THE major downside to Golden Slipper day, according to the Sydney Turf Club chairman Billy Picken, was the revenue drain away from NSW racing, highlighted by the the big turnover of Tom Waterhouse fielding at Caulfield. Waterhouse moved to Victoria because it is more bookmaker friendly, unless you are Simon Beasley, disqualified for five years and fined $20,000 last week on charges relating to recording bets. "Betting taxes should be on a federal level," Picken maintained. Which again prompts the question of who should be paying what? "Can we have another article on how corporates are cannibalising the betting dollar please … oh, all the corporates except Luxbet of course … who wouldn't be joining in the feast if nobody else was," came a bleating email from Peter Lawrence regarding Luxbet, the Tabcorp corporate group, going into exotics as well as win and place bets paying tote plus 5 per cent. "The most unbelievable thing about the whole Luxbet phenomenon is that Tabcorp were able to set up this enterprise in complete silence from NSW journos …"
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As mentioned here previously Luxbet was formed as a buffer for the corporates and pays all state fees. The corporates are now in court over the NSW fees. Why wouldn't Luxbet offer the same services and even try to top them? "In a perfect racing world Luxbet wouldn't be necessary," Stephen Brassel, a major playmaker with Luxbet, said. "Perfect" would be a strong tote and bookmakers paying their fair whack, not only what they deem acceptable. Let the Federal Government decide and make it Australia-wide. No stone unturned
Champion Damien Oliver, the first to introduce a special stick for prodding the surface to find the best going, isn't one to take a group 1 loss like Real Saga's in the Golden Slipper lightly. After the race Ollie approached stewards to view the official film to see if, or where, he went wrong. Had he done it differently, the stipes agreed, Real Saga may have finished a half-length closer which still wouldn't have got him into the first three. Track not the worst
Even with the track heavier for Saturday's Rosehill program than on the corresponding day last year, in the opinion of STC racecourse manager Lindsay Murphy it didn't rate with the slowest ever. Certainly the track for the 1963 Golden Slipper, won by Pago Pago, was much worse, with the meeting postponed until the following Wednesday. Having his 10th start Pago Pago ran the six furlongs in 1 minutes 15.5 seconds. In 1981 the meeting was postponed until the next Monday when it was won by Full On Aces, which recorded 1:13.1 for the 1200m so Saturday's 1:11.78 wasn't too bad, a tribute to modern drainage and track management considering the lead-up weather. Damp squibs
"No doubt [it was] a different set of results," Ray Murrihy, the Racing NSW chief steward, commented regarding the Rosehill wet on Saturday. Horses listed in the stewards' report as failing to handle the ground were Predatory Pricer (Tulloch), Allez Wonder (Vinery), Portillo and Champagne Harmony (Queen Of The Turf), Zarita (BMW), Whobegotyou (Ryder) and More Joyous (Golden Slipper). The most likely improver from the report is Whobegotyou. However, to what degree others which performed reasonably, such as Hot Danish in the Queen Of The Turf, were affected will be ascertained only in future. Jockeys win out
"Ray Silburn has been having talks with the powers that be [Racing NSW] about passes for injured jockeys and it has been approved. Good news, I say," - Jenny Evans, The Sun-Herald photographer who works tirelessly to get a better deal for those who have given much to racing and received little in return. Slow out of gates
Following the outstanding racing at Rosehill last Saturday, regarded by many as the best Golden Slipper day ever, the new-look Randwick autumn carnival this week appears lacklustre. After all, there are only two group 1s, raising the query about whether the new policy of spreading the best races will be a success. Certainly Saturday week, featuring the Doncaster, looks better than AJC Derby day and the final day on April 25 could be a bottler with the Sydney Cup, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Champagne Stakes and All Aged Stakes, if the top-liners stand up long enough. Horse to follow
Racing To Win should derive considerable benefit from his sixth in The Schweppervescence at Rosehill when he humped 61kg on a heavy and demanding surface at his first start after a spell. Disappointing
Viewed , the $2.05 favourite, had conditions to suit but was only third, beaten 2¾ lengths, in The BMW.
