There was some panic among a few TRL owners this week that VOTING for your trainers was to be done on social media and social media only.
Well, let me pour cold water on that grass fire very quickly.
All owners will get to VOTE (if they choose) and it won’t be done just on Facebook.
The current plan is for VOTING to commence on December 15 with an announcement on all 6 trainers per team on December 22…meaning the voting window will be open for at least 7 days.
It will most likely be done through a Google form on email, stay tuned for the announcement but everyone will get their say.
Trust me, Donald Trump is ‘not’ among the nominations…. so winners should be declared quickly.
Just a reminder, that trainers pitch and you VOTE.
The trainer pitches have been of the highest quality and continue to roll in.
If you have a particular trainer you’d like to have train YOUR horse in YOUR team, who hasn’t pitched, notify them on social media to get moving and get their video in.
PIKE IS BACK FOR RAILWAY
Covid restrictions in Western Australia hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of the locals for their first of three major Group One Saturdays of racing.
While travel restrictions have made it difficult for connections of eastern state horses to target the rich Summer Carnival in Perth, some have slipped across the border.
One jockey who returned home and did the 14 days in quarantine so he could ride in Saturday’s Group One Railway Stakes was Willie Pike.
Pike was always keen to arrive home and be available to ride in Saturday’s $1million Railway Stakes. That’s got to be a massive leg up for the Bob Peters owned Inspirational Girl.
She looks to be a nice horse in the making, is coming off two strong wins at Ascot and is a worthy favourite. I’m sure Pike will give her a peach of a ride.
Threats, maybe the other Bob Peters owned galloper Truly Great at double figure odds. Kementari hasn’t won for two very long years but is racing consistently since making the move west. He’ll run a place again.
BALLARAT
Don’t be too confused if you switch on the television on Saturday and see a group of horses heading in the wrong direction.
Sure, it’s a bit different, but it’s called the Magic Millions two-year-old Clockwise Classic over 1,000m.
The winner could come from anywhere, there’s very little exposed form with most runners having their first start. Butter Blonde will start favourite, but there’s a buzz about Jayanthi from the Maher-Eustace yard who’s having her first start. The market will surely be the best guide.
.While the other feature race is the Ballarat Cup, it’s wide open but I’m tipping Junipal to continue it’s recent good form.
THE GONG
For the second consecutive Saturday there’s no race meeting in Sydney. All roads lead down the coast past Wollongong to Kembla Grange for the staging of the $1million GONG.
It’s only the second staging of The Gong, but just like The Hunter last week is sure to be another success for RacingNSW.
The race itself is wide open and super competitive. The Hawkes trained Rock, won the Cameron Handicap two starts back, wasn’t far away last start at Flemington, will need some luck with his pattern of racing but might just prove too strong for this field.
Good luck and have a great weekend.
Terry Kennedy