THREE TALKING POINTS FROM RACING WEEKEND

It was a big weekend of racing on both sides of the Tasman with plenty to talk about. Here’s three points worth revisiting.

One: New Zealand racing needs more people like Blair Alexander

Sure he works in advertising and marketing for a living, but what the passionate owner has done to promote racing through the Gingernuts and Hasselhoof syndicates has had more of an impact than what some who are paid to promote racing have achieved.

Sure Gingernuts did not win the Australian Derby on Saturday, but the bright and bubbly syndicate of 42 owners, with their bright orange ‘‘G Nuts’’ caps were easily the most visible bunch of owners on course.

Alexander put the majority of the syndicate together.

With 42 owners and a purchase price of $42,500, syndicates like the Te Akau Gingernuts Syndicate show that you don’t have to spend a lot to have a lot of fun and the industry should be doing everything they can to find more people like Alexander.

Two: Thank goodness for people like Michael Mcnab

Michael Mcnab has had his ups and downs and Melody Belle’s victory was in Saturday’s Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes was his finest hour to date.

But Mcnab was fined $400 for celebrating his first Group I victory prior to passing the winning post. Had he waited a few extra seconds, there would not have been an issue.

Mcnab wears his heart on his sleeve and speaks from the heart. Why would anybody want to transform people like that into conservative robots?

As long as they are not dangerous, celebrations like Mcnab’s should be supported. They create atmosphere and how many people have taken the time to look at the images of Mcnab’s salute on social media that would normally not even look at a racing image?

Sporting theatre is about passion and emotion and that is what Mcnab showed.

Stewards and the Judicial Control Authority have a job to do but surely common sense could have taken over and resulted in a warning for Mcnab.

Three: Chautauqua is a dead set great

He may not have the long winning streak of Winx or the unbeaten run of Black Caviar but Chautauqua cemented his place as one of Australia’s all time great sprinters with his third successive TJ Smith Stakes victory on Saturday.

There were a lot of knockers after some indifferent performances but the real Chautauqua turned up for his pet race.

Flat last as the field turned for home, Tommy Berry, managed to weave his way through the field and the old legs of Chautauqua did not let him down.

The popular grey sprinter, trained by John Hawkes and his sons Wayne and Michael, will be aimed at The Everest, at Randwick in October.