Chief Stipe

I've been listening to 2KY - Sky Sports Radio since 7am. Brilliant Dufficy, Munsie, Radley, all the top trainers have been interviewed. Track Managers interviewed. Analysis of track conditions based on historical data. They just did an analysis of the Caulfield track - currently a Heavy 8 - they reckon it will come into a least a Soft 7. TAB NZ has it classed as Heavy. https://www.radio-australia.org/sky-sports-radio Previews still running.

Well he might well be lucky but it looks like a tough day at the office for all today at Randwick. That track can get tricky when a Soft 7. Jason Collett might have a good day. JMac's best chance is probably Nature Strip - drawn well for the conditions and doesn't mind a wet track. But it will be tough.

You should brush up on some memory exercises. Some handy horses in it which he put away easily. Hardly a campaign!!!! He only ever had one start in Brisbane in the Doomben Cup! Not the first horse to not adapt to the Brisbane climate especially a Northern Hemisphere bred and raced horse. Being a stallion they tend to race hot anyway.

Coming from at least 5 lengths off the pace to run less than half a length behind Incentivise and Mo'unga in the Makybe Diva 2021.

You are a poor judge.

A beautiful looking horse and one of my favourites. Pictured winning the Tancred Stakes

Breaking news - seems Sir Dragonet has been euthanised. Cox Plate champion Sir Dragonet has been euthanised after tragically breaking down in a track gallop at The Valley on Saturday morning. Ciaron Maher was at Moonee Valley and Melbourne's leading co-trainer confirmed the valuable Camelot entire was put down. Sir Dragonet was one of 18 horses that worked at the venue on Saturday in preparation for next weekend's Cox Plate Carnival but he didn't even reach top speed before the incident at approximately 800-metre mark. The horse's rider Ben Allen was devastated on returning to the mounting yard. He said Sir Dragonet was just doing even time as he warmed into his work when the horse suffered a break to a front leg. "It only happens to the good ones," Allen lamented. A very valuable Camelot Stallion - won the Tancred Stakes, the 2020 Cox Plate and Grp races in the UK. Over $5m in stakes.

Soft 8 - scratched. She'll keep.

We should all be rooting for Ocean Billy - Bill Pomare's horse and Auckland Cup winner.

James McDonald might be lucky to win one today! Soft 7 track. He rides: Race 1 - Arapaho $15 best price (TAB NZ $17) Race 2 - no ride Race 3 - Ahead Start - $2.90 fav (TAB NZ $2.70) Race 4 - Fangirl - $3.45 fav - drawn 1 which won't help on a S7 (TAB NZ $3.20) Race 5 - Spiranac $7.60 (TAB NZ $7) Race 6 - Signore Fox $6.50 (TAB NZ $5.50) Race 7 - Nature Strip $3.90 loose fav (TAB NZ $3.80) Race 8 - Shared Ambition $6 (TAB NZ $5.50) Race 9 - no ride Race 10 - Suave $10 - another drawn 1 and being on the inside this late in the day won't be an advantage. (TAB NZ $9) Randwick cuts out as bad as Riccarton on a firm day.

Alzheimer's normally stuffs up your short term memory first. However I think it is a good field - not the best but certainly not the worst in my memory (I did some checking online to refresh my memory!). Of course it doesn't compare to an Auckland Cup field. If you take Incentivise out and he is by no means a certainty in that field given the size of the field and his draw. In my opinion he has to pitch quickly forward to get a position early or keep rolling forward the whole race which will put him wide for most of the journey. By race 9 they may well be riding off the fence. So take him out of the punting picture you would have to say it is a very very even field with a narrow range of weights 50kg - 55.5kg. Total stakes earnings of those starting (excluding emergencies) AUD$20m (what % of NZ's total annual stakes is that?) - not bad for middle distance/stayers. Homesman - An Australian Cup, Feehan Stakes, Underwood Stakes winner. Explosive Jack - A South Australian Derby winner and Australian Derby winner. The Chosen One - A Herbert Power winner. Ocean Billy - Auckland Cup winner (yeah probably not the best form but....), Waikato Cup, Whangarei Cup (yeah I'm clutching here....) Selino - Sydney Cup winner. Persan - Bart Cummings win, 5th Melbourne Cup Chapada - Herbert Power win, 3rd Victorian Derby and Rosehill Guineas Delphi - Herbert Power win, Irish St Leger win. Master of Wine - 3rd Bart Cummings, 3rd Sellwood Stakes. Montefilia - Metropolitan win, 2nd Kingston Town, 3rd Chelmsford, 3rd Rosehill Guineas (won by Mo'unga), 3rd Kennedy Oaks, Spring Champion Stakes win, Darley Flight Stakes win. Port Guillaume - A French horse that hasn't done that much but has raced well against some that have good form in Europe. She's Ideel - Kingston Town Stakes win, 3rd Winx Stakes, 2nd Tancred Stakes. Young Werther - 2nd Turnbull Stakes, 2nd Australian Derby, 3rd Tulloch Stakes, 3rd Victoria Derby. Nonconformist - 2nd Might and Power, MRC Foundation Cup win, Coongy Cup win, Alister Clark Stakes win, Duais - Coongy Cup win, Queensland Oaks win, Adrian Knox Stakes win. Charm's Star - By Per Incanto out of a Zed mare with no form. Then there's Incentivise - 8 wins in a row since winning his maiden 11 April 2021 - 6 months ago. Tattersall's Cup win, Makybe Diva Stakes win, Turnbull Stakes win.

The Ultimate Champion Sire and his story as written in 1962 U Scott sire of champions of both gaits and the winners of over £1,000,000 in stakes in three countries – NZ, Australia and the USA – died at Roydon Lodge Stud las week. U Scott was in his 31st year. He had become a living legend. Class and breeding were strongly ingrained in the conformation of U Scott, a compact, handsome, jet black horse, standing 15.3 hands at maturity, with a bloodlike, clean-cut head in character with the standardbred monarch he was to become. An abundance of what the geneticists call nerve force, coupled with a ‘Latin’ temperament inflamed from time to time by his life-long affliction of an internal abscess in a foot, made U Scott an animal with whom no liberties could be taken – but one man, in particular, succeeded in calming the boisterous spirits of U Scott. Andrew (Sandy) Stewart was the stud groom who put in charge of U Scott in 1943 formed one of those strange and inexplicable affinities with his rebel charge that must have been the inspiration for more than one great animal narrative, such as ‘Black Bess’, ‘Lassie’ and the current television feature ‘Fury’. Sandy’s affinity with U Scott was to grow into an obsession. After he became U Scott’s acknowledged ‘keeper’ no one else dared to lay a hand on the horse when Sandy was on the farm, and he was very rarely off it. In fact, it was only with the greatest difficulty that George Noble was able to persuade Sandy to take an isolated holiday – he invariably had to resort to the stratagem of personally buying Sandy’s rail ticket and making certain the old gentleman was still on the train when it pulled out! Sandy was never happy when he was off the place, and he invented numerous excuses in order to keep his vacations down to a bare minimum. Of course, from time immemorial men have loved horses, and Sandy doted on U Scott; and U Scott responded to his groom’s mixture of firmness, kindness and cajolery in a way that was completely uncanny to the uninitiated. Sandy stropped the horse himself, he talked to him like a Dutch uncle, he would walk any distance, scythe in hand, to gather a special treat of succulent grass or clover or thistles for his pride and joy. In short, Sandy Stewart was dedicated to U Scott, as dedicated, probably, as humanly possible. Sandy is still an active unit of the Roydon Lodge team, he became a walking encyclopaedia on U Scott, U Scott’s progeny and their performances – here and abroad – and of U Scott’s siring sons and producing daughters. Nothing worth knowing about U Scott or written about him ever escaped Sandy Stewart’s notice. For Sandy, now in his eighties, there was no horse like U Scott, or ever could be again. A measure of U Scott’s greatness – and the tough fibre of the horse – was revealed soon after Noble arrived at Roydon Lodge from Australia in August 1941, to become private trainer to Sir John McKenzie. U Scott had been out of training for nearly two years. Put back into work, barely three months later he paced two miles in 4.16, the last mile and a half in 3.09. The abscess continued to trouble U Scott, however, and Noble was reluctantly compelled to retire him permanently. “He had sheer brilliance,” said Noble. “He probably have been a two-minute horse but for the abscess – the seedy foot must have caused him acute pain at times, especially when the concussion of fast work aggravated the pressure,” continued Noble, who added, “otherwise U Scott was as sound as a bell.” U Scott started life as a trotter and he took a matinee record of 2.11 at two years in America before being purchsed from his breeder, Mr J O McAllister, of Lexington, by the late Sir John McKenzie and imported to NZ in 1935. U Scott commenced racing soon after his arrival here. Converted to pacing, at his first appearance as a 4-year-old in the 1935-36 season, he finished second in the Trial Handicap at Wyndham in March to Night Voyage. He was driven that day by J Bryce, Jnr. After three unplaced performances, U Scott opened his winning accounton the first day of the South Canterbury Jockey Club’s Winter meeting in May. Again driven by J Bryce, Jnr, U Scott beat Maltravers and Aid-de-Camp in the Opihi Handicap. Two starts later, U Scott was beaten into second place by Credit Funds in the Winchmore Handicap at the Ashburton County Racing Club’s winter meeting. As a 5-year-old, U Scott started 11 times for five wins and four placings, including a decisive win from a champion filly in Parisienne at Hutt Park. At six years he opened the season on a most impressive note when, at his second start, he won the Lincoln Handicap at Addington, beating William Tell and Aid-de-Camp. He was also successful in the Islington Handicap on the thrd day of the meeting. Three more wins came U Scott’s way that season, his most notable being his victory over Pot Luck and Supertax in the third heat of the third qualifying race at the Inter-Dominion Championships at Addington. U Scott was trained for that race by F C Dunlevy, and was driven by F (Free) Holmes, who allowed the black stallion to run along in front. Nothing could get near U Scott in the run home, and he passed the post three lengths clear of Pot Luck. He looked a Triton among the minnows that day, and Pot Luck was no minnow! In the Grand Final, won by Pot Luck, U Scott was driven in behind, and he pulled so hard that he literally ‘choked’ himself and failed to finish in the money. In all, U Scott started 30 times for 11 wins, 6 placings and £2055 in stakes. He raced in a period when prizemoney had become almost microscopic. Throughout his career, U Scott was troubled with recurring soreness in a front foot, and there is no doubt that if he had been completely sound his record on the racetrack would have been much better. He could both sprint and stay and was a racehorse of unflinching courage. U Scott was by Scotland, 1.59 1/4, a distinguished representative of the Peter The Great line. Scotland sired 23 in the two-minute list.Scotland’s dam, Roya McKinney, was a famous two-minute producer, and was by the mighty McKinney from Princess Royal, a daughter of Chimes, from whom in a direct male line stems the present USA siring sensation Adios. U Scott’s dam, Lillian Hilta, was by U Forbes, 2.21 1/2, a son of J Malcolm Forbes, 2.08, who was a half-brother (by Bingen) to Peter The Great. J Malcolm Forbes himself was described by John Hervey as one of the “most influencial” sires of his day, in fact at one time “unapproached as a progenitor of extreme early speed.” U Forbes dam, Iviolette, was by Moko, a “great Futurity sire” who for many years was the premier sire at Walnut Hall Farm and headed the American sires’ list in 1911. Allarine Watts, dam of Lillian Hilta, was by Generaln Watts, 2.06 3/4, a noted son of the great fountainhead of speed, Axworthy himself. General Watts was the world champion 3-year-old trotter of 1907 and a highly successful sire with 274 standard performers to his credit. Alla P, dam of Allarine Watts, was by Palo Alto, 2.08 3/4, champion trotting stallion of the world for some years and whose record, to high wheels, still stands as the “world standard for entire horses.” Palo Alto was described in early American breeding manuals as a ‘half-bred’ because he was by Electioneer out of the thoroughbred mare Dame Winnie. Electioneer, of course, sired (among many other celebrities) Chimes, already referred to above as the ancestor of Adios. Lula Wilkes, fourth dam of U Scott, was a daughter of George Wilkes, 2.22, sire of Axworthy, and ons of the cornerstones of the standard breed. A noted performer and champion trotting stallion of his time, George Wilkes raced from five years to 16 years. In 12 seasons he started in 69 races (more than 200 heats) for 27 wins and 38 placings. George Wilkes became America’s leading sire of the late 1870s and died in 1882 “acclaimed the founder of the most wonderful family of colt trotters that the Blue Grass (Kentucky) had ever produced…” U Scott has become the leading sire of two-minute performers outside America with three in the list: Arania(1.57), Caduceus(1.57 2/5) and Highland Fling(1.57 4/5) and last season he equalled the long-standing record of Jack Potts by heading the Dominion sires’ list nine times. Another record he cannot fail to break within a season or two is as a sire of individual winners – the only sire ahead of him in this regard at present in Dillon Hall with 397. U Scott’s individual winners in the Dominion now total 371. U Scott, just over three seasons ago, passed Dillon Hall’s previous record for races won, a record that had stood to the credit of Jack Potts up till the 1956-57 season. Dillon Hall passed this total during that season and U Scott has now ‘distanced’ them both with his total to date of well over 1750. U Scott’s two famous pacing sons, Caduceus (1.57 3/5 – he went 1.57 2/5 in the USA as well) and Highland Fling (1.57 4/5 – dual NZ Cup winner) hold the fastest mile records in the Dominion, and his other pacing celebrities include his world-famous daughter Arania, whose 1.57 against time on America’s ‘Red Mile’ is only 1/5 second outside the mares world record; Van Dieman(4.11 2/5, NZ Cup and Royal Cup; Burns Night(Free-for-all; 3.22 1m 5f); Petite Yvonne(2.03 1/5; Free-for-all); Young Charles(4.10 4/5/0; Burt Scott(Free-for-all); Nyallo Scott(Free-for-all; 3.23 1m 5f); Samantha(2.02), Highland Air, Prince Polka, Hilda Scott, Scottish Lady, Mayneen, Bel Hamed, Monaro, Scottish Command, In The Mood, Unite, Commander Scot, Trusty Scot, Merval, Riviera, Highland Scott, Lavengro and Admit. His trotters include Ariel Scott, Fantom, Barrier Reef, Highland Kilt and Ladt Scott, all champions, and as a sire of classic winners his record is unexcelled. U Scott’s progeny have won approximately £940,000 to date in NZ, and if his Australian and American winnings could be added, the grand total would be far in advance of a millon pounds. He has eclipsed all other standardbred sires – the nearest to him, Dillon Hall, is about a quarter of a millon pounds behind. U Scott reached the head of the brood-mare sires’ list in the 1957-58 season, and since then he has been runner-up more than once. U Scott’s progress as a broodmare sire was painfully slow until fairly recent years, but his daughters have amply made up for their delayed action by producing such topo racehorses as Lordship, Ordeal, Durban Chief, Lookaway, Scottish Light, When, Grouse, Gentry and Fourth Edition in a relatively short period. U Scotts sons include Noble Scott, who has topped the Australian sires’ list on a number of occasions; and Highland Fling has been one of the leading sires of New South Wales for several seasons past. In NZ U Scott stallions that have left winners include Van Dieman, Scottish Star, Morano, Burns Night, Gay Piper, King Scott, Young Charles, Highland Chief, widower Scott, Scotland’s Pride, Highland Kilt and by next season his world renowned son Caduceus will be back at the stud here. -o0o- Norman Pierce writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 24Jun80 The influence of former champion sire U Scott, brought to NZ by the late Sir John McKenzie for his Roydon Lodge Stud, continues to be strikingly demonstrated with each passing season. In North America last season, to the end of 1979, U Scott had seven fresh 2:00 credits as a broodmare sire, giving him a total of 51 mares who have been 2:00 producers. This is five more than his own sire Scotland who was one of the premier sires of the day and finished up siring 46 2:00 producing mares. U Scott is seventeenth on the overall American broodmare sires’ list which is headed by Tar Heel (290), Adios (198), Good Time (147), Knight Dream (118) and Bye Bye Byrd (100). Other sires who spent their stud life in NZ on the American broodmare sires’ list are Light Brigade with 25 2:00 producing mares, Garrison Hanover, who had 11 newcomers in 1979, with 18, Dillon Hall with 16, Thurber Frost 15, Smokey Hanover 12, and Fallacy and Johnny Globe, both 10. They are creditable totals in a very competitive American field without having weight of numbers on their side.

U Scott.

Lordship was out of Ladyship who was by U Scott. U Scott was at stud for 27 years so covered a few Walla Walla's. Has the breed improved since his influence stopped? Ces Donald was the trainer of Cairnbrae.

How far back? Did you read the starting question? Yes. U Scott. Now answer the rest. Van Dieman won a cup but not TWO. The horse that won two also ran 1:57 in the 50's and 2:00 on grass.

EXCLUSIVE J-Mac column: Nature Strip to go into ‘beast mode’ in Everest James McDonald is tipping a huge run by Nature Strip in The Everest. Picture: Getty Images By James McDonald 03:24am • 15 October 2021 Comments Everest day has almost arrived and I won’t be complaining if we end on a genuine wet track. It’s going to be rain affected on Saturday regardless of if we get any more rain and Nature Strip is very good in the wet. The rail goes back into the true but I’d expect the track to chop out and whatever the rating is, I think it will race a bit slower because of the wear and tear. The track has had plenty of racing over the past couple of months. I’m really happy with how the barrier draw has played out for Nature Strip. In The Everest last year and in The Shorts a few weeks ago we drew inside Eduardo and he race outside us and crossed. This time we’ve drawn out in 10 so I can just ride our own race and not worry about what those inside us are doing. I think that is a big plus for Nature Strip. He’s been relaxing so beautifully this preparation and in the past, that’s been half the battle with him. When he conserves his energy and reels off a last 600m, there’s not many that can run past him. He’s had the most brilliant preparation he’s had in his life, it’s been faultless, and Chris (Waller) is a grand final trainer. This preparation has set up for him to produce a performance like he did in the TJ (Smith) back in April when he was third-up like he is on Saturday. Fair play if anything can run past him. If he gets beaten on Saturday, it’s a case of he simply wasn’t good enough on the day, beaten by a better horse, no excuses. But I don’t think that will be the case. I think on Saturday we’re going to see Nature Strip in beast mode. Of the others in the race, if the track was to come up a (soft) six or better I think there are six chances, the others being Classique Legend, Eduardo, Gytrash, Trekking and Home Affairs. James McDonald has named Eduardo (yellow) and Gytrash (blue/white) as Nature Strip’s biggest dangers in The Everest. Picture: Getty Images If it was a (soft) seven or worse cut that to three. Eduardo and Gytrash are the other two. As good as Classique Legend is, I think first-up, heavy conditions, good luck. If Classique Legend runs over the top of us, he is the best sprinter in the world, dead set. The horse I’m riding in the Sydney Stakes, Signore Fox wouldn’t have been out of place in The Everest field if it was going to be dry on Saturday and that’s my worry with him. He’s given me the best feel in his two trials and I think he’s going better than ever but the track might be a bit softer than he likes it. Shared Ambition is a horse that’s knocking on the door. He’s just a good honest galloper that will give a sight again in the Craven Plate. I like this filly Fangirl in the Reginald Allen. There are good raps from the stable, unlucky in her first couple of starts then bolted in last time. She’s a prospect. My ride in The Kosciuszko is a horse called Spiranac. He’s got some handy form and it wouldn’t be a complete shock. James McDonald was all smiles when receiving the news he’d be linking back up with Zaaki in the Cox Plate. Picture: Getty Images I got the green light to go to Melbourne on Thursday to ride Zaaki next week and looking back at his run at Caulfield, it’s wasn’t exactly what I wanted to see leading up into the Cox Plate but for whatever reason it’s been a graveyard race over the years. Think back a few years, Winx wasn’t her dominant self there winning that same race before her second Cox Plate win and Russian Camelot was beaten at short quote last year then was the first Aussie home in the Cox Plate. Zaaki didn’t look comfortable from the moment he left the gates but I’m sure it will prove nothing more than a bump in the road. Penrith got beaten in the first week of the finals too, didn’t they? Good luck on Saturday and go Nature Strip.

Obviously too hard for the experts.

Incentive for Moody to land first career major Brett Prebble salutes after riding Incentivise to victory in the Turnbull Stakes. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images By Trenton Akers 05:22pm • 15 October 2021 Comments Peter Moody always knew what he was going to get from the great Black Caviar during her glittering career but even he admits he is going into the unknown with Incentivise as he attempts to land his first racing major in the Caulfield Cup on Saturday. Emerging from the racing wilderness, Moody is leaning on fellow Queenslander Steve Tregea as they team up with the staying marvel who has taken racing by storm. Having spent four years on the sidelines after walking away from racing due to a draining legal battle against cobalt charges, Incentivise has led Moody back into the spotlight and has delivered him his best chance at landing one of racing’s “big four” – the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate or Golden Slipper. While he has won races in front of the Queen at Royal Ascot with Black Caviar, a “big four” winner is all that is lacking on the former Charleville local’s glittering resume. Taking the shortest-priced favourite in 50 years into the Caulfield Cup could be expected to weigh heavily on most but Moody’s laid-back approach has him treating Saturday’s $5m contest just like any other. “It is no different to any other big race really, we are prepping him the same, as we do all our horses,” Moody told News Corp. “There just happens to be a bigger cheque at the end of the day if he gets the job done. “It doesn’t matter to me really, whether it is one of these (big four) races or not.” IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN SUPERCOACH RACING. SIGN UP TO BE IN THE RUNNING FOR WEEKLY PRIZES UP TO $1000 Incentivise will be out to give Peter Moody his first triumph in a major. Picture: Getty Images Having made the meteoric rise from a Sunshine Coast maiden worth $12,000 to the winner to a Caulfield Cup favourite in the space of eight starts, the Incentivise story has captured the attention of many. Not one to get too caught up in the moment however, Moody said he has only dealt with what is in front of him since receiving the horse from Tregea in July after high-flying owners Brae Sokolski and Ozzie Kheir purchased a 50 per cent share in him during the Brisbane winter carnival. “There’s no doubt he’s been on that rise but I don’t know that much about his past and if he has always shown this potential or not,” Moody said. “When he won the Tatts Cup (at Eagle Farm) I think it showed to everyone then that he was a serious Caulfield Cup horse.” Having won both the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) and Turnbull Stakes (2000m) since arriving in Victoria, Incentivise is gunning to become the first horse since Northerly in 2002 to also go on and win the Caulfield Cup in the same year. His record shows four wins from four starts on soft ground but Moody concedes it is a mystery how he handles the rain-affected ground of Caulfield on Saturday when he jumps from barrier 20. “No idea, a bit like everyone else really,” he said. “He is four from four on soft ground but not at this level, he was probably just better than them then.” Peter Moody speaking with the Queen at Royal Ascot. As a proud Queenslander, Moody famously had Doomben packed to the rafters in 2011 when he brought his star mare Black Caviar to the Sunshine State for the BTC Cup, now it’s a Darling Downs product that could deliver him the biggest moment of his career since returning to training. “At the end of day we want to see horses do their best, regardless of where they are from and he looks like a bloody good horse off the back of his last couple of wins,” Moody said. “It would be great as an old Queenslander to win with a Toowoomba, Darling Downs horse.” While the bright lights of Caulfield couldn’t be further away from the sugar city of Mackay in North Queensland, they are linked through the incredible story of Incentivise. On his prolonged break from racing two years ago, Moody watched on trackside as Steve Tregea’s Bergerac put in a huge effort to win the 2000m feature while carrying the proverbial grandstand. Little did he know two years down the track he would be training Bergerac’s younger half-brother Incentivise, the horse that took the racing world by storm in less than six months.

Incentive for Moody to land first career major Brett Prebble salutes after riding Incentivise to victory in the Turnbull Stakes. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images By Trenton Akers 05:22pm • 15 October 2021 Comments Peter Moody always knew what he was going to get from the great Black Caviar during her glittering career but even he admits he is going into the unknown with Incentivise as he attempts to land his first racing major in the Caulfield Cup on Saturday. Emerging from the racing wilderness, Moody is leaning on fellow Queenslander Steve Tregea as they team up with the staying marvel who has taken racing by storm. Having spent four years on the sidelines after walking away from racing due to a draining legal battle against cobalt charges, Incentivise has led Moody back into the spotlight and has delivered him his best chance at landing one of racing’s “big four” – the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate or Golden Slipper. While he has won races in front of the Queen at Royal Ascot with Black Caviar, a “big four” winner is all that is lacking on the former Charleville local’s glittering resume. Taking the shortest-priced favourite in 50 years into the Caulfield Cup could be expected to weigh heavily on most but Moody’s laid-back approach has him treating Saturday’s $5m contest just like any other. “It is no different to any other big race really, we are prepping him the same, as we do all our horses,” Moody told News Corp. “There just happens to be a bigger cheque at the end of the day if he gets the job done. “It doesn’t matter to me really, whether it is one of these (big four) races or not.” IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN SUPERCOACH RACING. SIGN UP TO BE IN THE RUNNING FOR WEEKLY PRIZES UP TO $1000 Incentivise will be out to give Peter Moody his first triumph in a major. Picture: Getty Images Having made the meteoric rise from a Sunshine Coast maiden worth $12,000 to the winner to a Caulfield Cup favourite in the space of eight starts, the Incentivise story has captured the attention of many. Not one to get too caught up in the moment however, Moody said he has only dealt with what is in front of him since receiving the horse from Tregea in July after high-flying owners Brae Sokolski and Ozzie Kheir purchased a 50 per cent share in him during the Brisbane winter carnival. “There’s no doubt he’s been on that rise but I don’t know that much about his past and if he has always shown this potential or not,” Moody said. “When he won the Tatts Cup (at Eagle Farm) I think it showed to everyone then that he was a serious Caulfield Cup horse.” Having won both the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) and Turnbull Stakes (2000m) since arriving in Victoria, Incentivise is gunning to become the first horse since Northerly in 2002 to also go on and win the Caulfield Cup in the same year. His record shows four wins from four starts on soft ground but Moody concedes it is a mystery how he handles the rain-affected ground of Caulfield on Saturday when he jumps from barrier 20. “No idea, a bit like everyone else really,” he said. “He is four from four on soft ground but not at this level, he was probably just better than them then.” Peter Moody speaking with the Queen at Royal Ascot. As a proud Queenslander, Moody famously had Doomben packed to the rafters in 2011 when he brought his star mare Black Caviar to the Sunshine State for the BTC Cup, now it’s a Darling Downs product that could deliver him the biggest moment of his career since returning to training. “At the end of day we want to see horses do their best, regardless of where they are from and he looks like a bloody good horse off the back of his last couple of wins,” Moody said. “It would be great as an old Queenslander to win with a Toowoomba, Darling Downs horse.” While the bright lights of Caulfield couldn’t be further away from the sugar city of Mackay in North Queensland, they are linked through the incredible story of Incentivise. On his prolonged break from racing two years ago, Moody watched on trackside as Steve Tregea’s Bergerac put in a huge effort to win the 2000m feature while carrying the proverbial grandstand. Little did he know two years down the track he would be training Bergerac’s younger half-brother Incentivise, the horse that took the racing world by storm in less than six months.

I do have a niggling feeling about Explosive Jack.

Not at all. If I did then I'd behave like other forum owners and ban anyway who took pot shots at me. I don't alter anything. Keep looking for your predictions.

Nope. But warmer with the second guess.

No both sons.

Even Speed wasn't entered for that day.

Outcome: Proved Penalty: Open Driver Ross Cameron suspended for 3 months BACKGROUND: Following a defended hearing held on 17th September 2021, the Adjudicative Committee found proved a charge against Mr Cameron that, in Race 7 at NZ Metropolitan TC’s meeting at Addington Raceway on 3 September 2021, as the Driver of SAGINAW, he committed a breach of Rule 868 (2) in that he failed to take all reasonable and permissible measures to ensure that his horse was given full opportunity to win the race or to obtain the best possible position and/or finishing place. In its written decision dated 23 September 2021 , the Committee required the parties to file written penalty submissions which have now been received. PENALTY SUBMISSIONS OF THE INFORMANT: Mr Ydgren’s penalty submissions are set out hereunder. 1. In this extended 2020/2021 season Mr. Cameron has had 54 drives. In the previous 3 seasons he has had between 40 and 46 drives. He is therefore not a busy driver averaging 1 drive per week. 2. The starting point penalty for a mid-range breach of the Rule is a 20-drive suspension or a $1000 fine. 3. Aggravating factors – high end – made inquiries into betting, horse raced 2 days later – not lost on the Stewards was that SAGINAW was not eligible for that race had it won this event, damaged the perception of harness racing. 4. Mitigating factors – clear record however this is to be expected and should be seen more as a neutral factor. Mr Cameron does have a good record in a general sense however having only been sanctioned in the previous 12 months by an Adjudicative Committee for whip offences. 5. Referring to another portion of text from the Higgs decision this time relating to penalty A breach of this particular Rule is one that invariably jeopardises the integrity of harness racing for reasons which are self-evident. Harness races are based on the requirement that all contestants in a race are given every possible opportunity by their drivers and that, when the race has been run, all contestants have been fully tested and have been asked to do the best that they can. This has to be the case in order that the betting public, so important to the industry, can have confidence that they have had a run for their money when they have invested their money on contestants in a harness race. Any suggestion that a horse has not been given every possible opportunity and has not been asked to do the best that it can, for whatever reason, will result in loss of public confidence in harness racing. As stated, it is the primary function of Judicial Committees, in dealing with penalty, to “maintain integrity and public confidence in harness racing”. 6. Stewards are not in receipt of any evidence to say that Mr. Cameron deliberately intended to deny his horse the opportunity to finish in a better finishing position, and so it is submitted that he displayed a serious lack of judgment in deciding not to shift out from behind the parked horse at the top of the straight when he had ample time and opportunity to do so. 7. Mr Cameron’s actions have had a significant impact on those who placed a bet on the race. The on-going confidence in Harness Racing needs constant reinforcement including the displaying of driving using reasonable and permissible measures at all times to ensure a horse is given every opportunity to win a race or finish in the best possible position and Mr. Cameron’s actions have clearly failed to meet that threshold. 8. Any breach of this Rule puts into question the integrity of Harness Racing. Races are run on the premise that that all horses are given every opportunity by their drivers to do the best they can do. It is not unreasonable to believe that a person watching the race – whether they had invested on SAGINAW or not – would have been left wondering why Mr. Cameron did not shift out when he could but rather drive his horse into a position where he was clearly not going to have an uninterrupted run to the finish line. 9. In the circumstances Stewards submit that a period of suspension is the appropriate penalty. 10. From the starting point we would generally apply an uplift for the level of offending and the consequential damage to the image of integrity in racing. In this case and knowing that Mr Cameron only drives on one occasion per week we would arrive at a penalty of six months which could be seen as unduly harsh. However, any penalty must be seen to be meaningful and act as a deterrent for others. On this occasion it is submitted that the period of suspension should be measured in weeks and not drives so as not to create any precedent based on drives for more busy participants. 11. We submit a recommendation of a 14-weeks suspension which would sit in line with a recent decision handed to Open Driver, Alan Clark when dealt with under the same rule. Both drivers have similar appearance statistics. However, Mr. Clark did admit the breach and arguably was a less serious case. PENALTY SUBMISSIONS OF THE RESPONDENT: I would like to draw reference to the second sentence [of the informant’s submissions] that states that the starting point for a mid-range breach of the rule is a 20-drives suspension or a $1,000 fine. I would be strongly in favour of a fine, rather than the proposed 14 weeks suspension. The submission states that a six months suspension was seen as unduly harsh. I believe that a 14 weeks penalty is also unduly harsh, given the tough and unprecedented time that Covid has put on us recently. In my first three seasons as a driver, I was a hobby trainer/driver, as I worked within the tourism industry. Since Covid struck in my fourth season as a driver, I was forced to refocus my future and in my fifth season now as a driver, also impacted by Covid, I have been able to improve greatly and focus solely on harness racing. I have been actively involved in the industry in this time, being responsible for reinstating the Motukarara workouts. I have done this as a volunteer to help the industry – taking nominations, doing the fields and results online for harness racing. In this time I also got to purchase a video camera, which has been beneficial for the owners and general public to watch the workouts. I am at a point in my driving career where a suspension would be extremely detrimental to me. This season alone, I have gained outside drives from six individual trainers, and have been gaining good success along the way. With increased exposure and experience I believe I can continue to grow on this. I draw reference to Mr Trent Yesberg’s case (decision dated 19 August 2021) that states young people are the future of the harness racing industry as Mr Yesberg is clearly a promising young trainer and the Committee in that case stated that it did not wish to be responsible for driving him out of the industry. With 8 wins from 56 drives this extended season, I believe my strike rate is comparable to some of the leading drivers. So, I would strongly ask the Committee to consider a fine in this instance, to allow me to continue to grow as a driver. A 14-weeks suspension will severely hamper my ability to hold the outside drives that I currently have, and would put serious doubt on my potential future in the industry. REASONS FOR PENALTY: 1. The Penalty Guide starting point for penalty for a medium-level breach of Rule 868 (2) is a 20-drives suspension or a fine of $1,000. Penalties in previous cases under the Rule have invariably been periods of suspension arrived at, after factoring in the various aggravating and mitigating factors to arrive at the appropriate number of drives in the particular circumstances of the case, by converting the number of drives into days, based on the frequency with which the Respondent drives. This is seldom a simple exercise and this is especially so where the Respondent is an infrequent Driver. 2. Mr Ydgren, in his penalty submissions, submitted that Mr Cameron “displayed a serious lack of judgement in deciding not to shift out from behind the parked horse at the top of the straight when he had ample time and opportunity to do so”. The key word is “deciding”. The Committee has found that it was a conscious decision by Mr Cameron and, as it turned out, it was serious error of judgement, and a culpable one, on his part. 3. There are varying degrees of gravity of offending under the Rule, as the cases show. The Committee believes that the breach on this occasion is above medium-level, if not “high end” as submitted by Mr Ydgren. It was so manifest, we suggest, as to be noticed by even the most inexpert viewer. Mr Ydgren has submitted that this is an aggravating factor. He refers to “the level of offending and the consequential damage to the of integrity in racing”. An uplift to the starting point would be justified but, by a very fine margin, we have decided to keep to the starting point of 20 drives. 4. From that starting point, the Committee needs to consider any mitigating factor or factors. The only relevant mitigating factor is Mr Cameron’s clear record under the Rule. Mr Ydgren has submitted that this is to be expected having regard to the infrequency with which Mr Cameron drives and suggests that his record should be regarded as a “neutral” factor. We take this to mean, neither an aggravating nor a mitigating factor. However, the Committee is prepared to give a discount from the 20-drives starting point for Mr Cameron’s clear record although, we accept, he has a relatively small number of drives since being licensed as a Junior Driver for the 2017 season. That discount we fix at 4 drives. 5. As stated earlier in our reasons, it is by no means a simple exercise converting a number of drives, in this case 16, to a number of days or meetings. Mr Ydgren submits that Mr Cameron is not a busy Driver and averages 1 drive per week. That is probably fair based on Mr Cameron’s driving statistics over 4-5 seasons, as referred to by Mr Ydgren. 6. The Committee has had regard to the penalty submissions filed by Mr Cameron. He tells us that he has now made training and driving his full-time occupation and, as a young man, he is to be encouraged in his pursuit of a career in the Industry. He further tells us that, this season, he has obtained drives from six outside Trainers and it is noticeable that he has been driving more regularly of late, and with some success. He had two drives for outside stables at the recent Methven meeting at Geraldine and, prior to that, one at the Timaru meeting on 3rd October. In the last month, he has had six drives. He has been making a contribution outside of his driving by his work in connection with the Motukarara workouts. 7. The Committee has decided that it is fair and reasonable to equate the 16-drives suspension that we have arrived at in 5 above, in Mr Cameron’s case, to 3 months of drives based on 5-6 drives per month. We believe that this is the least restrictive outcome that is appropriate in the circumstances. The Committee is unable to give serious consideration to Mr Cameron’s submission for a fine rather than a suspension. A suspension is called for and, indeed, a fine for a breach of the Rule is extremely rare. 8. The extract from the Higgs decision which Mr Ydgren has quoted in his submissions is apposite, and we respectfully adopt it in its entirety as applying to our reasoning in this case. We are satisfied that the penalty arrived at will suffice to hold Mr Cameron accountable for his offending, to promote in him a sense of responsibility for and an acknowledgement of that offending and the need to denounce his actions. In addition, and very importantly, we have been mindful in deciding penalty of the need to protect the integrity of and maintain public confidence in Harness Racing. PENALTY: Mr Cameron’s Open Driver’s Licence is suspended for a period of 3 months. The period of suspension is to commence on the date of this decision and will expire on the date 3 months from that date. In terms of Rule 1304, if Mr Cameron has engagements to drive a horse during the next seven-day period from the date of this decision, he may seek a deferment to enable him to complete those engagements, in which case he should notify the Executive Officer of the Racing Integrity Board immediately. If a deferment is granted, the dates of the commencement and expiration of the suspension period will be amended accordingly CONCLUSIONS: Mr Cameron’s Open Driver’s Licence is suspended for a period of 3 months. COSTS: The hearing took place on a race day and, accordingly, there will be no order for costs. ADDENDUM MINUTE OF ADJUDICATIVE COMMITTEE DATED 14 OCTOBER 2021 [1] In its penalty decision dated 13th October 2021, the Adjudicative Committee gave leave to the Respondent to apply for a deferment of the term of suspension imposed to enable the Respondent to complete any driving engagement or engagements he might have in the next seven-day period from 13th October. [2] Mr Cameron has now advised that he has a confirmed and notified drive at the meeting of New Zealand Metropolitan TC at Addington on Friday, 15th October. [3] The Committee hereby orders that the term of suspension imposed in its decision dated 13th October 2021 is deferred until after racing on 15th October 2021 and will now expire on 15th January 2022. RG McKenzie (Chair) Decision Date: 13/10/2021 Publish Date: 14/10/2021