IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published in the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS reports from his cruise ship on the waters off New Zealand where he is spending some of the money won on his roughie Charlie’s Moment at Cluden on Saturday.
Butts comments on the cobalt crisis, the deadly silence of the ARB; how kids are VIP at racetracks in New Zealand and the 60th birthday celebrations for a legendary Kiwi jockey in Noel Harris.
Here is the Butts’ column:
NOT A MURMUR FROM ‘OLD BOYS COFFEE CLUB’ AT THE ARB ON COBALT ISSUE
YOUR scribe could hardly have been further away when Victorian stewards dropped the bomb on Australian racing last week.
He was all rugged up at Hokotika on the wild west coast of New Zealand’s South Island.
The news that swept the racecourse last Wednesday that “Moody’s gone for Cobalt” was met by most with incredulity.
But to those closer to home, the news that stewards had cracked the cobalt mystery was not a total surprise.
The surprise perhaps was that its use, apparently, is ‘restricted’ to just Melbourne.
For silence from Sydney has been deafening and at time of writing, there hadn’t been a murmur from the old boys Coffee Club AKA as the Australian Racing Board.
MELBOURNE STEWARDS NOT ‘ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL’ LIKE INTERSTATE COLLEAGUES
CLEARLY, stewards in Melbourne under the direction of Queenslander Terry Bailey caught his interstate colleagues asleep at the wheel.
Bailey has made no secret of his intention to catch up with users of Cobalt Chloride – a drug which is not new to sport and in particular racing in the US and Canada.
It has been a personal goal and his relentless search and commitment has been seemingly rewarded.
Of course the inquiries haven’t even begun but for stewards to make the announcement regarding such high profile licensees you can be certain they have oodles of evidence.
And no doubt there will be some pervious nellies – not restricted to Victorians either.
Racing administrators in other states would be compelled to follow.
There was a story months ago that Cobalt Chloride was being sourced from New Zealand, but according to the vet in charge at Hokitika last week: “We don’t even look for it.”
In fact he said not every winner is swabbed and ‘very few’ are pre swabbed.
“We test mainly for T2CO2 levels – but we only swab horses that stewards request.”
Besides, he admitted the analysing of swabs was ‘very expensive’.
So we can glean from all this that racing in New Zealand is squeaky clean and Sydney and Brisbane stables have not heard about Cobalt!
INTERESTING SITUATION NOW IN THE ON-GOING DARREN SMITH CASE
MIND you, it must be stated that the Newcastle trainer Darren Smith was charged over cobalt use last year but at the time NSW racing did not have a tolerance level – and the case, which lawyers for Smith are confident of winning, is yet to be finalised.
Interesting, and for some – worrying times ahead.
UNLIKE SOME AUSTRALIAN TRACKS, KIDS ARE VIP AT RACING IN NZ
ON a much happier note the Hokitika meeting was proof that the Kiwis are still very passionate about their racing. And kids are VIP.
Unlike many Australian clubs where kids are ludicrously banned from entry, Hokitika hosts a real family day with novelty events held in the straight between races – and all the fun of the fair from merry-go-rounds to fairy floss…the lot.
A fashion contest for kids saw dozens of three-year-olds running around in specially made jockeys’ silks while parents sprawled on the lawn with their BYOs in ice boxes tapping to a choice of three live bands
Yes, BYO.
BIG CELEBRATION ACROSS TASMAN FOR 60th BIRTHDAY OF NOEL HARRIS
IT was a different scene on Saturday at Trentham – one of the great courses of New Zealand – if not the world.
Your scribe was last on track to witness Great Sensation and Bobby Skelton win his third Wellington Cup 50 years ago to the day.
Things don’t change. They just get older!
IT was also the 60th birthday for jockey Noel Harris and a champagne brunch was held in his honour at the track two hours before the first. It was a packed house.
Harris has been a great jockey, best remembered in Australia perhaps as the rider of Castletown (he too won three Wellington Cups) and Poetic Prince who was a travesty beaten in the Caulfield Guineas.
“It was the biggest disappointment in my entire career. It was a bit of a sham,” said Harris who thinks about retiring every year – but is looking for another Group 1 winner.
One more Group 1 would give him the honour of being the oldest jockey in the world to win a Group 1 – and take the record from Lester Piggott.
“But it doesn’t worry me. Lester was a great friend when we rode together in Singapore.
“If I don’t break his record then so be it. It was a great honour to ride with him”.
Noel’s wife Kylie gave him a bracelet for his birthday woven from the hair of Castletown’s tail secured in a diamond clasp.
“She said she better get it made before he carked it – and I am not sure whether she meant me or Castletown – he’s 28 this year,” quipped Noel who, according to a report in NZ’s Informant, was renowned for his party antics, outrageous haircuts and snappy dressing.
He was also a bloody good jockey.
Still is.
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..
