Randwick's Sacred Site Or A Sideshow Alley?
Sydney Morning Herald
Monday June 2, 2003
Call it a sacred site, an ancient burial ground or even a place for dreamtime but the former drop-off point for trams and horse-drawn carriages at Randwick racecourse shouldn't go to the land developers.
Yes, these days it is used for more updated forms of transport and was owned by the State Transit Authority, which decided to put the 1.6 hectare site up for tender.
The Australian Jockey Club, under the former chairman Bill Rutledge , in good faith, offered $10.5 million, which would have stretched the club's budget, but he was led to believe the offer had been accepted.
However, last week the STA decided if the purchase was to go through, the AJC would have to adhere to an act passed in the 19th century which said the ground would be restricted for certain uses including ``sideshows".
``Considering the money the AJC was prepared to pay and its consequences, we could not tie the members down to such an agreement," said Rutledge, whose term as chairman ended on Friday.
But the question is whether the Hong Kong group reported to have purchased the land will be tied into similar terms.
Surely the State Parliament, representing local ratepayers and every racegoer who will be inconvenienced by what promises to be an impossible traffic snarl on big days, is entitled to a full explanation of the deal.
Again, the sell-off is an example of the disdain the Carr Government has for racing, obviously without any thought of the revenue the AJC contributes to the state coffers nor of the tradition involved.
Banjo Paterson mentioned it his short story The Oracle. ``No tram ever goes to Randwick without him; he is always fat, hairy and assertive; he is generally one of a party. He knows all the owners and trainers or takes care to give the impression that he does," Paterson wrote.
Thousands of ``oracles" have been launched from the set-down point in the quest of the quick quid. At times they return, bold and arrogant with success. Alas, when the trend has gone against them they resemble King Arthur after some jousting, beaten and bedraggled with hard-luck stories.
Still, it is a vital part of a day at Randwick races and should be left untarnished by the developer's dollar, which, no doubt, led to the ``sideshow" last week starring the STA and Michael Costa, the Minister for Transport.
BUSH REMEDY: Perhaps the racing industry in general could learn from the Mudgee experience.
Mudgee, once regarded as hardly a desirable place to race, is now flourishing, due to only six meetings a year, all races sponsored, whereas most NSW clubs go for a policy of ``more is best".
One of the driving forces behind one of the major success stories in country racing is Colleen Walker, who hails from Canada. She is also the wife of chairman Max Walker, who is no slouch either when it comes to ideas.
The club secretary graduated from sandwich-maker on race days, the sort of foundation which all officials should experience.
With racing at the central western town of Geurie ready to be taken over, Mudgee could seek another day, but the Walkers are mindful to maintain the enthusiasm of locals, who regularly ask, ``When is our next meeting?". Mudgee is also keen to get a new entertainment area with backing from the Racecourse Development Fund so profits from outside functions can be ploughed into racing.
Mudgee exists because of racing stalwarts like David Lester, 30 years on the committee, eight as chairman, doing everything from driving the barrier stalls on race days to picking up garbage after the last. Sandwich-making he always left to the more adept.
BREATHE EASY: Improving three-year-old filly Zagalia had the benefit of a hypoxicator before winning Saturday's Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm.
``I'm sure it helped by getting her so fit without extra stress on her legs," part-owner Gerry Rose said yesterday.
The hypoxicator is a high-altitude treatment regulated through a mask, and the outstanding sprinter Belle Du Jour, also part-owned by Rose, benefited from it.
``In fact, when we sent a hypoxicator overseas with the mare we got another one for Zagalia," he said.
Apart from being a vet, Rose is a keen student of the turf and keeps his own ratings. He influenced the other part-owner John Singleton, ad man, radio mogul and now coup specialist to go to Brisbane for the oaks on Saturday because, on his figures, he felt Zagalia had a big show of winning.
BEJEWELLED: The fine line ridden by Chris Munce on Zagalia in the Queensland Oaks confirmed his worth as a group 1 jockey.
Munce rode competitively and survived a protest from Greg Childs, on the runner-up The Jewel. Chief steward Allan Reardon confirmed Childs had to stop riding on two occasions and completely at the 200m.
Because of the two-length winning margin, stewards fell back on the line that they couldn't be completely satisfied The Jewel would have beaten the winner had the interference not taken place.
Munce maintained he stopped riding Zagalia at certain stages but did he do so early enough when the horse first started to drift out? Had he, could The Jewel have scored? No doubt, the cry will go up again that, as in some other racing jurisdictions, serious interference should mean the guilty party being placed behind the victim.
Munce was reprimanded, so there was a breach but not important enough to receive a penalty, unlike Childs, who was fined $3000 and suspended for eight meetings for earlier interference to Natural Thunder, which must have been very severe, indeed, by comparison.
For Munce to survive the race intact was a tactical triumph.
HORSE TO FOLLOW: Bushland could finish only third in the Sires' Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday but still has scope for improvement.
DISAPPOINTING: Le Destina, starting at $4.60, could finish only fifth in Saturday's Carlton Draught Handicap at Moonee Valley and was beaten eight lengths. His rider, apprentice, Bryce Dieckmann , reported he failed to show ``much sprint".
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
`He [Munce] has moved out eight horses and the rules state he has to stop and straighten. If he did we would have won'
GREG CHILDS, rider of The Jewel, runner-up in Saturday's Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm
© 2003 Sydney Morning Herald