Mishani men off the punt
The big-betting stable of Mike Crooks and Les Ross are off the punt for the seven-strong Mishani army’s mission in tomorrow’s $500,000 QTIS Jewel 2YO on the Gold Coast.
Owner Crooks, who made his fortune building swimming pools, and knockabout trainer Ross have been known to pull off a few successful betting plunges on their Mishani empire of horses over the years.
But Ross reckons both have made enough money out of winning QTIS prizemoney and other ventures to worry about the punt these days.
Ross laughs it can be a fool’s business trying to tip Crooks into which one of his Mishani horses will win in two-year-old Queensland races, which are often stacked with them.
For instance, Mishani Rock won the Pat O’Shea Plate in Toowoomba at $26 in a blowout result last September when the Mishani team fancied the runner-up Mishani Ego, who had been backed from $4.20 into $3.30.
After training the quinella in last year’s 2YO Jewel, Ross will look to repeat tomorrow when he saddles up Mishani Lily ($4 favourite), Mishani Aloha ($5.50), Mishani Crown ($13),
Mishani Express ($21), Mishani Suspect ($26), Mishani Fire ($26) and Mishani Eclipse ($34). But Ross won’t be backing any of his runners with his hard-earned and said Crooks wouldn’t be either – bar for perhaps a small wager or two.
Bookmakers across country can breathe easy.
“This race is a no-bet race for us,” Ross said.
“Crooksy used to bet really big and over the last few years he has slowed right down, and he will even admit that.
“I have been one of the ones behind it. You know what I used to bet for? Because I needed money. But guess what? We have got plenty of prizemoney out of these QTIS races and Crooksy has sold half his pool business and we are in a really good spot.
“Crooksy certainly doesn’t need the money (from the punt) and I don’t need the money. I say to Crooksy: ‘All we do if we have a bet is get the dirty on the jockey or get dirty on the horse if it doesn’t win’ – and the third one is the trainer and I don’t want Crooksy getting dirty on me.
“Crooksy won’t be betting like the old days, having $10,000 on things, as it just puts too much pressure on.
“And to be fair, and I can say this hand on heart, I have got it wrong nearly every time we have had a good go (bet) on one.”
While having seven of the 16-horse Jewel starting field (as well as one emergency) sounds like an extraordinary feat, it is hardly breaking new ground for Ross and Crooks.
They once had nine of 10 runners in a race at Eagle Farm. There has been some flawed criticism in some parts of the Mishani team stacking races with runners, but Crooks went on record with Racenet last October, saying he couldn’t give a hoot what the detractors thought.
The criticism even prompted Crooks to tell Ross to hatch a plan to have as many Jewel runners as possible tomorrow.
“Crooksy said to me get as many as you can in this race, it’s the first time he has ever said it to me,” Ross said.
“I had eight I had earmarked for this race and I’ve got seven of the eight in it.
“I am going into this race a lot better prepared than last year. It doesn’t mean that I will win because racing is a great leveller. We are hoping we can win and we have a few live chances.”