Ken Callander: Racing on wrong track if Kensington is the answer to our problems

KEN CALLANDER: Sydney racing is on the wrong track if Kensington is the answer to our problems for the Villiers.

Bart Cummings: Picture: Colleen Petch

IT is a shocker that in a period of fine sunny weather a Randwick meeting featuring one of Australia's great mile races, the Villiers, has to be transferred to an inside track, but it is better the decision was made on Saturday night and not at the last minute next Friday.

I think Rosehill would have been a far better alternative than the Kensington track, with its limited field sizes, but Rosehill has been let out for Christmas functions next weekend and we cannot quibble about that, with the money made from these functions on non race days going straight back into racing.

I hope people in racing don't think the Kensington track because it is racing so well is the answer to all our prayers. It might look OK on television, but the Kensington track is an inside track, the horses are too far from the paying public and it is an alternative circuit or lesser meeting track and nothing more.

We are stuck with next Saturday so let us get on with it, but let us also make sure a major meeting does not have to be transferred off the course proper in such circumstances again.

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MAJOR thoroughbed auction house, Inglis, won't be expecting BC3 Thoroughbreds who have paid $2.6 million for a filly and $5 for a colt out of Black Caviar's dam Helsinge in the last couple of years, to bid on this year's full sister to the champ, by Bel Esprit.

It seems the $5 million account for last year's colt has not been settled.

The spokesmen for BC3 have been Melbourne identity Bill Vlahos and former jockey Simon Marshall. Vlahos has been in the news in the NSW Supreme Court this week in a case centring around a punters club of which he is the principal.

Vlahos claimed $194 million was in an account in the Westpac bank, but the bank has no knowledge of such an account. Vlahos said in court on Friday that a former business partner, who is now in Dubai, was responsible for the banking.

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I THINK stewards have been too hard on Serg Lisnyy in standing him down for a month. I know Lisnyy's old mount Calming Influence won easily on Saturday with Hugh Bowman up, but what Lisnyy needed was some expert guidance not a confidence sapping suspension.

The kid rides well and is one of our best apprentices. A couple of hours with Ron Quinton or Malcolm Johnston was all that he needed.

Compare Lisnyy's penalty with the lenience handed out to Hugh Bowman at Gosford on Thursday when the leading rider was told by stewards "in future he would be expected to ride more competitively".

I would assume Bowman and all jockeys should know they should ride competitively. At Gosford Bowman was leading on an odds on favourite in a field of four and he allowed a rival up on his inside and to the howls of punters that horse went on to beat him.

Bowman gets let off, Lisnyy gets rubbed out. Come on.

Bart Cummings: Picture: Colleen Petch

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I UNDERSTAND Bart and James Cummings were having lunch together yesterday and I hope some things were resolved. One thing I am certain of is young James will make his mark on racing. He is a fine young man, a credit to his parents, and he has talent to burn.

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AFTER his fourth winner at Randwick on Saturday Peter Snowden told me he expected to hear his alarm go off and he would wake up.

Pete is certainly having a great run and Darley will miss him when he hands over the reins to John O'Shea after the Autumn carnival. All four winners on Saturday went great and I particularly liked the performance of Viscount's young brother Sinjoren, who is getting better every time he strips for action.

As good as the stable is going, the No 1 jockey Kerrin McEvoy is also on fire riding with a new found aggression.

RIDE OF THE DAY

Kerrin McEvoy on Solemn. Made use of him to get a good position and then rode with plenty of poise and patience.

RUN OF THE DAY

Messene. Toyed with his rivals. Has now won six from nine and knows where the post is.

FORGET IT RAN

Occitan lost all momentum when held in a pocket in the juvenile race and the effort can be forgiven.