Waterhouse All Set To Put The Slipper In
Sydney Morning Herald
Monday July 21, 2003
While Gai Waterhouse, Sydney's leading trainer, has built up her strength for the 2004 Golden Slipper, the Woodlands Stud's cerise army has dropped off.
Waterhouse has nominated 112 yearlings for the Slipper, an increase from 65 this year, while Woodlands has dropped from 145 to 128, but not because of any decline in overall numbers in the Jack and Bob Ingham team.
Suzanne Philcox, who adds much grace to the turf with the naming of Woodlands' horses, has applied her skill to 217 yearlings this year, which confirms the strength of trainer John Hawkes, who will also have two-year-olds for outside clients.
The downturn for Woodlands may be attributed to their stallions producing more classic types than early comers. For instance, Octagonal had 58 nominations for this year but hasn't made the top five for next, with Flying Spur (74), Snippets (64), Catbird (61) and Redoute's Choice (61) following Danehill on the list.
Danehill maintains his consistency with 83 for next year, one more than this year. A notable absentee for next year is End Sweep, an American stallion and the second-most nominated for this year's race. End Sweep never received a mention in Slipper dispatches and had to be put down in Japan after an accident.
Looking for Slipper types from the Philcox list, Carmagnole, a filly by Canny Lad out of Boogie, is one to remember. A Carmagnole was a popular song and dance during the French Revolution. Carmagnole is a half-sister to Dorky, by Grand Lodge. Dorky was one of the top youngsters this season, and Canny Lad won a Slipper, so Carmagnole may be precocious.
Bit O'Leg is also worthy of a show, being by Canny Lad out of Hosiery, which produced Ribald.
Put Psyched, too, in the black book. Psyched is by Quest For Fame out of Spirit and a full-sister to Unworldly, a top-liner before her death from a track spill, and a half-sister to Gordo and Seances.
No doubt Spikes, out of Shadea and a full-brother to Lonhro and Niello, will create much interest. His name hasn't any links with the family and comes from his early days: as a foal his forelock stuck straight up.
Despite being by Octagonal, Lonhro and Niello were smart two-year-olds and Octagonal achieved far more with Shadea than the mighty Danehill.
Danehill had three attempts with Shadea, with the foremost result being Noblesse which is best forgotten.
SHEAN SHINES: Mark Shean's race calling is much along the lines of Lachie Melville's and Geoff Mahoney's, former ABC and racecourse announcers.
Shean, filling in at the races for Terry Bailey, who is on holiday, has scored highly on Saturday at Rosehill with those who note for the media how runners perform in a race. They have to take an accurate note off the broadcast and the more horses called the better.
At the end of the program, just about every horse on the day is mentioned at the vital stages of a race.
Once, when race-callers were regarded for their entertainment value rather than accuracy, those at the track were renowned for calling it as it was, with few frills. The thrills came with the result.
Shean, grandson of Fred Shean, an outstanding jockey in the late 1930s and early '40s, started calling when only 16, 28 years ago at Inverell, and has been heard regularly doing barrier trials. Possibly he would have made a greater name at the caper had he not been attracted by the punt. Shean studied under Mark Read and has a sounder knowledge of this aspect of racing than most broadcasters.
JAFFEE SIGNIFICANT: South African businessman Gerald Jaffee, 83, who died last week, made an impact on the Australian turf as an owner and punter. Jaffee had top-liners such as Hula Chief, winner of the 1986 Doncaster, Hula Drum, successful in the George Ryder Stakes, and Noble Peer with Bart Cummings.
LANGUAGE CONTROL: ``Get out of the way you black bastard," was part of a jockey exchange overheard at the top of the straight by Billie Griffiths when secretary at Cooma racecourse some years ago.
Griffiths pointed this out in a letter after an item written here a few weeks ago concerning the obscenities and bad language permitted on the football field and seen as such on television but not on the racecourse, particularly by jockeys.
When typing the report of the interference, the chief stipe dictated to her that the hoop had said: ``Would you please move over." She tried to correct him but was told to do as instructed.
Only last Wednesday, Chris Munce had what was regarded as strong words with apprentice Robyn Freeman after the end of a race, his dialogue stretching to ``idiot" but with no adjectives. Yet, this wasn't for public viewing.
Now, the AFL is becoming aware players losing control, albeit in a contact sport, doesn't present the best image to youngsters who idolise the players. Even so, players of all football codes can mouth ``f---" all they like at the camera but, ironically, ``black bastard" is out of the question.
DISAPPOINTING: A computer breakdown meant punters didn't get the full gear changes for Rosehill on Saturday. For instance, Sir Covet, second in the Trendwest Handicap, wasn't listed as running with blinkers until Saturday morning, costing at least one racegoer the quinella.
HORSE TO FOLLOW: Ariante indicated he was back to top form with a slashing win in the AAMI Handicap at Rosehill on Saturday at only his eighth start.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
`Research has shown that Canterbury as a suburb is an area where racegoers don't want to go'
Sydney Turf Club chairman BRUCE McHUGH, who added that Canterbury and Warwick Farm racecourses would not exist in 10 years
© 2003 Sydney Morning Herald