By Max Presnell
It's election time. The USA's is done but there's one coming up at the ATC, on the verge of being dollar-rich and Saturday-field size poor. Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, following an abysmal Canterbury turnout last weekend, already has two fields with fewer than eight starters and other events hovering around the low mark on the biggest betting day of the week.
Still it doesn't get a mention from of any candidates standing for the Australian Turf Club board in the form guides I've seen. Nor have I read any move on the Randwick Outhouse, formerly referred to here as the Theatre of the Absurd.
What's the solution? Saturday field sizes have been a blight for decades.Credit: Jenny Evans
Yes, the amalgamation of the former inspirational Sydney Turf Club and Australian Jockey Club, which did a remarkable job controlling the industry, hasn't the same grunt but still has a duty to quality racing.
Certainly one candidate, Angela Belle McSweeney, is bred to stay. Last Saturday at Canterbury she informed me of the support for her from Alan Jones and Gai Waterhouse. With that backing Hillary Clinton would have bolted in.
Angela is the daughter of Tony McSweeney, the cocktail cavalier of King Tommy Smith's court and Molly, daughter of Pat Nailon, a leading trainer of his time.
Tony McSweeney, with son John, raced Silver Sharpe, winner of the three Derbies in 1970 when horses were bred more along classic lines not six furlong-wonders.
"If I never win another race I won't complain," McSweeney told Smith. Following a decade-long drought the owner remarked they were having a lean spell to which the master of Tulloch Lodge shrilled: "Remember what you said after Silver Sharpe?"
Around the same time Molly was a grand dame of the Black And White committee, a high society mob that would have tempted Bing Crosby into song, particularly for a Queen or Princess of the Ball function in which young Angela beat Gai Smith in a photo finish.
In her prospectus Angela mentions "Theatre Of The Horse" but it wasn't about getting the star attractions back on centre stage in front of the grandstand, much enjoyed at Flemington recently and even Rosehill Gardens.
Still the present back section could come in handy: a frolicking area for tosspots, a demographic much favoured by the ATC. Maybe Flemington had its share at the recent Melbourne Cup carnival but pro-rata Randwick leads the field.
The Outhouse could have feature attractions. Rubber garbage bins for the legless to recline, or be placed, in comfort. Hurl the Torpedo, a cross between spin-the-bottle and throwing horseshoes. Limp falling, too, could be a feature. It was introduced to Sydney by Ron Saw and Jim Oram, Daily Mirror imbibers around the same time as Angela and Gai were strutting their stuff for the Black And White committee. A remembrance day for Oram is planned next month at Manly. The ground at the Outhouse would provide a softer landing.
But the ATC balance sheet is no longer tottery with a $13.4 million operating surplus announced this week. The prizemoney God is being appeased, but it doesn't seem to have any effect on Saturday field sizes, a blight for decades.
Imagine how bad the overall numbers would be without the support of the Highway which attracts bush cuddies to town for less than the city slickers get.
Darren Pearce, the worthy ATC CEO, reckons the second tier of Sydney trainers should be strengthened because the lesser lights don't want to take on the strength of Waller, Godolphin and The Snowdens.
I doubt this, but how do newcomers get established, particularly as Warwick Farm is under siege from housing. Trainers can get big superannuation bucks from selling stables near the course but where do the horses go?
Melbourne has Cranbourne and Pakenham. I believe the ATC and Godolphin, which has Crown Lodge in the centre of what could be a building project, have had a meeting regarding a new training centre. Godolphin, though, is well placed with Agnes Banks.
Making Warwick Farm glamorous, after decades of neglect, would test Donald Trump let alone Angela Belle McSweeney. But it's a wonderful and stimulating time to be an ATC director.
Play The Exotics
Parlay: Sandown Race 4 – (3) Husson Eagle, Sandown Race 7 – (8) So Si Bon, Rosehill Race 7 – (8) Balmain Boy, Rosehill Race 8 – (5) Redoubtable Heart.
Rosehill Quadrella: Race 6 – (1) Wine Tales, (3) Daysee Doom, (6) Painted Firetail, Race 7 – (2) Moher, (8) Balmain Boy, Race 8 – (5) Redoutable Heart, (7) Cana, (9) Asinara, Race 9 – (2) Raphael's Cat, (6) Elemenophee, (12) Infra Dig.
Sandown Quadrella: Race 7 – (3) Almoonqith, (8) So Si Bon, Race 8 – (1) Lucky Hussler, (7) Faatinah, Race 9 – (8) Tucanchoo, (12) High Church, (13) Cool Chap, Race 10 – (9) Extensible, (12) Shillelagh.
Best Box Trifecta: Sandown Race 4 – (3) Husson Eagle, (5) Vezalay, (6) O'Malley.
Best Quinella: Rosehill Race 5 – (3) Moral Victory, (4) Lunar Rise.