Marc Van Gestel’s defection to Hong Kong and the savage bias at Rosehill Gardens two weeks back challenge the spotlight of Saturday’s $1 million Memsie Stakes, featuring the controversial Alligator Blood, at Caulfield.
Surely money, of which there is an abundance under Peter V’landys’ rule as Racing NSW boss, was not the catalyst for the pending departure of Van Gestel as chief steward, the state’s most important official in a highly specialist position where replacements look thin on the ground.
Racing NSW chief steward Marc Van Gestel is heading to Hong Kong.Credit:Getty
Van Gestel and his deputies had to sort the good from the bad and the ugly at the last Rosehill meeting, where being around the fence was rated a “huge advantage”.
On Saturday, the rail is in the normal position, which is also the situation at Caulfield where Alligator Blood, carrying Gerry Harvey’s colour for the first time following problems with the previous owners, will be out to confirm he is a contender for major spring honours in the weight-for-age sprint that goes back to 1899.
The Memsie will be out to match last Saturday’s Winx Stakes at Royal Randwick, another group 1 over the same 1400m journey taken by Anamoe.
Readied for the event, Anamoe received rave reviews. His performance was very good but so too were his rivals, particularly Profondo, Fangirl and Benaud. With lesser intent, not being as fine-tuned, they had room for improvement.
Alligator Blood, a six-year-old gelding, is chasing a major slice of $1 million on Saturday.Credit:Getty
Still Alligator Blood is thriving under the Gai Waterhouse–Adrian Bott management, substantiated by his last-start Stradbroke triumph. His opposition on Saturday includes I’m Thunderstruck, group 1 winning mares Duais, Tofane and Snapdancer as well as the untapped talent of Illation. Winner of his only three starts and prepared by the Mick Price-Michael Kent jnr partnership, the four-year-old So You Think stallion is a stablemate of I’m Thunderstruck. Throwing him off the deep end? No, a precipice. Obviously, they think Illation is special.
Alas, the Rosehill program isn’t as enticing with the feature events, the Up And Coming and San Domenico, being for three-year-olds coming from a lacklustre two-year-old season on a track where traffic jams were rampart two weeks back as navigators attempted to stay close to the fast lanes.
With $30 million recently splashed on prizemoney, which will not improve races, many believe it could be better spent elsewhere.
Sure Honkers has a reputation for making Australian officials, jockeys and trainers an offer too good to refuse but the current affluence here should put the local market in a strong competitive position.
Van Gestel was a product of the Australian Jockey Club policy of developing stewards under the tutelage of John Schreck, who also ventured to Hong Kong, and a finishing course from Ray Murrihy, both giants at racing law enforcement.
Back in the AJC day, Schreck was concerned about developing stewards. The then chairman Jim Bell decreed: “You find the people and we’ll [he and CEO Ray Alexander] find the money.”
Nineteen pupils were enrolled and have subsequently policed and contributed to racing worldwide.
Since the AJC, the interest in steward development has subsided, surprising considering the prime times. Yes, prizemoney is good but …
“Put aside the overtaxing of punters, surely the strategic plan for racing should now be about reducing costs to own and train horses and various staffing issues?” Daniel O’Sullivan, always an opinion worth noting, told Winning Post. “Why not put $50 million plus into strategic subsidies. The threat of a better industry in the long term is not a lack of prizemoney.”
Also, the Randwick “Wit’s Row”, where racing knowledge abounds, reckons further funds should be put into maiden events to give more owners a return. Many horses do not win again after their first.
Alligator Blood, a six-year-old gelding, is chasing a major slice of $1 million on Saturday and has already earned $2 million, of which Harvey has not been a recipient. No doubt he believes there is more, a lot more, to come.
Play the exotics:
Parlay: Caulfield Race 5 – (6) Jacquinot, Rosehill Race 8 – (3) Shalatin, Rosehill Race 9 – (1) Best Of Bordeaux, Caulfield Race 8 – (3) Alligator Blood.
Rosehill Quadrella: Race 7 – (8) Kalino, (12) Gracilistyla, (14) Waterford, Race 8 – (3) Shalatin, (11) Conqueror, Race 9 – (1) Best Of Bordeaux, (6) Sebonack, Race 10 – (1) Dajraan, (8) Shades Of Rose.
Caulfield Quadrella: Race 6 – (3) Generation, (4) In The Boat, (10) Star Patrol, Race 7 – (7) Passive Aggressive,(8) Isotope, Race 8 – (1) I’m Thunderstruck, (3) Alligator Blood, (14) Snapdancer, Race 9 – (6) Tralee Rose,(7) Lunar Flame, (9) Jimmy the Bear.
Best Box Trifecta: Caulfield Race 8 – (1) I’m Thunderstruck, (3) Alligator Blood, (14) Snapdancer.
