21/02/14
I must say that I was totally taken aback when Racing Queensland issued a Media Release late yesterday advising that they’d appointed Allan Reardon to the position of thoroughbred Chief Steward for Queensland. I ask how can the racing industry be perceived to be a chance of going forward when all we do is keep the same ageing people in the top jobs? Don’t we have any young stewards around Australia, or overseas, that can assume the role as a Chief Steward in a major jurisdiction in this country? Obviously not. As an industry haven’t we spent millions of dollars over the years in Queensland alone, training young stewards from cadetships up to the point where they can chair a race meeting in the city on a Saturday? That situation would appear to be little more than an exercise in futility then, because we go and appoint a man who used to be the Deputy Chief Steward in Queensland 19 years ago and the “terminated Metropolitan Chief Steward” from a decade ago, as the new “thoroughbred Chief Steward for Queensland” in 2014. In fact the Daubney Rafter Inquiry got told that Allan Reardon was “Metropolitan Chief Steward for a period of time on and from 26 June 2003” until he was “terminated on 29 July 2004”. With the assistance of my legal people, the following article was written almost two years ago, about events that transpired at the Daubney Rafter Inquiry involving Allan Reardon. That article can be re-visited here:
http://www.ipswichracing.com/index.php?news_page=24&artid=4068&catid=52
In any event, I’ve written on this website previously that it’s my considered opinion that the Chief Steward in each jurisdiction should be changed every two years, so they don’t get too familiar with licensees and the like. I mean if a steward has an argument with a particular licensee, isn’t it simply human nature that the steward would target that individual in the future? I’m sure that I would if I were a steward. So changing the Chief Steward every two years would be astute business acumen to me, but you can bet your bottom dollar it wouldn’t make any sense to racing officials, as historically racing officials in this country habitually seem to be under the whip – and going up and down in the one spot – and cumulatively fail to take the industry forward.
It’s history that Allan Reardon was brought back to Queensland a couple of years ago in what I called at the time “a job for the boys” exercise by Racing Queensland Chairman, Kevin Dixon, supposedly to help mentor the younger stewards. At the time Reardon told southern media the appointment was “to fill a hole”. Don’t any of those significantly younger people than Reardon in this State – blokes like Aurisch, Knibbs, Gillard, Brown, Palmer or Hitchener – have any ability in the eyes of decision makers? Given those aforesaid people have all been supposedly mentored by all these experienced blokes of the alleged ilk of John Schreck, Allan Reardon and co – didn’t that exercise work? And if it didn’t work – why didn’t it work?
So in effect the more things change in racing in Queensland, the more they stay the same, as Wade Birch was Chief Steward when Allan Reardon came back to Queensland in 2012, so even though he’s much younger – he was above Reardon. Now Wade Birch heads up the Integrity Department and Allan Reardon moves into Birch’s spot. Same horse – different jockey – as far as I can see.
Still on the negative side of the ledger and unfortunately for punters Tiger Tees comes back to Brisbane tomorrow. Personally I don’t want to see the cat back here. He should have been arrested by border guards when he tried to get into Queensland, probably under the cover of darkness. He hasn’t run a place for 15 months, or won a race for 17 months, yet he’s the short priced favourite. I guess that shows us all how bad some of the Queensland based brumbies must be regarded by the generally astute people called “price assessors”. Had Tiger Tees been impounded by border guards that would have served as a warning to his trainer Joe Pride that we don’t want that other donkey he trains – Rain Affair – to be brought north of Tweed Heads either. Rain Affair has won just one race in the last 22 months, so they are peas in a pod those two stablemates and both of them are like me – clearly past their best.
On the positive side, Caulfield hosts a top card of racing tomorrow and that meeting will no doubt hold centre stage tomorrow around Australia.
The scaled weights through for Eagle Farm tomorrow and they read: Race 2 + 4.5 kgs, Race 5 + 3.5 kgs, Race 7 – 2 kgs and Race 8 + 1.5 kgs.
Eagle Farm Track Manager Sean Bridges has advised the website late this afternoon that the Eagle Farm track is currently a “good 3”. Sean added that “the track received 7mm of rain earlier in the week and it’s had 32-and-a-half mm of irrigation in the last seven days and it looks in tip top order.”
The apprentice jockey weights for Eagle Farm tomorrow should be:
JOCKEY
WEIGHT
Geoffrey Goold
54 claims 2 kgs.
Tegan Harrison
50 claims 1.5 kgs.
Samuel Payne
53 claims 3 kgs.
Anthony Allen
50 claims 1.5 kgs.
Rikki Jamieson
50 claims 3 kgs.
Priscilla Schmidt
51 claims 2 kgs.
Beau Appo
49 claims 3 kgs.
Ruby Ride
49 claims 3 kgs.
Kirk Matheson
52 claims 2 kgs.
Alex Hearn
50 claims 3 kgs.
Luke Tarrant
48 claims 3 kgs.
Ashley Butler
54 claims 2 kgs.
Today on www.brisbaneracing.com.au I preview Eagle Farm Race 5. On www.sydneyracing.com.au I advise races to avoid getting involved in tomorrow, whilst on www.melbourneracing.com.au Matt Nicholls looks at the Oakleigh Plate.
Neil Davis from leading New Zealand racing website www.formpro.co.nz has sent through this report for website readers of this site and it reads:
On Saturday we have a good Group 1 field going round in the Haunui Farm Classic over 1600 metres. The race is dominated by the mares and they should fill the placings
Otaki Race 8 – 2.21 p.m.
Early speed from 2-4-8-9 and a moderate tempo likely
Confidence: Moderate
4.Viadana won strongly at Te Rapa and in what was slightly worse going. She had the blinkers go on and will have improved with the run. From the wide draw, she should be ridden forward and get a nice sit near the pace. From there, she will prove hard to run down. Currently $5.50 with bookies.
Dangers: 10.The Diamond One has looked very good winning 4 of her 5 starts this season. Drawn to get all favours and be right in this. 6.Xanadu found the line hard last start and will have improved with that run. 1.Nashville will likely get back and with the tempo against may struggle to win but can place.
Earlier in the day at Otaki there is a nice eachway bet.
Race 4 at Otaki
7.Stormy Lass. She has won fresh up here over this distance and ran a strong third fresh up in her last campaign. Nicely weighted to settle about fifth or sixth and come with the last run at them. Currently $8.50
In Race 3 at Randwick we have a Kiwi making his Australian debut.
9.The Hotz won strongly last start in fast time coming off the tempo. The form is proving to be strong out of the race too. He normally likes to roll along in the lead and it looks like he can get a nice run in the lead or near it here. A slow track will not be a worry and he is an eachway chance.
The Postman has sent through his thoughts on tomorrow and they read:
On what is a terrific day of racing @ Caulfield tomorrow, I think we can snag a nice collect in the Mannerism Stakes with a quality mare by the name of Hai Lil. This 4YO has an abundance of talent, as evidenced by her nearly 50% winning strike rate in her short career to date. Last prep she worked her way through the grades well during winter, with two wins out of three appearances, all against the boys. Her first up win @ Moonee Valley over 1200m was excellent after spotting the leader Tackleberry five lengths on straightening, only to power home over the top to nab him on the line. Hai Lil was then sent to the straight six @ Flemington where she carried top weight of 60kg again against the males. After settling back in the ruck, she was held up between the 400-200m, finally getting clear galloping room & storming home out wide to get up in a blanket finish. Next up Hai Lil stepped out @ Caulfield over 1400m, where again she was lumped with 60kg. She settled midfield in transit, but was never really on the track, and she was pushed even wider on straightening. She worked home very solidly under the big weight for third. Trainer Allen Browell elected to then spell Hai Lil & target her for the Autumn.
First up this prep Hai Lil contested a fillies & mares BM90 @ Moonee Valley on a Friday night, when she was again allotted top weight of 60kg. After drifting well back from the wide draw, she made a long searching run from the 600m. She kept working right to the line to grab second and it was an effort full of merit. Two weeks ago Hai Lil was set to contest a 1200m mares G3 event, but she was scratched at the barrier after an incident in the stalls. She was well in the market then, and her opposition is almost identical to what she’ll meet tomorrow in the Mannerism.
Mares races are generally very closely contested affairs and luck in running usually tells the tale. I do think however that Hai Lil has enough upside to give this a shake at her current quote. She finally gets some weight relief down to 56kg. She draws well and has the services of a very good sniper Michelle Payne. The 1400m second up holds no fears, albeit it’s not ideal that she missed the run two weeks ago. I expect Hai Lil to settle a little worse than midfield, buried away behind what should be a genuine tempo set by Angelic Lass. If she can get a good run in transit and can obtain clear running in the straight, I think she is armed with a sprint that could see her very hard to hold out late. The dangers for mine are the top two, who were both luckless last start, and have a class edge on most of these. Kneeling couldn’t get 1400m if fired out a cannon and Danestroem is honest but had every chance last start.
Hai Lil opened around the $7.50 mark with most agencies and is even better on the exchanges. I think she represents good value each way at that price.
Caulfield 9-6 Hai Lil (each way)