"THE WEEK THAT WAS"...24/12/2011..
"TROT TACTICS"...24/12/2011..
It's that time of year again,the season to be jolly.And,as 2011 winds down,we are still plagued by TAB meetings going on with six or seven races,rather than the specified eight.As usual,the non-TAB fixtures run full cards with massive ballots with owners and trainers prepared to lose the bigger money in the belief that non-TAB equals better earning opportunity.I am not sure that this is a correct perception,as my current "stable star" the honest Miss Abbey,having won a non-Tab race at Redcliffe,has managed get more than $3,500 out of three seconds and a win in successive starts in TAB company on Wednesday nights.You cannot get anything at home.For the harness owner/trainer and driver,Santa Claus is at the racetrack.However,rather than write to the North Pole,try bombarding Botra committee persons to push for a $40 rebate to owners for every TAB starter.It's not much,and no doubt it would have to come out of the prizemoney,but it might just be the difference between an owner staying in the game or getting out and never coming back.Anyway,no matter how good or bad the last year has been,the New Year always brings hope."Trot Tactics" wishes Punters and Participants alike the Merriest of Christmases and prosperity with a change of luck in 2012..If Santa was really on his game,he would program a divided restricted race on every TAB program to be used to make up the shortfall in event numbers,giving the Raceclubs a better chance to present a full program to the punters.
Top performing stables this week again included the flourishing combo of "Team Benham" and Lynn Paton.Not content with All Time Legend taking out the Marburg Christmas Feature in near track record time last Saturday,Paton was seen to advantage behind Art Ruler which scored in claiming class at Redcliffe on Wednesday night.It will be "trout and truffles" at Walloon tomorrow!!
The Lord Mayor of Fernvale,Darrel Graham" was front and centre at Albion Park last Saturday night with Lanercost grabbing the Christmas Cup and Corageous Annie flogging the opposition in the last race on the program.Mind you,DWG is probably used to "trout and truffles" and might fancy a slice or two of a "turducken".This particular poultry treat is said to be popular at Christmas in the French Canadian provinces.Whatever,both stables are on a roll and long may it continue!!
Two southern licencees will not be singing Merry Christmas as they are sucked into the NSW corruption inquiry this week.Set to answer charges of paying stewards to ensure that particular runners were not drug tested after a winning performance was high profile driver, Cameron Fitzpatrick,facing allegations relating to Lombo Baccarat on July 1st 2011 at Bankstown and again on July 7th at Penrith. Trainer,Dean Atkinson,was on the carpet for the same indiscretion with charges relating to Reluctant Dancer,(Penrith May 12th 2011 and Menangle May 17th 2011.A pacer called The Open also received a green light at the Penrith meeting of May 12th..Long ago a learned man wrote,"the mills of justice grind slow,but they grind most exceedingly fine".It's all about control or the lack of it,and it was the lack of it that led to this disaster..
Resultsville...Gold Coast 16/12..nil...Albion Park 17/12..Dougs Place (Pete McMullen for John Davis)..Maywyn Jasper (Gary Whitaker for Shane Sanderson)..Lanercost (Darrel Graham)..Courageous Annie (Darrel Graham)...Marburg 17/12..Cullenflashingholme (Ken Belford).. All Time Legend (Lynn Paton for Steve Benham)..Livet Lady Chantal Turpin for Gavin Crone)..We Need A Hero (Ken Belford)...Albion Park 20/12..Melton Little Don (Pete for John McMullen)...Redcliffe 21/12..Art Ruler (Lynn Paton for Steve Benham).. Miss Abbey (Barty Cockburn for Denis Smith)..Party In Paris (Narissa McMullen for Ray Sallis)..Laughing Fury (Glenn Dawson)...Gold Coast 22/12..Our Poppa Jack (Mick Dux for Francis Weston)..Centurion Star (Lola Weidemann for Craig Fritz)..Emperor Montana (Darrel Graham)...