NSW's iron men are on track to send the Victorians back into their own racing quagmire

WE need to tell the Victorians to stick their Pommie system of rating tracks, writes Ken Callander.

Adam Hyeronimus rides Laidback Larry to victory in front of the jubilant owners.

THE one innovation in recent years that has worked perfectly is the track ratings system of 1-10 covering all conditions from concrete hard (1) to a quagmire (10).

Now the Victorians want to change the system to fall in line with the Pommies. They are sending up a delegation on Thursday to speak with their counterparts in NSW.

They should be sent home as soon as they get here and told up here in Sydney we are happy with the system and punters understand the difference between a five and an eight much easier than they do when confronted with double dutch like slow to yielding.

Who do these Victorians think they are and who cares what they think in England. If we sat on our hands and followed England, where racing is on a fast downhill spiral, we still would not have introduced barrier stalls.

As for the Victorian racing industry, don't forget they were the people who were happy to fall in line with international thinking and watch Chris Munce rot in gaol for tipping and then serve another suspension when he was released.

These same people, the Victorians, then thought it was OK to only suspend a leading jockey for 10 months for having $10,000 on a horse in a race in which he was riding. What a joke.

While our boys are talking to these dreamers from the South on Thursday why don't they bring up the track at Caulfield last Wednesday which saw all horses head to the outside rail on a hot day when there had been no rain. Why? Because the track had been doctored (excessively watered) and to hell with the punters that were expected to bet on it.

Punters are everything to Australian racing and the Caulfield races should have been called off after one or two races.

Victorians water their tracks excessively probably because the Pommies like "give" in the ground.

Luckily the local delegation on Wednesday, consists of Ray Murrihy, Lindsay Murphy and Scott Kennedy, all strong men who won't cop rubbish from the Southerners. Backing them up is their boss, Mr Iron Fist himself, Peter Vlandys, a man who nobody has ever accused of being weak.

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Hugh Bowman doesn't race three or four lengths clear of the field in juvenile races and that is why he was quick to tell Robbie Laing to get rid of the blinkers on beaten favourite Boomwaa after the Inglis Classic on Saturday.

The winner Peggy Jean was terrific but I doubt few would argue that Boomwaa would have won if he had not fired up.

Bowman, by the way, has been riding sensationally since he returned from a break when his wife Christine had their first child and his two winnning rides on All Cerise and Agon at Canterbury on Wednesday were gems.

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The barrier trial fiasco at Randwick on Thursday when Fiorente, Carlton House and a few others were scratched because the steeple grass was being used was disappointing, but it could have been turned into a winner if the ATC had a bit of foresight.

Chief Stipe Ray Murrihy suggested running a trial at Randwick on Saturday on either the course proper or Kensington track for the best eight horses nominated, but unfortunately it was put into the too hard basket.

What a promotion that would have been and what a boomer for racegoers. Does anybody care about them any more?

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Kiwi two-year-olds are like Pommy cricketers - they don't go too good in Australia.

The much boomed Vinnie Eagle was another clanger at Randwick on Saturday and in the past 50 years you could count on one hand the New Zealand youngsters who have measured up to Aussie standard. Our Maizcay was the best to hit our shores in the past 20 years.

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RIDE OF THE DAY

Kerrin McEvoy on Red Excitement. Made sure the other main hope Mecir was not going to get a clear run.

RUN OF THE DAY

Laidback Larry. The Caulfield Cup here he comes. This bloke might be pretty good.

FORGET IT RAN

Panko. This 100/1 shot was set a tough task and turned in a big run. Keep an eye on her.