“I was both surprised and delighted when asked to be part of an interview process when Godolphin changed direction a few months ago,” said in form trainer Joe Pride.

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.

The Michael Freedman/ Tommy Berry partnership has been a major talking point in the early weeks of the Sydney spring carnival.

John Sargent was surprised two years ago when stable client Michael Stokes called to say he’d purchased a two year old filly on New Zealand Bloodstock’s Gavelhouse.com online sale for the princely sum of $3200.

With only ten or twelve horses in work these days, veteran trainer Clarry Conners doesn’t expect to have a glut of city runners.