RAMORNIE HANDICAP TRIP PHOTOS....Part 1

By Phil Purser

19/07/2010

Pinwheel who I stated in a RadioTAB interview a couple of months ago "should be in Brisbane for the Winter Carnival" only started once here, for a good second to worldbeater Hay List at the tail end of the Brisbane Winter Carnival. However he popped into Grafton on his way back home to Sydney and won the Ramornie Handicap last Wednesday. This was the Peter Snowden trained galloper at the presentation ceremony looking for the Justracing camera, but it's okay big fella, I have you covered.

And this is how he did it - out on the racetrack of dreams. He stormed home to beat Forestreno over to his inside who clocked in second. In the green blinkers out wide is Lifebuoy and the other horse in the picture in the white cap is the tiring Border Rebel, who readers were advised in the race day preview would not run favourite - and that information proved accurate. I patrolled the betting ring in the half hour leading up to the Ramornie and in Part 2 of this huge montage I will bring you exclusive photographs of the amazing on-course drift of Border Rebel. Would you believe at one point a female bookmaker even led the charge to get the horse out? Well stay tuned.

Talking about being accurate - the Justracing Ramornie preview that went up on the morning of the Ramornie advised to box five horses in the race - in a trifecta. From those five suggested horses emanated the first four placings and I was thrilled when a man on course, whom I'd never met, figured the bloke in the shirt with "justracing.com.au" embroided on it, may be me - so he came up and introduced himself and proudly displayed his winning ticket after he followed the website info. However he didn't want to get photographed, as he politely informed me that the proceeds were "going in the cunning kick". It netted him half the trifecta dividend of $662.90 on the NSW TAB for a $30 outlay and he was happy for me to photograph the proof. Lucky he took it in New South Wales though, as it paid over $200 less on Unitab ($456.90). The First 4 which was in the tips and on this man's ticket paid over $5200 on the NSW TAB. The huge difference in the Ramornie trifecta dividends of over $200 between NSW and Queensland TAB's ($662.90 versus $456.90) is just further proof why Australian punters need amalgamated pools.

But before my besotted bride and I got to the Grafton Carnival we had to check out a couple of landmarks on the way - and so the couple of kids from the bush had to visit the Byron Bay lighthouse which is mainland Australia's most easterly point. As you can see it's leaning and it fell into the Pacific Ocean about 10 minutes after this photo was taken - but with all the election stuff happening, it unfortunately didn't make the news.

What else happens in Byron Bay I hear you scream. Hang on then and I'll show you.

Well the answer is "not a lot" - as per this group in a local park in the heart of town. He's playing a guitar which obviousy puts the sheilas to sleep. Life's tough - I imagine the stress levels would be through the roof. Those logs must have washed in from the ocean during a tsunami?

The view from the road that leads back down to Byron Bay town from the lighthouse sure shows off its fabulous beaches though.

Leaving Bryon Bay and heading through the racing town of Ballina and there is this big prawn on the main drag. Unfortunately some feral has put graffiti on it which is pretty typical of the parasites within our society. Maybe someone in high places in Ballina, eg the local council could give it a spruce up though, as it looks a bit like me - old and tired.

Oh and by the way if you are driving through Ballina and want a feed we could personally recommend a visit to the Ballina RSL. It is huge and the food is good. The wonderful array of food and the huge dining area is on level one with a squillion pokies - and the TAB, etcetera, is on level two.

The night before the Ramornie Handicap is run there is a big Calcutta function happening at the Yamba Bowls Club, which is about 40 or 50 kilometres up the road, so we rocked in there to have a feed and a look around. We were not long at the Bowls Club - before we realised there was a Ramornie Calcutta about to happen. The Fourex Angels were in town also and the place was a hive of activity and as per the photo, a few people would have been a bit fuzzy headed the next day. This Fourex angel threw herself in front of the Justracing camera. Ah, she's only human. Anyone else we might know at the place? Probably not, being so far away from home - but we shall see what we can dig up.

Ah what have we come upon here? A couple of well known blokes having a drink and a laugh - plenty of drinks and plenty of laughs in fact. That's Toowoomba racecaller Pat O'Shea who was on his way to Grafton the next day - on the right - and with him is Dane Scheu and Dane is son of the Lord Mayor of Goondiwindi - Graeme Scheu. Graham is also a bookmaker and he also owns Goondiwindi Travel - and his Melbourne Cup trips each year are the stuff of legends - and after spending a few hours with the Toowoomba, Texas and Goondiwindi blokes I think I know why they would be legendary trips. Dane works as a penciller for his father at the Grafton Carnival each year. Want to meet Graeme and his mate from Texas?

Well this is Graeme Schue on the right and with him is Lee Schwenke from Texas. Lee owns the only pub in Texas, so pop in and hit mine host up for some cheap accommodation if you are passing through that way. As you can see by Lee's face he had a bit of a problem with a patron, but the patron finished up worse than Lee apparently. Oh and Lee is also a licenced horse trainer. Wonder has he got any smart horses in work? Forgot to ask.

I asked Graeme if he had a tip for me at Grafton the next day and he said "yeah I've got a good tip - Even Money won't be better than even money in Race 1". I had no idea what he was talking about until Race 1 the following day when I photographed his betting board, so let's look at what he was rambling on about.

And Graeme was correct - Even Money in fact ran at an odds on quote of $1.60 as per his board - on Ramornie day.

The galloper who is trained by "top trainer" Tim Martin went like a hobbled duck and ran 11th (yes in words that's eleventh) in the 14 horse field. The only three oxygen thieves that finished behind it started at 100/1, 100/1 and 200/1.

And Graeme Scheu was top odds. Have a look at what the dills on Unitab backed Even Money into.

How stupid is this? This is a photo of the Unitab screen on the day, as per their website. As you can see, Even Money finalised at $1.40 on Unitab, with $1.55 available fixed odds when they jumped. The facts and realities were that the gelded 3YO son of Not A Single Doubt had not raced for nearly a year (14 October 2009) when he'd actually run stone motherless last in a race at the Kensington track after he'd run fifth of 10 behind Fitness Fanatic at Canterbury. Punters with more money than sense backed this horse on the basis of a third of sixth on debut to Rothesay at Rosehill on 12 September 2009, which really is ancient form and is a bit like Elizabeth Taylor relying on her looks from 40 years ago to find another bloke.

In the last fortnight I've penned a story on Justracing about how stupid people who back odds on favourites are, in this day and age - and it has come home to roost numerous times since, including this case.

As a matter of interest the gelding was ridden by 3-kilo claiming apprentice Priscilla Schmidt from Brisbane and the defeat had nothing to do with her, as she and Even Money swung for home in front, but the horse threw his toys out of the cot soon after.

John Keating was in the news over the Baby Boom stewards inquiry at Caloundra recently but wasn't charged. He rode the Joe Janiak trained Kremlin well to win the opening race on Ramornie Day, where the odds on favourite Even Money went missing in action. Kremlin started at $14 and won his Maiden at his sixth race start.

Want to catch up with Joe. You do - well hang on then. Joe can you come over here please?

"Nothing would be too much for Justracing", so Joe Janiak was happy to be snapped after Kremlin's win. He's definately not planning a 2011 assault on the Ramornie Handicap with Kremlin however.

Former jockey Gary Kliese is a regular face on Sky Channel when they race in the northern area of New South Wales. Gary turned 50 during the Grafton Carnival, so our thoughts are with him at this difficult time, as I can tell you from experience that one doesn't get any better at anything after attaining that milestone.

This was Gary at a special presentation that was made to him by the club - to celebrate the occasion.

See The Universe was pictured winning Race 2 on Ramornie Handicap day. Want to meet the trainer and jockey? Come this way then.

This pair - Kembla Grange trainer Bede Murray and jockey Blake Shinn - were the successful combination associated with Race 2 Grafton winner See The Universe.

Did you know the Ramornie Handicap has a bar named after it on course at Grafton? Well it does - and here's the proof. Oh and these three local "Gee Gee's" AKA Grafton Glamours threw themselves in front of the camera as they said it would be a boring photo without them in it. Gee thanks girls - we don't want "boring" photos put up here.

Leunig and Robert Thompson were pictured getting to the judge first in Race 3 on Ramornie day. The 4YO Brahms gelding has now won three of eight appearances.

Then Robert Thompson returned on the Sue Grills trained Leunig. In the background is jockey Glenn Lynch coming back on fourth placed Pankratov, a 14/1 chance. Glen Lynch starred in my 2006 published book of 600-odd pages when he went and joined the crowd after riding a Group 1 winner at Eagle Farm. See if I can dig up a copy of that photo for you.

Glenn Lynch had just won the 2006 Queensland Derby on the Ron Maund trained Ice Chariot when I snapped this photo. I had never witnessed scenes on a racetrack like it before - or since as he went over the fence to some adoring fans. From a Chinese man in the black suit with his hand raised, to the diminutive housewife on the far left of picture, to a young chap in the sunnies on the right side, the whole crowd was behind the Queensland trainer and jockey. I've never heard a huge roar like that big crowd let out that day when Ice Chariot started charging home either - before or since.

Glen Lynch was a jumps jockey in New Zealand before he came here and is a good horseman. He has even ridden horses for my wife and I during his career when he was based in Toowoomba and is a nice chap to have a yarn with - or to get an honest and accurate appraisal from about a horse.

On the outside Sir Lago and jockey Danny Nikolic arrive in time to score a nose win in Race 4 out of Grafton last Wednesday. To his inside Universal Sound and Blake Shinn clocked in second. The nose defeat cost trainer Bede Murray and jockey Blake Shinn a double in the first four races, as they had won Race 2 with See The Universe. As their names imply both Universal Sound and See The Universe are by Bede Murray's former top racehorse, turned sire - Universal Prince, who in his career won seven of 30 starts, including four Group 1's - namely the Australian Derby, Spring Champion Stakes, Rawson Stakes and the Canterbury Guineas.  Upon his retirement Universal Prince had earned $2,978,291 which would sure take you a long way in a bus. Unfortunately Universal Prince is just another example of a what I deem to be a "heavily raced stallion" that has gone on to prove grossly disappointing at stud. After standing for service fees as high as $11,000 in his career, he will stand the 2010-2011 season for just $3,850.

PART 2 OF THIS BIG MONTAGE WILL BE CONTINUED TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY WHEN TIME PERMITS.