Racing: Change of racing rules a victory for common sense

Thank God for common sense.

Boy, did we get it right when we switched to the Australian judicial system in horse racing just a couple of years ago.

Saturday's A$3.5 million Golden Slipper proved it.

Under our previous old, archaic, or is that dumb, rules we would have relegated Saturday's Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily from first to sixth.

Simply to promote sixth-placed Solar Charged to fifth because she was hampered in the closing stages by the winner.

Yes she was. Quite severely.

Did it deserve Crystal Lily losing the race?

No.

But we didn't care about such things in our haste to preserve what we perceived to be that ridiculous thing called "natural justice", whatever that actually means in horse racing, which is ziltch.

No question that Solar Charged should have finished a bit closer, but wouldn't have beaten the winner.

Trainer John O'Shea was not a happy camper.

But horses can be unlucky for many reasons.

A bad draw, a bad ride, a bad passage from the 700m - none of which you relegate opponents for.

Probably because they are a greater punting nation, Australians traditionally had better racing rules than us.

So what's happened recently?

Their whip regulations are a joke, as brought up by Melbourne-based rider Michael Rodd being fined A$2000 for his winning ride on Faint Perfume in the Vinery Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

There were allegedly two more strikes with the whip on Faint Perfume before the final 100m.

Rodd, one of the nicest people in horse racing, hit it exactly right when he said it should not be about the number of hits and having jockeys counting them, which is difficult in the heat of a tough finish.

Rodd has appealed against the fine and the Jockeys' Association is right behind him.

As Rodd correctly pointed out, it's not about the number of hits, it's whether overall the stewards deem the whip use to be excessive, a determination that has been removed from stewards' discretion in these new ridiculous regulations.

Racing New South Wales chief executive Peter V'Landys can be a clear thinker on many issues, but even he has been seemingly swamped and confused by the side issues of regulations which have no basis in common sense.

V'Landys seems to be playing the home town card when he yesterday had a swipe at Victorian racing, which has had no jockey suspensions since the whip rules were changed in September compared with NSW's 61 suspensions.

V'Landys is looking at taking action against leading trainer Bart Cummings who said of the new regulations and Sydney's chief steward Ray Murrihy, who brought Rodd's charge: "The steward makes the rule to make himself more powerful. Stewards and umpires should be seen and not heard. He's [Murrihy] very unpopular."

Cummings might be the master of the one-liner, but he rarely comments on regulations.

When he does, it's time to listen.

Australians used to make the world's best racing rules.

Lately they've been making the worst.

Thankfully, the judicial regulations we adopted are still the world's best.

New Zealand will have plenty of interest in one of the features of the carnival, the AJC Derby at Randwick on Saturday.

Apart from providing the breeding of many of the Australian-trained runners, including favourite Zabrasive and the well-backed Shoot Out, Matamata will be represented by the out-of-favour Monaco Consul and Handsome Zulu.

As well, Cambridge horseman Shaune Ritchie will saddle up Keep The Peace, the only filly in the event.

Monaco Consul will be attempting to complete a notable double, having won the Victoria Derby in November. Should he be successful it would assure him of a successful career at stud.

Derby field: Monaco Consul (4), Rock Classic (7), Shoot Out (9), Extra Zero (5), Zabrasive (3), Handsome Zulu (11), Count Encosta (1), Descarado (8), Saint Encosta (14), Sherpa Tenzing (13), Landlocked (15), Home On A Wing (2), Suyama (12), 14 Cedarberg Pat (6) 56.5; Keep The Peace (10) 54.5 95.