Racing: Johnson should enjoy happier time

Peter Johnson (left) holds The Sportsman, ridden by Danielle. Photo / Supplied

You have to wonder if there is even one Sydney punter who is aware of the real significance of New Zealand apprentice Danielle Johnson riding in Australia for two weeks.

Johnson, one of New Zealand's most promising young riders, is attached to Chris Waller's Sydney stable as part of a two-week scholarship sponsored by the Northern Cluster of Racing Clubs.

Although a great experience and learning curve for Danielle Johnson, in reality she will be of mere novelty interest to major Australian punters.

It was a different story when her father, topline jockey Peter Johnson, rode in Sydney.

It was in the good old bad days of Sydney racing when things were, well, somewhat tied up.

Interlopers coming in and upsetting plans were not tolerated.

Johnson and astute Te Rapa trainer the late Bill Winder became interlopers - bigtime.

Few trainers anywhere could better set horses for major races and organise a big punt than Winder.

These days with wall-to-wall electronic free-to-air coverage of every race in the country it is impossible to set up major betting coups and Winder was probably the last of those able to do so.

The massive collects Winder pulled off the tote and from bookies when successful were legendary.

There was one famous time in Sydney in the late 1970s when Winder arrived with Happy Union for the Canterbury Cup and Oakwell for the second leg of the daily double.

Favourites in Sydney in those days were not meant to be beaten and the Cup favourite, at microscopic odds, was the Tommy Smith-trained Raise Your Glass.

Things went sour when Johnson rode a clever - and very tough - race to land Happy Union home a half-head victor over Raise Your Glass.

Ninety minutes later he did the same on Oakwell and one of the great punts on the daily double had been completed.

No one was greatly worried about the win by Oakwell, who had some support, but Happy Union was not meant to win and you can read into that what you will.

Stipendiary stewards became concerned.

"We weren't allowed to leave the track," Johnson recalled.

Stewards allowed Winder, Johnson and Oakwell's owner Don Looker to leave only when they deemed it safe.

"There were some pretty bad things happening," said Johnson.

Sydney racing has greatly changed and things have been much more relaxed and natural for Danielle Johnson.

"It's a great experience, I'm really enjoying it," she said yesterday.

* * *

Notice something about the debacle of the seven-horse steeplechase race at Riccarton on Thursday? Yes, sure, it was like a stock car race - all but the winner, $1.90 favourite Nana, fell in the event.

But, and it's a massive but, none of the horses were injured.

Which highlights the difference between our New Zealand jumps races and those in Melbourne currently causing such a stir and possible death.

Riccarton's fences, like many of them in New Zealand, are big and bold and make horses respect them and jump them properly.

The Aussies don't seem to want to know.