and part owner of the slow maturing four year old gelding.
The presentation ceremony after the Treasury Brisbane Queensland Oaks finished not a moment too soon for Garry Newham. The trainer of the winner Winning Ways had a lump in his throat big enough to choke an elephant, for clearly understandable reasons.
It’s possible that Cruze, who made it three out of four at Eagle Farm on Saturday, was the only winner in Australia to be shod by its trainer, Barry Lockwood.
I can’t think of a jockey anywhere in Australia who displays more unbridled raw emotion than Josh Parr. It struck me initially when he won the Gr 1 Surround Stakes on Shoals a year ago - his one and only ride on the Fastnet Rock mare.
What a pity the last race numbers error at Clifford Park on Saturday had to take the gloss off a spectacular Queensland race meeting. Stewards declared correct weight before officials discovered the wrong horse had been placed fourth.
While the potential autumn stars were stealing the limelight, a hard working jockey called Chad Lever was accumulating an impressive sequence of ten winning rides in the space of eight days on country and provincial tracks.
Apart from a mild case of the race day jitters experienced by all horse trainers, John Thompson spent a pretty relaxed Saturday afternoon at Rosehill Gardens.
This is the time of year when exciting two year olds start popping up like mushrooms after rain. It’s been head spinning stuff these past six weeks, trying to get a handle on several promising juveniles who’ve recorded brilliant wins in NSW and Victoria.
Billy Prain struggled with mixed emotions as he walked off Warwick Farm racecourse on Wednesday November 28th - his last day as a trainer. He’s been saying for a long time, that he’d retire when his valued owner and friend Fred Peisah decided to call it quits.
I sat bolt upright on the lounge last Wednesday (August 8th) when a horse called Itsa Fait Accompli stormed down the outside to win a BM 71 at Canterbury for trainer David Blundell and jockey Robbie Dolan.
