Week of highs and lows
The past week has unearthed interesting and surprising moments and announcements, giving a reminder of the ups and downs of a demanding industry
One: Contrasting fortunes highlight the vagaries jockeys face.
Craig Grylls had a day to cherish at Te Rapa on Saturday. Grylls good fortune was stark contrast to the lucky escape Zy Nor Azman and Brendan Hutton had at Avondale on Anzac Day. Hutton’s mount Dylan De Lago and Nor Azman’s mount Le Moussier had raced to the lead early in the race, but Dylan De Lago started to stagger and collided with Le Moussier dislodging Nor Azman. The jockey was then hit by following runners and knocked unconscious. Hutton’s mount suffered a massive haemorrhage sending Hutton crashing to the ground. He walked away from the incident but along with Nor Azman, was taken to hospital and checked out. Both left hospital that night and are on the road to recovery. At the other end of the spectrum hardworking Grylls celebrated wins in both black-type races at Te Rapa on Saturday aboard Mime in the Travis Stakes and Sweet Leader in the Cambridge Breeders Stakes.
Two: Watch out Queensland here come the Kiwis
Watch out Queensland the Kiwis are coming for the winter racing carnival. Two more were added to the growing list with wins on Saturday. Mime is pencilled in for a trip following her determined win in Saturday’s Group II Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa. The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained mare will be aimed at the Group I Doomben Cup. Also Brisbane-bound is fellow Te Rapa winner Splurge, victorious in the open sprint. Co-trainer Jamie Richards suggested Splurge would likely contest the BRC Sprint Handicap in May at Doomben, in preparation for the Stradbroke Handicap in June at Eagle Farm.
Three: Tony Herlihy a living harness legend.
Tony Herlihy, 58, showed all of his skills in driving Temporale to an upset win in the Group I $150,000 Rowe Cup Trot at Alexandra Park on Friday night. Herlihy joined the great Peter Wolfenden at the top of the Rowe Cup (3200m) honours board with his fifth winning drive in harness racing’s big northern trot - and he did it with an inch-perfect run. His previous wins in the cup were behind Gee du Jour (1991), Diamond Field (1994) and One Over Kenny (2007 and 2009). The 4-yearold is a big horse and continuing to develop said Herlihy who also trains the horse part-owned by his wife Suzanne. Another of of Temporale’s owners Kevin Riseley, also shares in the ownership of Lazarus, whoended his season with an effortless win in the Group I Messenger Pace, the horse’s 12th Group I win. He will now spell before returning for the spring.
Four: Is it all good news with recent industry announcements?
Is the $24 million in additional funds for racing as good as it appears at first sight? Firstly it is divided by two and is an advance against future earnings. The elixir - Race Fields isn’t here yet. The funds have been given based on the board’s confidence over the predicted returns that race fields legislation - charging overseas bookmakers for using New Zealand racing data - and other initiatives, such as increasing the range of sports betting options, will bring. The race fields legislation is a key component of the racing board’s new strategies, which are projected to bring an extra $45m for the racing codes in 2018/19, growing to $60m in the 2019/20 season. What happens if the industry doesn’t earn the advance? Adding to the complex picture is Labour’s racing spokesman Kris Faafoi saying last week that there must be real doubt on the legislation making it through Parliament before the election time will tell.
Five: It’s tough at the top of the racing tree.
John O’shea has reportedly quit as head trainer for Godolphin in Australia. It is understood that there has been a breakdown in the relationship between O’shea and Godolphin Australia Managing Director Henry Plumptre. Suggestions are that the head trainer did not have a smooth working relationship with many key personnel. O’shea was appointed as Australian head trainer for Darley in December 2013, before the stable took on the international racing name of Godolphin that it competes under now.godolphin is the global thoroughbred breeding and horseracing stable founded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. Plumptre was at Hawkesbury on Saturday to present the trophy for the Godolphin Crown and told Fairfax Media that ‘‘there will be no comment until later in the week’’. Assistant trainer Darren Beadman, who filled in for O’shea, also offered a no-comment. O’shea leaves with plenty of guesswork in racing circles going into who the replacement trainer might be. There’s plenty more to come in this saga.