NRL star Billy Slater sets sights on Cairns Cup action

WITH NRL off the table, the next best thing for Billy Slater is racing and his beloved north Queensland, pursuits he is delighted to be combining in recent weeks.

Rough chance: Revaldor (No. 7) fails to run down My Cousin Bossy at Eagle Farm. Picture: Natasha Wood, Trackside Photography

WITH NRL off the table, the next best thing for Billy Slater is racing and his beloved north Queensland, pursuits he is delighted to be combining in recent weeks.

In his ambassadorial role for Racing Queensland, Slater is the special guest at this weekend’s two-day Cairns Cup carnival.

Slater remembers many Innisfail Cups in his younger days and has enjoyed catching up with some familiar faces this weekend.

“I’ve been in Melbourne 14 years and love the place, but North Queensland is my home and always will be,” he said. “If I’m not playing footy, this is next best because there‘s so much to do up here.”

One of those attractions is the Great Barrier Reef, which Slater will be taking an aerial view of ahead of Sunday’s big Cup meeting.

Slater will arrive at Sunday’s Cairns Cup via helicopter, as part of a promotion conducted by Racing Queensland where the winners landed a chopper ride with Slater over the Reef, before landing on course in readiness for the Cairns Cup.

“It’s a great prize for those who won it, but I’m really looking forward to it myself,” Slater said.

Slater is hoping this weekend mirrors his recent trip to Townsville, when the Storm also won.

NRL player Billy Slater poses with the Cairns Cup trophy at Cannon Park. Picture: Justin Brierty

Blunders spark calls for Shean to return

THERE’S been a big push in social media circles for racecaller Mark Shean to be reinstated, wherever it may be.

Shean developed a huge fan base with his accurate calls during his tenure with TVN. Every time an incumbent makes a mistake (be it Sydney, Melbourne, or anywhere), the call for Shean’s return grows louder.

Punters expect perfection from racecallers, but it seems the same expectations are not placed on broadcasters at the Rio Olympics.

Some of the descriptions from the swimming featuring key Aussies last week were shockers. You wouldn’t want to be betting in the run using Channel 7’s audio.

Shean should have been given a gig in Rio.

But in all seriousness, it is a ridiculous situation to have a caller rated by many as the best in the country sitting idle on the sidelines.

EMOTION-CHARGED

BRUCE Brown would dearly have loved to see his roughie Revaldor land the prize on Saturday. He loomed to win but just found the Ballina visitor My Cousin Bossy too tough. “I was desperate for him to win. My 90-year-old mum (Sybil) died through the week and it would have been nice to win for her,” Brown said. My Cousin Bossy landed a good betting move ($13-$7) after his last-start conqueror Hi I’m Back had saluted earlier in the day.

PLEASE EXPLAIN

OBERLAND was unwanted in betting, being $3.40 to $4.80. Betfair layers were even keener to take him on, with $9 being offered on the exchange before the jump. The money trail (as it was with Capitalist in Sydney) was spot on and Oberland never gave a yelp.

GONE?

CAPITALIST joined a long list of Golden Slipper winners to flop on their return at three when he was beaten out of the place in the San Domenico at Rosehill. The race wasn’t run to suit and he wasn’t knocked around by jockey Blake Shinn when he came to the end of his run, so it’s premature to write him off, but $5.50 in the Golden Rose is an offensive price.

NO GUIDE

THE P.B. Lawrence Stakes has lost its gloss over the years, as trainers tend to hold back their big guns a couple of weeks. Miss Rose De Lago was well placed to win another Group 2. Mahuta looks a little in limbo now, as the competition will only get hotter from here on in.

FRANKIE POCKETS 3K

LEGENDARY jockey Frankie Dettori chalked up his 3000th career win in front of 20,000 fans in the UK this week. In trademark flamboyant style, Dettori needed a double from his three rides to reach the milestone and after the most favoured went under, he was able to coax the best out of his two lesser-fancied mounts to bring up the magical number. The huge crowd was there for a pop concert after the races, but Dettori managed to steal the show.

Originally published as NRL star Billy Slater sets sights on Cairns Cup action