PRIME DISPATCH

Edition 135 – 09/11/2016 Compiled by Joe o’Neill

Strike For Victory – Low Flying!!!

I was as pleased with Strike For Victory’s win at Kempsey as I can ever remember being with any of

our winners. She has been a difficult child and after displaying enormous talent early but was a bit of

a barrier rogue. A lot of work has been put into her and to her credit she has responded. Her winning

time for a 3yo maiden was exceptional and only .14 of a second outside the course record.

Well done to Kris Lees and his team for getting her right and the ball is in her court now. She is by

Smart Missile, a horse I have a lot of faith in and it is good to see him clearly leading the Second

Season Sire’s List with both winners and stakes money.

I supported him strongly in his first season purchasing three fillies. All three can gallop with Strike

For Victory joining The Wasp as a last start winner. The 3rd

Chastity Strikes heads to Scone next

Thursday where she hopefully can break her maiden.

With three months of the season completed we are starting to see some trends particularly with the

younger horses. There are not too many changes with the older sire lists or brood mare sires and this

is again the trend. The First Season Sires are taking their time getting going which isn’t surprising.

We will see a lot of two year olds step out as we head towards the Magic Millions Carnival.

ON THE TRACK

We really do have a lot happening in the coming week with runners in Victoria, NSW, Queensland

and Tasmania.

Husson Eagle kicks off his preparation at Sandown in the 1000m Listed Doveton Stakes and Flying

Jess who hasn’t had much go right this preparation heads to the Listed Twilight Glow Stakes. Other

runners include Husson Boots, Isthmian, Tough Vic, Stimuli and Husson’s Kiss. The following week

sees Reneged resume with Makeadane, More Than A Rose and Hijack Hussy set to race.

Drinks at Proper and Son – rough crowd here!!!

Patrick Payne, John Thompson, John Moloney and Darren Weir with yours truly!!!

THE STATE OF THE NATION!!!

Over the past few weeks we have seen the Annual Reports tabled for the Racing Jurisdictions in each

of the States. Overall they paint a healthy picture with NSW, Victoria and Tasmania posting profits.

NSW in particular has had a remarkable couple of years with increases in stakes money and

incentives for participants to support country racing the envy of the other States. The industry in

NSW goes hand in hand with the breeding industry and with a reported additional $73 million more to

come it is fair to assume we will see further improvements in the Premier State.

A big winner for NSW has been the Australian Turf Club (ATC) now being out of debt and posting a

$21 million profit for the last financial year. If you drive past Randwick or Warwick Farm you will

see major works being under taken which should further strengthen the ATC’s position.

While stakes money in Victoria has fallen behind NSW the money on offer is still good but Racing

Victoria Limited (RVL) need to address the situation and match NSW. RVL posted a $27 million

profit which while a good result was down from about $50 million the previous year.

On the positive side the Victorian Spring Carnival was a great success with the momentum gradually

building until the week at Flemington which saw very good racing. It is a massive winner for the

industry in Victoria. In other positive news each of Melbourne’s three racing clubs has major projects

in place which will be great for the future of the industry in the state.

Sadly these positive aspects have been overshadowed with a number of issues in Victorian Racing

with the industry in need of strong leadership and direction. Hopefully the Minister can get it ‘right’

by appointing an effective Chairman who will be in the job for longer than the previous two.

Queensland Racing posted a ‘substantial loss’ but there are reasons for this and with the racing

redevelopment at Eagle Farm due to be complete by March and the new Eagle Farm track starting to

settle down there are positive signs for the future.

Tas Racing deserves a special mention. The funding deed put in place by the previous State

Government was never going to offer sufficient funding to secure the industry’s future but through

hard work and thinking outside the square Tas Racing returned a profit and has secured $43million for

infrastructure spending. New track in Hobart please!!!

SA and WA both tabled losses which were disappointing but are being addressed. All in all things

look pretty good across the country.

The Wasp winning her maiden at Taree – solid win!!!

Gabby Moloney and Grace O’Neill at Proper and Son

Four wise men!!!

Jo McKinnon surrounded by the lads and a couple of curious looker ons!!!

Gabby Moloney is everywhere!!!

Not a party without punch!!!

The party continued on until!!!

In the end we ran out of red!!!