Lonhro's Farewell Will Pack Them In
Illawarra Mercury
Wednesday March 10, 2004
IT'LL be standing room only and a sea of cerise at Royal Randwick next month.
Australian Jockey Club officials must be licking their lips in anticipation of Saturday, April 17. That's the day owner Bob Ingham and trainer John Hawkes have earmarked as champion galloper Lonhro's farewell to racing in the $750,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).
Thousands of people packed Randwick 31 years ago to pay homage to Gunsynd and jockey Kevin Langby in the same race.
Kiwi stayer Apollo Eleven upset the finale when he beat the gallant grey into second spot.
We won't contemplate that happening again and spoiling one of the great, modern-day tales of the turf.
Lonhro has finally reached the summit after 33 starts.
While the sight of Hawkes choking back the tears at the Australian Cup presentation caused many lumps in throats, there was little room left in mine.
I was busy trying to swallow a large serving of crow pie. Every now and then, a large helping of crow does wonders when the ego horse bolts from the barriers.
Yes, my hat goes off to Lonhro.
I'll admit, I've never been a fan of the big black stallion.
Sure his 25-win record is fantastic and he's proved the best advertisement for racing since the reign of the mighty New Zealand mare Sunline, but I always had doubts about him in when the speed was on and the chips were down at the end.
Comparisons with champs like Sunline and Northerly, and his failures in two WS Cox Plates and a Doncaster, fuelled that opinion.
But Lonhro put all that to bed with a tigerish display to run down the three-year-old Delzao on Monday. I even found myself cheering him on. And, like about 40,000 others, I'll be doing that again at Randwick.
Ingham and Hawkes pray Lonhro goes to Woodlands Stud in a blaze of glory.
That honour eluded Gunsynd and Lonhro's sire, Octagonal, which also finished second in the Queen Elizabeth (to Intergaze) in his final race seven years ago.
Lonhro has earned a freshen-up but Hawkes will want to give him another start before Randwick. The George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on April 3 could be an ideal lead-up.
Besides, it's Golden Slipper day and a good chance for a full house to stage a ``So Long Lonhro" dress rehearsal.
TALKING Lonhro, it was amazing that the big fella drifted with bookmakers from $1.60 early out to $2 on course.
The Hong Kong-based businessman that plonked the million dollars at $1.55 with Darwin-based Sportingbet must have been wondering if the stallion had lost a leg.
With fluctuations in mind, a cynic could assume the money hadn't been laid off on-course or with other interstate bookies.
That's hard to fathom. Sportingbet could have off-loaded $865,000, in parcels of $100,000 and less, at odds averaging only $1.80 and would still have made money wherever Lonhro finished.
Isn't that what bookmaking is really about?
WONDER if and when the Australian Group and Listed Race Committee going to bite the bullet demote races that don't deserve Group One status?
The Sires' Produce Stakes at Flemington is now no better than a Listed or Group Three race.
Barely A Moment and his 12 rivals proved that on Monday. If he comes to NSW during the autumn and wins, I'll give this caper away.
When a horse that's won only a Bendigo maiden (Zankel) starts favourite in a supposed Group One, something's wrong.
Winestock, Pillaging, Spectatorial and Preserve were the previous four Sires winners. None of them could get hot in the real Group races in Sydney.
CONGRATULATIONS to David Wonson jnr on his appointment as racing manager for the NSW Harness Racing Club.
Wonson, who takes John Dumesny's job after his elevation to CEO, did a super job in his short stint as secretary-manager at Bulli and is a terrific acquisition for Harold Park. The Bulli committee were due to meet last night to discuss Wonson's replacement.
© 2004 Illawarra Mercury