Lady Skills shows great endurance
GREATER Western Sydney coach Leon Cameron has launched a spirited defence of Jeremy Cameron, saying the “assassination” of the suspended star’s character went too far.
Key forward Jeremy Cameron has copped a five- game ban for his hit on Brisbane defender Harris Andrews that resulted in brain bleeding and severe concussion.
Leon Cameron said his namesake must tweak his approach but some pundits should be “embarrassed and disappointed” by their analysis of the incident.
“The thing that disappointed me the most was what happened to Harris. The second thing was the assassination of Jeremy’s character from key people that had an agenda,” Cameron said.
“I was disappointed with a lot of people, especially people with prominent positions in AFL media.
“Being a thug or a dog – those sort of words don’t relate to Jeremy Cameron … He’s a really good person.
“He goes 100 miles an hour. I’ve acknowledged we need to tweak areas of his game.”
Coach Cameron also took a swipe at what he perceived as an “anti- Giants” sentiment, noting it was always going to exist because of how the expansion club started.
“There’s always going to be disturbance from down south … they’re concerned about us, so they’ll probably bag us more than not,” he said.
“It doesn’t affect our guys internally, in fact it probably drives us a little bit harder.”
GWS unsuccessfully argued at the tribunal on Tuesday night that Cameron’s strike was careless, not intentional.
The majority of criticism has focused on the act itself, but Cameron’s supposed lack of contrition has also been in the headlines.
“The concern we had straight after the game was for Harris,” Leon Cameron said. EMERGING young trainer Michael Geaney is daring to dream of cups glory with barnstorming mare Lady Skills.
A last- to- first win at Cluden over 1600m last week convinced Geaney to test the mare as a big race carnival prospect in today’s Wilson Ryan Grose Lawyers North Qld Cup ( 1609).
“The original plan was to aim her at the Bracelet over 1300m during the carnival and then Cairns but she won the mile race so well we’ll try her for the cups,” Geaney said.
“She relaxes beautifully in her races and has brilliant acceleration when she’s asked to go.
“I spoke to Chelsea Jokic who rode her in her first win before she had a fall, and Chris Whitely who has been on her at her past two runs and they think she’ll get out over further.
“Graham Kliese ( out injured) has guided me in training and his advice was almost word for word with Chris.
“The mare has just kept improving. I know she’s only won a Class 3 and a benchmark 65 and she’s stepping up to Open class, but she’s doing everything right and she’s a dream to train.
“Thursday’s race will be a good test and it gives the winner ballot free entry in the Townsville Cup. It’ll tell us whether we keep going down the cups path and go to Mackay and then back here.”
Racing and training Lady Skills is a family affair. Geaney’s mum Debra bought the ex- Victorian mare in a tried horse auction three months ago.
Lady Skills has had three starts for the young trainer, winning two and finishing an eye- catching third with her big finishing style.
Geaney has had consistent success with a small string of horses since starting his training career six years ago.
Winners have included Horacio, Royal Physician and gutsy mare Fille Vilaine, but Geaney rates Lady Skills as his best prospect yet.
“Her previous trainer Matt Laurie told me he thought she’d make a good midweek metro horse but if I could get an extra length or two from her she’d be up to Saturday city class in Brisbane.
“The way she switches off and conserves energy and then takes off when they push the go button gets me a bit excited.”
The NQ Cup has attracted a capacity field headed by seasoned Cup contenders Hot Saga and Ranked.
Today’s program also features the Stockland Townsville Open Handicap ( 1200m), which offers the winner an automatic start in the Lazy Yak Cleveland Bay Handicap ( 1300m).
The Roy Chillemi trained Concluder and Pinyarda head the capacity field 12 and three emergencies.