Many veteran racing fans on and off course felt a tinge of sadness as the runners filed onto the track for Saturday’s Petaluma Hcp at Randwick.

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.

Jim Byrne’s recent absence from the Brisbane riding ranks hasn’t gone unnoticed. His many followers around Australia have wondered why the popular jockey hasn’t been seen since December 16th.

I can’t let New Year’s Eve 2023 go by without mention of a special anniversary. On this day exactly fifty years ago there were scenes of great emotion in the 2GB broadcast box high above Royal Randwick racecourse as the legendary Ken Howard called time on his extraordinary career.

Lovable, humorous, entertaining, informative, loyal and decent and that’s only a start. These were some of the many adjectives used by friends and associates last week as they paid tribute to “Jock” Gollogly who died in Newcastle at age 72.

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.”