Jockey's protest a waste of time

THE protest by favourite Fuerza against winner Marseille Roulette in the $250,000 Inglis Classic on Saturday was a total waste.

Marseille Roulette

THE protest by the hot favourite Fuerza against the winner Marseille Roulette in the $250,000 Inglis Classic at Rosehill on Saturday was a total waste of time.

James McDonald, the jockey, was lucky stewards did not fine him for a frivolous objection.

Once a horse is two lengths clear of the horses chasing him, he can do what he likes and Marseille Roulette was well over two lengths clear.

Sure, Fuerza would have won if he was not baulked by the winner moving from his right to his left but that is not the point. It is like driving along the freeway, the car 50m in front does not have to stay in his own lane so that you can get a clear go.

* MARSEILLE Roulette was doubly lucky to take home the $150,000 first prize as there were six unraced youngsters vying for the final two spots in the field at acceptance time on Wednesday and the Gai Waterhouse-trained colt, along with David Pfieffer's Racingfor Diamonds, won places in the race while the other four horses were made emergencies.

Although both Marseille Roulette and Racingfor Diamonds had won trials, ATC racing executive Matt Rudolph told me there was no provision in the entry for trial winners to be given preference and they were just lucky enough to secure places in the field.

* THE Lance Armstrong cycling saga should show racegoers that if people go to such lengths to boost performances by injecting humans with so many illegal substances, there are surely others who will go to even greater lengths to give horses an edge.

That is why I commend such proactive moves as that by chief Victorian steward Terry Bailey on Saturday in sending a steward to Danny O'Brien's stables at Flemington on Saturday night to take blood samples from Kutchinsky and The New Boy more than two hours after they raced. O'Brien did not object and neither should anyone who is worried about the welfare of the sport. We want the best horses to win the races, not those treated by the best chemists or the best vets.

* RACING is not an exact science, but I am still trying to work out how California Storm improved from sixth of seven at Gosford when favourite at her previous start to win at Rosehill on Saturday and how Riva De Lago came from fifth of nine when also favourite at Warwick Farm to win easily. One encouraging point is both horses were easy in the market. It is more worrying when such form reversals are accompanied by betting plonks.

* SYDNEY racing is on the up, selling our product far and wide. Among those at Rosehill on Saturday was Australia's highest rating radio announcer, Ross Stevenson of 3AW Melbourne, and also there was a group of MBA students from Harvard, who were guests of Westpac chief economist Bill Evans.

Stevenson is part of a syndicate which hopes to buy a yearling for Chris Waller at the up-coming sales.

On the other side of the coin an article from the Brisbane Sunday Mail that can be read on the thetelegraph.com.au's Super Racing website, paints a sorry state of affairs in Queensland racing. It claims Queensland trainers are now deserting meetings at the former strongholds of Ipswich, with prizemoney of $10,000 a race, and the Gold Coast ($12,000) to cross the border and race for $15,000 at Ballina and Murwillumbah.

Senior NSW administrators who used to sing the praises of former Queensland racing supremo Bob Bentley seem to have become tongue tied in recent months.

* I HAD the pleasure of being among the media group who were given a tour of the new Randwick grandstand during the week. It is spectacular and I am a fan. The big thing racegoers will notice is that not only can you view the races from the front of the stand, but the back is also open with glass panels and viewing platforms for punters to watch down on the parade ring below.

RIDE OF THE DAY

Corey Brown on Riva De Lago. Stayed ice cool in a cold riding display.

RUN OF THE DAY

Campania. Not many come from last in an 11-horse field with 250m to go.

FORGET IT RAN

Fuming. Tenth to Campania. A $5 chance cannot run that bad.