Racing: Cropp regains magic touch

Lisa Cropp was at her best when she rode Legs to win the Kelt Capital Stakes at Hastings in 2006. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

So former top Waikato jockey Lisa Cropp has beaten the odds and the Melbourne jockeys.

A winning treble, albeit on a rain-soaked "off" Saturday at Betfair Park, is a big achievement.

In doing so, Cropp didn't really just beat the odds and a handful of the better jockeys, she beat methamphetamine.

Few have. Very few.

All the evidence collected in recent years tells you there is a certain level and duration of methamphetamine use beyond which there is no coming back.

In 2006, Cropp tested positive, which made her style in winning on Saturday truly remarkable.

Cropp knows only how to win.

Even forgetting for a moment the drugs, she overcame a body so twisted and buckled by repeated injuries few would have even considered coming back to the raceday saddle, much less risen to the top again.

Getting to Melbourne to clean up her act and jump-start her career after her methamphetamine disqualification was a smart move.

The level of forgiveness in New Zealand would have been interesting, but it would not have been total.

In Australia, you are as good as your last ride.

The publicity Cropp has received since riding a winner at Moonee Valley last Friday night and three on Saturday reflects little of the run-her-out-of-town press she received with her head-shaking ride on Miss Finland in the 2006 Cox Plate.

If she keeps riding winners like she is, the Miss Finland ride won't be even remembered, let alone mentioned.

And she's giving herself a chance.

She rode at Wodonga on Sunday, Terang Monday, Kyneton yesterday, where she notched a treble; and took rides for Ballarat today, Geelong tomorrow and Moonee Valley on Friday night before starting the weekend again.

Her winning ride on Monkeys in the last of her Kyneton treble was an absolutely superb performance.

Jeez, you wouldn't want to do anything wrong in front of Sydney's racing lawman Ray Murrihy.

The 15-month and 12-month bans given jockeys Blake Shinn and Peter Robl for betting seem too tough.

After all, Murrihy admitted at last Friday's hearing that there was no evidence either jockey rode anything but by the book on any of the horses they backed.

Okay, integrity is important in racing. But so is hypocrisy.

There is more likelihood of something dodgy with jockeys owning horses, rather than punting them.

After all, if they back one aren't they going to try just that touch bit harder?

Australian jockeys can't own horses, but their wives can.

As someone once pointed out, show us the wife of a successful jockey who works.

They don't because financially they don't have to.

So, if they don't work, who pays the training fees - the jockey.

And even if they didn't, do stewards imagine pillow talk doesn't work these days.

Riding great George Moore apparently loved a bet and legendary Sydney trainer the late Tommy Smith loved the jockey to have his own on when he himself backed it.

New Zealand jockeys are permitted to bet on their own horses, something Ray Murrihy had a side-swipe at during last week's inquiry.

Like Tommy Smith, local trainer Colin Jillings loved his jockeys to back themselves.

In a town where the major crime is being caught, perhaps 15 months and 12 months is appropriate for Shinn and Robl. For being stupid enough to be caught.