One of the nice guys of the Brisbane racing scene, rails bookie Bruce Myers (pictured), sadly fielded at the races for the last time on Tattersall's Tiara day. His father, C. P. "Speed" Myers, who incidentally for all the older punters who remember him, is still alive, was also a well respected bookie. My one year older brother Brian and Bruce's brother Col, now a solicitor, went through Teachers College together in the early 1970's, so the two families go back a long way. Lindsay Gallagher pays tribute to Bruce today in his column.

The curtain came down on Group 1 Australian racing for the 2011/2012 racing season when the Tattersall’s Tiara was run and won last Saturday afternoon at Brisbane’s Eagle Farm racecourse. A group of fillies and mares who most certainly aren’t genuine Group 1 performers all crossed the finish line in a big heap, with only small margins separating the first six across the line. I mean if Black Caviar and More Joyous are what I’d call “genuine Group 1 females”, names like Pear Tart, Skyerush, Gai’s Choice, Red Tracer, Divorces and Risk Aversion – the first half dozen home in the Tattersall’s Tiara - are hardly in their league.

The Eagle Farm track last Saturday was what I would call “an absolute and utter disgrace” for a Group 1 meeting run on an alleged dead 4 track, so that will be the topic of an article during this week. That track was so bad it should have been reported in the Sunday papers, or even Monday papers, but obviously “they” all go to the racetrack and don’t bother looking at the course proper that clearly needs bulldozing. No wonder newspapers are drastically downsizing their staff, as the modern day newspapers of today leave it to websites to write the hard stories, so the newspaper chiefs have truly been masters of their own destiny in that regard.

In the exclusives department, is there any truth in the educated drum around the traps that former respected trainer Les Ross has reapplied for his trainers licence? And watch for news to break that a speedy Toowoomba trained last start cushion track winner, as the long odds-on favourite, has figured in a surprise stable switch?

Today on www.brisbaneracing.com.au there’s the story about Swettenham Stud’s stallion roster for the year, whilst on www.sydneyracing.com.au today David Clarkson reports in from Royal Ascot in the first of two terrific articles – one today and one tomorrow – along with some accompanying wonderful photography. On www.melbourneracing.com.au today Matt Nicholls pens his interesting thoughts on Black Caviar’s weekend win at Royal Ascot.

From the Eagle Farm betting ring last Saturday, leading rails bookmaker Lindsay Gallagher reported:

Race 1 – Signified $4.00, Tahitian Black $6.00 and Captain Clayton $7.00
The first on Tatt’s day was won by Signified which was well ridden by apprentice Rosie Myers who rode him perfectly. She’s a New Zealand apprentice over here on loan. The gelding got out to $4 but there was little interest in him.
Tahitian Black surprised most people by leading. He was backed at $6 and fought on well.
There was no money for Dux Bellorum who box-seated and disappointed.
We started the day with a winning race, even though the favourite won.

Race 2 – Howmuchdoyouloveme $3.30, Aldini $26.00 and Stradon $4.40
There was cash money throughout betting for the opening but drifting favourite Howmuchdoyouloveme.
Viking Heart was always solid in the market and met with constant cash support throughout betting at prices between $6 and $7.
There was no money about for Kelbenjar or any other runner for that matter.
It was a losing race.

Race 3 – Fire Up Fifi $5.00, Symposium $14.00 and Bianca Jewel $5.50
This winner Fire Up Fifi opened at $4.40 and got out to run officially at $5, but $5.50 was bet in places at the finish. I didn’t bother chasing her out.
I laid Bianca Jewel well at $5.50.
Toowoomba gelding Primed was probably the best backed runner firming from $21 to run at $13. The biggest single bet I laid against him was a $1,000 bet at the top odds of $21.
There was no money in the ring for Dusty Gold who was in strife in the run.
Oak Street was specked at $4.20 but he led at three-quarter pace and gave in like a pricked balloon. I see in the stewards report that he’s going to the paddock, but those who backed him wish he’d have gone a start earlier.
It was a winning race.

Race 4 – Hoss Amor $2.00, Caliente $18.00 and Saluter $26.00
Hoss Amor eased from an opening odds-on quote to $2 and even $2.10 in places at the jump. She’s been consistent right through the Carnival and there was cash money for her. You could lay her at $1.90 on the drift.
There was a good move for Sunset Affair and I laid a large bet on the Gold Coast trained filly. She was extremely well backed.
Big Decision was specked at long odds.
It was a race you could have won or lost on, depending how much you stood Sunset Affair for.

Race 5 – Firebolt $2.60, Jetset Lad $3.30 and Listen Son $8.00
There was always good cash money for Firebolt throughout betting but he eased late following a big move for Jetset Lad who was $3.80 in to run at $3.30 after touching $3.10 at one point. The protest was rightfully dismissed and it was almost frivolous, and it was like Days Of Our Lives waiting to get the protest result.
Neither the third placed Listen Son and fourth placed Carry Me Bluey had any admirers, meaning you could only lay the first two across the line and it depended which was your worst, as to whether you won or lost on the race.

Race 6 – Ginga Dude $6.00, Booming $21.00 and Warrior Within $21.00
Class came to the top here when Ginga Dude won and he was very well backed. The bottom weights are up to 54kgs now and they all carry on about the big weights they carry, but the limits are much higher than they used to be, so Ginga Dude wasn’t that badly weighted with the 59kgs. He was $7 in to run at $5.50 at one point before starting officially at $6 and even that $6 was hard to get at the jump.
There was good money for runner-up Booming on the phones and he was backed from $31 to $21 and he ran a nice race and is just starting to find his staying form. If he stops here he’s probably be hard to beat in the two mile race in a few weeks.
Wazn was always solid around the $5 and you could lay him right through betting each way at that quote.
Ipswich Cup second placegetter Kinnersley opened up at $4.40 but got to $6.50 at one point at the death before money then arrived for him.
Kinnersley’s stablemate Once Were Wild attracted no support of note.
It was generally a losing race.

Race 7 – Pear Tart $15.00, Skyerush $41.00 and Gai’s Choice $9.00
The win by Pear Tart in the Tatt’s Tiara gave bookmakers a good result. She started at $15 and there was no big money for her.
I laid a couple of large bets on roughie Balmont which would have been a wipeout had she arrived.
Red Tracer was backed at $7 and Gai’s Choice was solid throughout betting at $9.
Stradbroke winner Mid Summer Music was $6.50 into $6 after touching $5.50 at one point.
Victorian filly Soft Sand attracted good cash support around the $6 mark.

Race 8 – River Lad $17.00, Excellantes $6.00 and Griffon $4.60
The Healy Stakes was won by River Lad which gave us another good result.
There was money for Excellantes around $7.
Griffon was always solid in the market around $4.60.
Tromso had no admirers in the ring.
I laid a large bet on Audacious Spirit which would have been a blackout had he arrived and had he won I can assure you that would have taken care of my day.
Tierqualo was specked at $10.
It finished up a winning race and a winning day.

Lindsay also paid tribute publicly to retiring fellow rails fielder Bruce Myers by stating: “It’s a shame to see colleague Bruce Myers, who I have worked beside for 30 years, leave the bookmaking ranks, but it’s a sign of the times and I wish him well in his future endeavours. The only thing I can say is that the new administration will more than likely deliver on the Government’s policy of putting us on a level playing field with everyone else, instead of being double dipped by the previous administration. Bruce has had enough and I don’t blame him, but I wish him well in his future endeavours.

Lindsay will be fielding at Eagle Farm on Wednesday, Ipswich on Friday, then he’s off to the Sunshine Coast on Saturday for the Caloundra Cup meeting and he’ll then back up at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.

Don’t forget if you would like to visit Lindsay on the web you can do that by going to www.thevipclub.com.au.