Came across this priceless snap in a shoe box full of memorabilia. This was taken in the year 2000 at Robina on the Gold Coast, and features two former champion jockeys.
IT'S A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY
I was reminded of Matthew Smith’s background, as his 5 year old gelding Plymouth Road led all the way to win the 2400 metres BM 82 at Randwick on Saturday. Matthew was born and reared at Wangaratta in Victoria, which boasts one of the oldest country racetracks in Australia(1855). His Dad Christopher was a member of the Wangaratta Turf Club Committee, and a keen racehorse owner.
THEY SAY THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS A RACECOURSE CERTAINTY, BUT THEY WERE WRONG!
How often have you heard hackneyed clichés like “this is unbeatable” or “this is a good thing”, being bandied about at the track or the TAB outlet. We can’t include Winx or Black Caviar in this exercise, but I’m referring to horses who look near certainties, provided everything goes right in the run. One sprang instantly to mind, and that was an imported English horse called Marooned in 1986.
MAKE 'EM LAUGH - A TRIBUTE TO BERT BRYANT
Most race callers are so intent on getting the job done accurately, they wouldn’t give a thought to throwing in a funny line. That kind of commentary wouldn’t have suited the late Bert Bryant, who died in 1991 following several years of indifferent health. Bert believed that punters having a bad day, needed some cheering up, and he set about developing an array of “one liners” designed to take the pain out of losing your money.
THE MIND OF A JOCKEY INSIDE THE BODY OF A RUGBY LEAGUE HALF BACK
THEY STILL TALK ABOUT CARBINE
AMERICA'S WHO SHOT THE BARMAN
Over in sunny California 10 year old Soi Phet got a similar reception when he won the Crystal Water Stakes at Santa Anita on May 20th. The race was for California breds only, and represented a class drop on the Gr 2 Californian Stakes in which Soi Phet had been unplaced three weeks earlier. Having said that, one of his rivals was Ashleyluvssugar who has won 5 Gr 2 races.
NOEL MAYFIELD SMITH WAS DESTINED TO BE A HORSETRAINER. YOU CAN BANK ON THAT
DARE TO DREAM
HOT UNDER THE COLLAR
The scuffle between trainer Richard Laming and jockey Noel Callow at the Cranbourne trials recently, left both participants a little lighter in the pocket. Stewards ruled that Laming instigated the incident, and fined him a hefty $2500. Despite the fact that Callow retaliated with a left rip to the body, he was fined a more lenient $300.