Betting Scandal

Owners are dodging Damien Oliver as if he had the plague, after revelations he had a bet of $10,000 on the winner of a race in which he rode another horse.

The irony of the alleged incident to place exactly two years ago, at Moonee Valley, in a race won by Miss Octopussy.

Oliver has done no wrong that we know of, it is simply an allegation that has to be proved, in the meantime his name has been blackened and he has no right of redress.

We are well aware that the Moonee Valley race is under investigation; surely it is not going to drag on in serial form like “Days Of Our Lives”

At this stage it is no more than innuendo, if the alleged incident did occur the informant, or the source of information, should have been revealed at the same time Oliver’s name was splurged over newspapers and television, he remains innocent until proven guilty.

Hawkes Playing His Cards Close To His Chest

John Hawkes is playing his cards close to his chest, he has until next Tuesday before he shows his hand, as to whether Guineas winner, All Too Hard, runs in the Cox Plate.

The Sydney based trainer has never been known to making rash statements and that is not likely to change.

All Too Hard is yet to run at Moonee Valley, the trainer may prefer the Derby at Flemington with its wide open spaces, plus he remains unbeaten at headquarters.

Brown To Do It Hard

Corey Brown declares he will have to take off three3 kg, which is seven pounds in the old, to ride Pierro in the Cox Plate; it’s still a big deal even though he has nine days to shed the weight.

The late Billy Cook, among the best jockeys in a star studded era, had to take off six pounds to ride Hydrogen in the 1941 Melbourne Cup, Cook was  a sorry figure when he returned to scale vowing he would never do it again.