Figures Don’t Add Up

At the beginning of each jumping season we get the message of how many horses are trialling, but the figures don’t add up on race days, the fields still remain small.

Bendigo, a super race track, as good as you will get outside of a capitol city, two races last Sunday, each of $100,000, five runners in the hurdle and four in the steeple, hardly a roaring success.

Nothing has changed, jumps racing is not a good betting medium, and never will be in the present climate.

Until such time there are sufficient runners to encourage each way betting it will not change, it has lost its way through adverse publicity.

Kennett Calls For Less Racing

Former Premier, Jeff Kennett, calls for less racing, it is not likely to be heeded, nor can it be the way our current racing model is structured.

Racing has changed, it is now seven days a week, and two meetings on the same day, has become a regular to meet the required budget.

An abandoned race meeting was never much of a concern formerly that has all changed with the advent of off course betting, it puts a severe dent in the budget.

With seven days racing trainers are constantly under the pump, telling yarns in the early morning around the old stripping sheds, that is long gone, time is money.

All the older trainers have disappeared, with the required pace of today they would never have coped with syndication and necessary office requirements.

Training is a pressure job if you cannot handle it best step aside, as for credit and bad debts, that has never changed and not likely to.

No Signs Of Retirement

Martin Synan is showing no signs of pulling up stumps yet after 30 years as Moonee Valley’s racecourse and facilities manager.

Yesterday he was in a different capacity, being hosted by the committee in recognition of his excellent service to the Moonee Valley Racing Club.

The Valley, as it is so often referred to, continues as a great place to go racing.

No Shortage Of Handshakes

There will any amount of trips down memory, and handshakes to boot, when Berrigan Race Club conducts their next race meeting, a full T A B fixture on the 30^th of August, a day to remember 94 year old Bert Honeychurch.

Much of the history revolving about racing in Berrigan belongs to Bert, he was a highly and respected trainer who prepared hundreds of winners for a loyal group of clients.

He trained horses as close to nature as possible getting excellent results, the 35 horses he generally had in work all enjoyed their lunch in the sunshine, stabling was for night time only.

Bert will be in good company with 12 grand children and 11 great grand children to honour him on the occasion, included in the troupe will be his grandson, Stephen Theodore, a prominent young city trainer.