Sydney is entitled to bask in the glory of their Championship promotion when the best horses in training were competing in nine races at Royal Randwick for record prize money of $8.5 million.

However, whether the Australian Turf Club needed to race at Randwick so soon after the Championship seems a bit unnecessary, where there are four race courses in Sydney under the administration of one Club.

Racing should have gone to Rosehill, Canterbury or Warwick Farm; Randwick should have been spared for next Saturday’s program, the All Aged Stakes.

The entire program is completely out of kilter, stake money of $8.5 million one day and a paltry $400,000 the next, with three maiden races to boot, the meeting should have been transferred to Bourke, there would have been more interest shown there.

Leading Jumps Rider Warned

Leading jumps rider, Steve Pateman, has been refused permission to accept rides weighted below 67.5 kgs, hence it cost him the ride on Lord of the Song in the Great Eastern Steeplechase at Oakbank.

Pateman has had several weight issues in the past that have tried the patience of the stewards, when they have had to substitute riders at scale due to a weight issue.

It is now all up to Pateman, he now has to prove to stewards he is serious and needs to undergo a weight reduction program.

He now has to face facts, there is not going to be many riding opportunities for him, or any jockey, at 67.5 kg.

Scratchings Heavy

Scratchings were surprisingly heavy at Caulfield, numbering 47 on a track rated a dead 4, and likely to come up as a good 3.

We also saw two Maiden races on the program, for unexplained reasons the first one worth $35,000, and the second was $25,000.

Surely the stake money could have been pooled at $30,000, as the costs involved are equal.

Avoca on Anzac Day

Avoca is in for another big day on Friday, when the local race club plays host to thousands of visitors to the annual Anzac Day race meeting.

The club conduct three meetings per year, Anzac Day, Caulfield Cup Day and another leading into Christmas in December.

All are non tote fixtures which suit the club, the committee is strong and enthusiastic, far from the type that only turn up on race day.

There are no drones in Avoca, every committeeman puts in, their strength is in numbers as shown by the success of the club.

If ever there was needed to be an example of a race club overcoming tough times, the Avoca Shire Turf Club stands as a shining example .