In his heart Marc Quinn thought lightly raced Bomarea had a massive chance in Saturday’s 1000m TAB Highway and wasn’t afraid to say so in a couple of media interviews late last week.

Terra Mater’s trainer Jarrod Austin and her twelve enthusiastic owners had a few heart stopping moments before the mare’s number went into the frame at Randwick on Saturday.

It was only a BM 72 for fillies and mares on the Kenso track at 6.30pm last Friday night, but for Paul and Martha Cave the race could have carried black type status.

Karen Owen and daughter Madeline provided one of NSW racing’s most touching moments of the year when they combined to win the $100,000 Stacks Law Firm Taree Gold Cup with Sound And Vision on November 19th.

It was a delight to catch up with Ray Markey at the Jockeys Reunion at Rosehill in August. I’d seen little of the former jockey since quitting the race broadcasting scene in 1998.

By the time the ninth of ten races came up at Kembla Grange on Saturday, jockeys were feverishly searching for a home straight lane somewhere near the middle of the track.

Southern Highlands breeder John Muir was totally crestfallen when his Hellbent-Time Awaits filly fell well short of her reserve at the 2021 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

When it comes to racetrack performances there are wins and there are wins. Those punters who’d hammered Shadows Of Love into favouritism in Saturday’s Midway groaned in unison…

Sweet Mercy’s explosive win in Saturday’s Four Pillars provided a much needed boost for David Payne.

Colt Prosser had just finished shoeing his second horse of the day, when we called to tell him of his October award.

“He’s one of the slowest learners I’ve ever had anything to do with,” said Danny Williams of Saturday’s TAB Highway winner Bandi’s Boy. “He hasn’t yet learned to finish the job.”

There was a bit of pressure on Andrew Adkins as he vaulted onto Unspoken’s back before Saturday’s Robrick Lodge Filante Hcp at Randwick.

Joe Pride rarely goes out on Saturday nights. A week of absurdly early rises and the grind of running a fifty horse operation takes its toll. He made a rare exception on Saturday night…

There have been few more consistent performers on the TAB Highway merry go round than the genuine Taree mare Chase My Crown. Ten of her twelve city runs have been in TAB Highway races in which she’s posted two wins, one second, two thirds and no less than four fourths.

The cut off point in determining the award is historically the last day of each month, but in David Blundell’s case we’re going to stretch it out by twenty four hours.

Tommy Berry’s post race interview on Sky Thoroughbred Central after Saturday’s Gimcrack Stakes tugged many a heartstring. The popular jockey had just won the Gr 3 two year old race on Manaal

Peace Officer’s stylish win in Saturday’s Rosehill Midway completed a week of high elation for Warwick Farm trainer Clarry Conners. Only a few days earlier it was confirmed that the multiple Gr 1 winning horseman will be among this year’s inductees into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame.

The late Harry Lawton would have been over the moon to see Private Eye and Overpass hit the line together in The Shorts on Saturday.

There was a ripple of excitement in the big Dubbo crowd on Sunday when course broadcaster Col Hodges announced that Sizzle Minizzle would appear in an exhibition gallop between races five and six.

“What was the name of that chestnut horse from Bathurst, the one with the big white blaze who won the Cox Plate a few years ago,” was a question asked by a veteran racing fan at a recent function.