Back 50 years on December 9, Page presented a bright, beaming countenance when he opened the windows at 13 Angel Place at 8.30am. Alas, only journalists arrived, thus supplying his first lesson – punters don't bet early. "By 11am there were queues back to the wall," Page said. "I was still counting the money at three the next morning. The headlines, of course, were changed in later editions." At the time, supporters of legalising SP bookmakers were riding the off-course tote into the ground.

The NSW government introduced the TAB after Justice Edward Kinsella held a royal commission and reported that SP bookmakers had an annual turnover of $550 million, a modest assessment. SP bookmakers scoffed at the turnover on the first meeting at Canterbury: £12,108 ($24,216), taken at six agencies with no radio broadcasts. Win and place was offered on seven races, plus a daily double and quinella on the last. Bets cut off 40 minutes before the race, hardly competition for the illegal bookmaking network, which allowed telephone calls until the start.

Now the SP bookies are as rare as the Tasmanian tiger as the corporates, mainly offshore owned, flood the market. Betting is better for punters – more convenience because of technology – but they are enjoying it as much? My main disappointment with the TAB is too many piddling pools. Unlike Hong Kong, it doesn't have a four-legged lottery, which can produce a big result from a small outlay. But that's hardly a flop.

Firm figures

Numbers, not words, is the best way to play the new track-rating system, introduced last week after a Victorian push to make it more understandable for the younger generation and overseas enthusiasts. Thus we now have two "firms", two "good", three stages of "soft" and three "heavy". "Stick to the numbers," suggests Lindsay Murphy, the Australian Turf Club's racecourse manager and the most experienced in the business. "One is as firm as it gets and 10 the heaviest." By race eight on Saturday, Rosehill was eight.

Waller impressed

The recent Chris Waller tutorial with Aidan O'Brien's training empire in Ireland produced more diplomacy than a Tommy Smith venture to Britain a half-century back. Renowned for his attention of detail, Waller was overwhelmed by O'Brien in the same category. "He takes it to a new level," Sydney's leading trainer said. "Even the warm-up track gets revitalised midway through session ... a horse heaven at its finest." After his jaunt abroad, Smith declared the top horses he had seen there "weren't fit enough to trot a circuit of Centennial Park", upsetting his wife Valerie, one of the few critics to who he paid attention. She felt it was no way to maintain strong links with good hosts.

Thompson's still on top

The Doomben double on Saturday confirmed record-breaking veteran Robert Thompson is still up there with the best. Thompson judged the pace skilfully on Paraggi to take the 2200-metre event as well as the feature, the George Moore, on Big Money, trained by Rod Northam. Northam also supplied Thompson with two Mudgee winners on Friday – Hot Vinni and Wisen Up. Thompson hasn't cut back on his workload either, after about 270 rides so far this season, comparable with the whiz-kid, James McDonald.

Doomben does it

Only the recent erratic weather saved Rosehill from another Saturday shambles concerning field sizes and betting turnover. Two races had less than eight starters and the program hardly compared with Doomben in Brisbane as a punting medium. Despite lacking the Sydney prizemoney, Brisbane maintains a reasonable standard outside of carnival time. Surely Saturday's Villiers at Royal Randwick, once a December highlight, can offer racegoers and horse players an acceptable surface and events of substance. Once the Randwick course proper was rated with the best in the world, particularly for the Villiers.

Horse to follow

"She'll have to be Phar Lap to win," a wise guy said at Rosehill on Saturday watching on television regarding Hijack Hussey being last at the turn in the Mode Stakes at Doomben on Saturday. As it turned out she ended just a length from doing a Phar Lap in the minor placing, auguring well for her future.

Disappointing

Pheidon, one of the strong fancies in Saturday's Kingston Town Stakes at Ascot, finished last.