IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published by the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS reports on the bitter sweet story of Ingham Cup winner for the Olivia Cairns stable.
Only a day earlier Shane Colahan, the partner of Cairns, was disqualified for six months in a controversial outcome to a fight at Cluden. Other participants in the fracas escaped penalty which has angered man in the racing fraternity in Townsville.
Butts also report on the appeal today (Tuesday) by Chris Whiteley which will decide whether the top jockey can ride the favorite in the Cairns Amateur Cup.
BITTER SWEET STORY OF INGHAM CUP WINNER FOR OLIVIA CAIRNS STABLE
INGHAM Cup winner Blast Out Of Here was lucky to get to the post at the weekend.
One of his part-owners Shane ‘Unit’ Colahan was disqualified late on Friday afternoon after an inquiry into a fight at the Cluden track last month.
As a disqualified person he cannot race a horse – and he had a 10 per cent interest in the Cup runner.
So at the 11th hour all his partners had to sign out and then sign in again, and have the registration processed.
The rest is history.
It was a bitter sweet victory for trainer Olivia Cairns who is Shane’s partner, and mother of their baby boy.
DISQUALIFIED SHANE HAS TO SEEK RQ PERMISSION TO LIVE WITH HIS FAMILY
UNDER the terms of disqualification Shane must obtain permission from Racing Queensland to live with his family, and, if granted, is barred from any association with horses.
He can’t even help out with the cleaning of boxes or driving the float or swimming or hosing them down.
And under the Rules (as of June last year) Shane is not even allowed to have a bet or have a betting account.
How silly is that?
COLAHAN HAS BEEN STRONGLY ADVISED TO APPEAL DISQUALIFICATION
Mind you, the Shane Colahan case is far from over yet.
He has been strongly advised to appeal the hefty six months’ disqualification that has left many Townsville racing stakeholders in a state of dismay.
Basic facts are there was a fight in the tie-up area at Cluden during trackwork between Colahan and another trainer. Then another trainer (after allegedly removing his shirt) joined in (or attempted to).
There is absolutely no suggestion anyone was ‘king’ hit.
Yet only one was found guilty of assault and disqualified. No action was taken against the other two.
APPEAL TO DECIDE IF WHITELEY RIDES FAVORITE IN CAIRNS AMATEUR CUP
JOCKEY Chris Whiteley has an anxious wait before he packs his saddles and surcingles to partner the likely hot favourite, Payteevee, in Saturday’s Cairns Amateur Cup.
Whiteley’s appeal against a four-week suspension, incurred for his ride on Dahara Prize in the Mackay Newmarket on July 4, will be heard today (Tuesday). He has been riding on a stay of proceedings since August 19.
He was charged under Rule 135(b) which relates to a jockey not giving his mount every opportunity to obtain the best place in a field.
Stewards maintained that Whiteley made no attempt to take a run between two horses – Doyadeal and Motorised – after the field straightened for home.
Whiteley in fact pleaded guilty to the charge and was outed for four weeks – until midnight September 21.
But then he appealed and his date with Payteevee and other fancied runners from the all- powerful John Manzelmann stable at this week’s FNQ Amateurs meeting will be known today.
APPEAL AMONG FIRST TO BE HEARD BY NEW RDB ESTABLISHED BY RQ
THE Chris Whiteley appeal will be one the first to be heard by the newly-created Racing Disciplinary Board that has been set up among a raft of integrity changes by Racing Queensland.
The new Board will determine whether the jockey can ride at Cairns.
Manzelmann, as expected has four runners in the Cup, and looks set to totally dominate as he has in all major staying races in the north this winter.
He has pencilled in Whiteley for Payteevee but if his appeal is not successful Adrian Coome will have the mount.
If the Whiteley appeal is successful, Coome will be on Monteshim. Trinity Bannon retains the ride on Cairns and Townsville Cups placegetter and Amateur Cukp winner Sarbi and Frank Edwards will be the new jockey for topweight More More More.
COUNTRY CUPS KING GOES ON SPENDING SPREE AT SALES IN SYDNEY
JOHN Manzelmann went on a spending spree last Friday at the Inglis Sales in Sydney – obviously expecting to pick up the rich plums at Cannon Park with his team of eight (four of them in the Cup).
John is a regular at the major thoroughbred sales in Sydney and Melbourne, and it was at this Sydney sale last year that he procured More More More.
He ended up with six new gallopers on Friday, including a Maiden by Redoubt’s Choice and others by Dubwai Gold and Magic Albert.
But his prize purchase was Flemington and Randwick winner Delzera, a mare by Grandera formerly trained by Guy Walter.
“I thought I would have to pay more for her. She’s not very big but I liked her a lot before she entered the ring”.
Delzera was knocked down for $6,000.
Manzelmann also stands the well-bred Burwaadi at stud in Mackay so his purchase of mares might have a dual purpose.
But breeding is still on the back-burner.
“Besides I like training mares. I have a lot of luck with them,” said the premier country trainer.
INGHAM CUP MEETING ONE OF THE BEST AT A COUNTRY MEETING IN AGES
THE crowd at the Ingham Cup day meeting on Saturday was one of the best that has been seen at a country meeting in ages.
And apparently so was the betting turnover between tote and eight on-course bookies.
It was more than comparable with Home Hill’s popular Cup day in May.
Of course the weather (well it’s the first week of spring) had an influence, but it proves yet again that racing can attract crowds with the right promotion and programming.
It’s a shame Ingham wasn’t highlighted by the national TV racing channels.
TATTSBET DID A ROARING TRADE BETTING ON BEVERLY LAST SATURDAY
ON Saturday the Queensland TAB (Tatt’s)should have worked on the Ingham Cup meeting but among venues it serviced was a race meeting at Beverly which is somewhere in Western Australia.
The main race held a mere $15 in the any 2 pool. The exacta held $30 and the trifecta had a pool of just $50.
Any they queued up all day to have a bet at Ingham. Now that is just downright crazy.
Long-time Ingham club stalwart Dave Adcock said he would jump at the opportunity to have TAB and SKY coverage – and why not?
Three horses had to be balloted out of one Ingham race because the fields are currently limited to only 10. There is a move to have that changed too.
We hear that Queensland Jockey’s Association is trying to have fields on all country tracks limited to 12.
Surely there wouldn’t be an objection to Ingham with a track width of 22 metres having the limit increased.
COLUMN COURTESY OF TERRY BUTTS AND THE NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, one of Australia's leading rural newspapers.
TERRY BUTTS can be contacted by e-mailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.