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Backing Fighting Harada to beat Johnny Famechon at the Sydney Stadium in 1967 swung me towards Admire Rakti for Tuesday's Melbourne Cup at Flemington.
Usually, national pride has dictated that the Australian horse and those who make and ride them is the way to go in the Big One. With Fawkner we have a top-class contender, like Famechon, seasoned to go the distance by a mastermind, Lloyd Williams, and ridden by Nick Hall.
Williams, too, is a two mile "trainer", confirmed by a string of trophies over the distance, a plus for the Big One. Maybe Fawkner was beaten in the Cox Plate but it was a pressure test in which few, if any, of his rivals on Tuesdaycould emulate. But Admire Rakti's Caulfield Cup triumph was awesome becaue of his acceleration off a slow tempo, and being regarded as even better over a longer journey.
No doubt 58.5 kilograms is a substantial equaliser for the invader but jockey Zac Purton is no load to carry. Certainly the one-kilo penalty given to Admire Rakti for taking the Caulfield Cup was not excessive. Alas, Australia's grip on our biggest race doesn't have the same substance of yesteryear. Like Fighting Harada, the odds favour Admire Rakti.
Unfortunately, Fighting Harada won the fight but lost the decision, leading to the conclusion sentiment should not overcome greed, although, at times, divine powers can take a glove.
Is Signoff the next Even Stevens?
Opinions differ on the merit of Signoff's Lexus success at Flemington on Saturday. Beating what was regarded as second-raters, Signoff ran slower time for the 2500 metres than Preferment in the Victoria Derby, regarded as a common chapter. However, Timeform's Gary Crispe gave him a 116 rating, just behind Shocking (117) which completed the Lexus–Melbourne Cup double. Crispe has Signoff, given an old fashioned Aussie preparation, seemingly timed to the minute by trainer Darren Weir, on top for the Melbourne Cup. Also, with only 51kg, plus a half over for Joao Moreira, Signoff carries what could eventuate to a "beaten the handicapper" tag, last seen with Even Stevens in 1962. Even Stevens, a New Zealander, was weighted on seven stone, nine pounds (48.5kg) but after taking the Caulfield Cup he went up to 8st.5lb (53kg), hardly an impediment, nor was barrier 21. Record amounts were flushed from bookmakers after the Even Stevens double. Subsequently he won the weight-for-age C.B. Fisher Plate at Flemington under 9st.4lbs (59kg).
Whipping up a storm
Whips and thoroughbred welfare, particularly with horses after their racecourse used-by date, are very much on the boil in Melbourne this spring. "The issue of whipping horses is a questionable tradition," Phil McManus wrote in a letter to The Sydney Morning Herald last week. Other critics asked: "Has Australian racing lost its way?" Racing Victoria has countered with full-page advertisements in the Melbourne papers featuring a serene Peter Moody. "Here in Victoria we have over 9000 active thoroughbred racehorses and in my opinion they are the most cared for horses in the land," he says. Racing Victoria chief stipe Terry Bailey says, regarding the whip issue, he supports the opinion of jockeys that there is a safety element for their application. Still, suggestions arise that this could be the last year the whip is used with the same flourish in the Melbourne Cup. "My great grandfather, Thomas Willis, was a racing writer in the early 1900s and was known as 'Milroy'," Carolyn McDonald emailed. "He was also an excellent horseman and his family began racing horses in the early 1800s in Hyde Park and to this very day a few extended members of the family continue with the tradition of racehorse ownership, but they detest their horses being whipped. Many have pulled out though and walked away from racing because the jockeys do not respect their wishes not to flog their horses."
Derby tactic upsets punters
"It was hard to understand Hampton Court's tactics given Gai's obsession with wind, the way the track seemed to be playing, and the manner of his Randwick run," Magi decreed on Racenet in what was kindest assessment by internet critics of hot favourite Hampton Court's Victoria Derby failure. "Think they erred (well, the result says they did)," he added. Perhaps some pre-race declaration that Hampton Court, prepared by Gai Waterhouse, would be ridden so aggressively and up on the speed was announced but it didn't come onto my radar. With those tactics the colt was the first horse beaten and rider Kerrin McEvoy, the steward's report says, "could offer no explanation".
Horse to follow: Golconda had a mishap at the start when jockey Vlad Duric lost an iron but finished in good style for fourth in the Wakeful at Flemington on Saturday.
Disappointing: May's Dream, the $5 favourite, ended eighth in Flemington's Myer on Saturday after being wide throughout.
