Southerly Wind gave his rivals something to chase when he spread eagled the field in the Eugene Gorman Handicap.

The Mick Kent trained colt was making his debut as most of the field was made up of first starters, he was never the less quite impressive, opening up favourite and never moved off his opening quote, he had obviously trialled well previously and was supported with educated money.

There is still another run in him this preparation according to his astute trainer, Mick Kent, who is riding on the crest of a wave at present.

Stable apprentice, Jake Bayliss, has put in all the hard yards riding the colt in all his work and in trials; he was rewarded with the winning ride.

Jake Bayliss

Southerly Wind is by Zoffany, a Group 1 success having won over 1200 metres of the Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh, Ireland’s premier racecourse.

He was acclaimed as joint Champion three year old miler in Ireland 2011; he went to stud the following year.

His oldest progeny are just two year olds, to date he has sired 12 runners for five winners, including Southerly Wind.

So Si Bon, by the dual Cox Plate success So You Think , is a nice colt and is sure to be better suited over further ground.

Southerly Wind had too much pace at Flemington

There was no tossing the coin when trainer, Daryl Archard, offered Brooke Sweeney the option of riding Leveraction at Flemington, or Make Mine Brandy at Swan Hill.

It wasn’t really a difficult choice; although she had ridden both horses at their previous wins at Echuca, she had no hesitation in booking herself for Leveraction at Flemington.

She certainly pulled the right rein, however, the trainer, Daryl Archard, didn’t, he was among the walking wounded after a serious escapade that saw him spend three days in hospital during the week, the culprit being Leveraction.

All was forgiven after the gelding led from barrier to box, whilst he was beginning to shorten stride it the straight he did all the hard yards, it was a deserving win and ridden to perfection by Brooke Sweeney.

Brooke Sweeney - A promising apprentice

She is a very capable young rider with a definite future, with light hands, that soft touch that George Moore would have been envious of, she could just about ride before she walked.

The Sweeney’s need no introduction to racing, among the best known racing families in the Riverina, her grandfather, Lionel, trained, her uncle, Ken, rode successfully and trained hundreds of winners before moving to Adelaide, the remainder of the family are still in Jerilderie, after a successful career in the saddle Phillip is now training, his wife rode under the name of Irene Noble.

While two daughters now riding, Brooke and Sally, the name of Sweeney is assured of being  around for another generation.

Leveraction winning the Ken Cox Handicap

Whilst Quinton Scott is fast approaching three score and ten, there are no signs of retirement; he can still match it with the young fellows half his age.

Quinie, as he was known as a kid, was just about four years old when he commenced pottering about his grandfather’s stables at Violet Town.

His grandfather, Tom, was a good trainer, above all a highly respected citizen and a familiar figure, as he always wore a grey dust coat.

His father, Digger, was a successful jockey in the North –East, he was the stable rider, he rode the Mooroopna track well with its run in of 600 metres, the longest straight in Victoria at that time .

There was a lot of reminiscence after Forgeress’s win at Sandown last Saturday, the intention is to look for another suitable race in the city, while the tracks remain soft she will have another couple of runs before going to stud.

Quinton commenced training in the old stables at Violet Town before moving on to Kilmore, from there to Flemington in Sandown Road, just a few doors up from where Carbine was stabled, his next move was Cranbourne, and finally he is well settled at Warrnambool by the seaside.

Travelling doesn’t seem to bother him much, on the eve of Forgeress’s recent win at Sandown he was up at 3.30am, took a jumper to school at Pakenham, arrived home at 5 pm, and did it all again the next day, but it was a bit sweeter this time, he was up in the winner’s circle

A return trip from Warrnambool to Adelaide, and back the same day with a horse is quite common for him, in fact the previous week he made a trip on the Saturday and was back at Casterton the next day.

Quinton Scott

Alan Johns and his wife, Glenda, have little to complain about, they are living in the better of two worlds, working among horses in an environment at Flemington that is second to none.

The only house on the racecourse, no neighbours or hawkers calling in to worry about, or barking dogs, it is so serene and quiet you could hear a pin drop.

While they live less than 100 metres off Epsom Road, you cannot hear the traffic, or even the trams, it has a natural sound barrier.

Both are up and ready for a 3.30 am start, Alan goes through the side gate no less than a couple of metres from his front door, he is on the training staff at Godolphin, while Glenda is further away, about 50 metres working for David Hayes.

Alan was born and bred in the Riverina at Deniliquin a great racing town, years ago where Roy Higgins commenced his riding career.

Higgins had completed his apprentice and was riding winners in Melbourne when Alan Johns commenced his apprenticeship with Jim Watters.

Both were to suffer from the same fate, a legacy of Eileen Watters’s big breakfasts, Higgins always had weight issues while riding and Johns had nine rides for six winners before he got too heavy.

Johns remained around Deniliquin, breaking in a few horses, and after spending so much time among them you seldom give it up easily.

When he was approached by the leading trainer in the Riverina, Ken Sweeney, to break in a couple of horses, he didn’t realise he would have constant employment for the next 23 years.

Sweeney was based at Jerilderie; he was a very good trainer with up to 60 to 70 horses in work constantly, all year round.

Jerilderie held three race meetings a year in those days, it has since been reduced to one,   the town where Ned Kelly held up the local bank, and some years later it’s vault stored the precious Melbourne Cup trophy won by Russia in 1946.

When Sweeney came to Flemington with stables in Wisemould Street, it was just a matter of time before private stables would have to close, due to heavy traffic in Epsom Road.

When Sweeney and his wife left Flemington to train at Morphettville, Johns stayed behind to work for John Hawkes, among the stars of the stable was Lonhro, among the most underrated horse we have known, a great racehorse, only out of a place once in 35 starts, a champion sire, the best performed since Heroic all those years ago.

Johns has been a part of the Godolphin team for close on 20 years, there is always going to be a few favourites when you work among horses for so long, Sepoy would be high on the list, he won the Blue Diamond Stakes and the Golden Slipper Stakes, he would be close to the top of the list.

He rates Vain as the best horse he as seen, with good reason, no three year old has ever  beaten the open age horses, three times, during a spring carnival at Flemington.

Alan Johns - A great horseman

There was a stable staff shortage in Britain last year and has come back to haunt trainers again this year.

No one is calling it a crisis, but what else do they call it, plenty do and it is not going to go away in hurry.

Trainers place job advertisements but it seems to have little effect, labour is as scarce as hen’s teeth.

A survey carried out 12 months ago, by the National Trainers Federation, found out at a conservative estimate the industry was operating with 500 fewer grooms, and work riders as required.

Neither the NTF nor the National Association of stable staff (Nass), believes the situation has not improved one year on.

Trainer face difficulties, they have to show a united front. if it’s conditions or wages that has to be improved, there is no point haggling about, this is the 21^st century, not the dark ages, when cheap labour had to be accepted, there were no options then.