ATT: Glyn Schofield fined after heated exchange with James McDonald in jockeys’ room
Glyn Schofield was fined $1000 after giving James McDonald a shove in a heated exchange in the jockeys’ room after the Randwick Guineas.
Jockey Glyn Schofield wasn’t happy with James McDonald after the Randwick Guineas and gave him a shove in the jockeys’ room after the race.
Schofield thought McDonald caused interference to his mount (Purple Sector) at the 900m.
“I came back and asked James what he thought he was doing and I did get in his face,” Schofield told stewards. “I was just a bit hot under the collar.”
McDonald confirmed Schofield’s version of events.
“He had a meltdown and tried to blame me,” he said. “He wanted an apology and I wasn’t going to say sorry for something I didn’t do.”
Schofield was fined $1000.
Jane shines behind Sun
She may have went down to The Autumn Sun but Mark Newnham still thinks Nakeeta Jane is the country’s best filly. She heads to the Vinery Stud Stakes before the ATC Oaks. Newnham did pay tribute to The Autumn Sun after he beat her in the Randwick Guineas. “He’s freakish,” he said. “He wasn’t entitled to win that race.” Nakeeta Jane firmed in to $4.50 favourite for the Oaks. Punters should probably take that now.
Tenley tonic
James Cummings was looking on the bright side after his Golden Slipper favourite Tassort was ruled out of the autumn carnival after not recovering quickly enough from a bruised off-fore foot. Tenley ’s win in the Reisling Stakes helped his mood. “I’ve got 200 horses in great shape so it’s not a bad position to be in,” he said. Tenley firmed in from $13 to $6 for the Slipper to be equal favourite with Yes Yes Yes.
Team Tye
Blake Shinn had ‘Team Tye’ printed on his silks before winning on Trapeze Artist in the Canterbury Stakes. It was a nice touch. “It’s with great sadness he’s not here,” Shinn said. “When I was walking out there (mounting yard) a part of me wanted to cry.”
Sign of the times
Many were surprised with the fast times run at Randwick considering it wasn’t a dry track. Before riding Manikato in a big race in the early 1980s jockey Gary Willetts said earlier rain only made the track faster. Chief steward Marc Van Gestel wasn’t surprised by the slick times on Saturday. “Randwick seems to be quicker when there is a little bit of give in the track. The horses don’t extend as much when it’s firm,” he said. Peter Snowden was having none of it. “They ran 55-something (Challenge Stakes), which is ridiculous. I think those clocks need checking today,” he said.
Double duty for Agnew
Robert Agnew is the state’s first jockey to take out a trainer’s licence. The Port Macquarie jockey/trainer can only train five horses at a time while he’s riding but he’s looking at making a full career transition. “I will start riding my own but the plan is to get involved with the training side of it more,” he said. “It’s a good chance to build a business before my career in the saddle is over.”
Happy birthday, Gaz
Sky Racing’s Gary Harley celebrates his 70th birthday on Sunday. Known as ‘The man who ate Maitland’, Harley is one of the most loved characters in the Hunter Region and he’s been in racing for around 50 years.
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Good on Racing NSW for adding the stewards footage to their race replays for their website. Any extra information for punters is a positive.
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Gus Gould can’t get enough of the races. He was on course at Randwick once again on Saturday as was Australia’s greatest ever Olympian Dawn Fraser.
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Newcastle coach Nathan Brown used Winx as an example of why Knights fans shouldn’t be worried about the club’s trial form. “Winx doesn’t win her barrier trials,” he said. Let’s see if Newcastle come out and start blowing the opposition away, though.
HORSES TO FOLLOW: Prompt Response (plenty of improvement), Strasbourg (Sires horse), Baller (unlucky)
ONES TO SACK: Sandbar (hasn’t improved since a spell), Spring Loaded (off the pace)
RIDE OF THE DAY: Jason Collett on Prophet’s Thumb (pushed his mount through to win)
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I see it every second week but not in those colours,” said Chris Waller in comparing The Autumn Sun’s run to one of Winx’s.
‘It’s a perfect draw’: Green light for Traffic barrier
Trainer James Cummings had his wishes granted at last night’s The Everest barrier draw with a perfect gate for star colt Traffic Warden, who’ll lead a three-year-old assault on Saturday’s $20 million sprint.
’He’ll bounce back’: Write off Warmonger at your peril
Jockey Michael Dee has trust in Warmonger to rebound from a flat second-up performance when he steps out in his major Spring goal, the $5m Group 1 Caulfield Cup, on Saturday.