Reason for Veyron's flat run emerges

Bounding will be hoping to draw a good alley to repeat her win in the Railway Stakes. Photo / Natalie Slade

Relief all round as abscess found following miler’s lacklustre effort for fifth in Zabeel.

Cambridge galloper Veyron had an abscess lanced in his near front foot after finishing fifth in Friday's $200,000 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie.

"No wonder he wasn't right on his game on the day," said relieved trainer Linda Laing.

Veyron was noticeably scratchy in his action after the Zabeel and a blacksmith eased the million-dollar earner's pain on Saturday morning.

"You could almost hear him let out a sigh of relief when that happened," said Laing.

"It was in the same foot we had all the trouble with in Sydney."

Rider Rogan Norvall said Veyron had unusually hung badly from the 1200m on Friday.

"He never does that and he couldn't let down and sprint like he usually does."

Jimmy Cassidy is a walking headline, sometimes even when he's not riding.

The former New Zealand champion copped a month's suspension last week, but came out on his more regular assignment at Canterbury on Boxing Day and rode a genius ride to win the big race.

Cassidy was hit with an improper riding charge after becoming frustrated with pressure applied to him on Tears In Heaven from Lester Grace on his mount Sensualism, which had its head turned by the apprentice rider in the furlong approaching the 600m.

Cassidy pushed out his arm and appeared to strike the Chris Waller-trained Sensualism behind the ear with his elbow.

Chief steward Ray Murrihy, who had handed over his role to assistant Marc Van Gestel for the day, criticised Grace's actions and said Jim Cassidy's response was "out of character".

Cassidy said: "I'd had a gutful. I told him to get off me and in the finish I reacted. It was crazy what he did."

The stewards room drama highlighted Boxing Day at Randwick, at which Hugh Bowman leapt to the top of the Sydney premiership, riding four winners.

Barrier draws will be eagerly awaited for Thursday's $200,000 Sistema Railway when the fields are drawn for Ellerslie today.

The chances of the likes of Durham Town and last year's winner Bounding might depend on the luck of the draw.

And you say a name means nothing, or everything?

Try Chookyard Shifty, who made its debut in the greyhound business across the Tasman yesterday.

Could you find a less noble name for an animal you supposedly think a bit about?

Yes, of course, it won.

Forget exactly what the Tony Pike stable's strike rate is at present - it's sensational.

Louder (R2) at Taupo today could help that along. The well-bred galloper came back from a break with a nice Cambridge trials win and appears to have something on a few of these in a small field.

Harmonize (R6) has been looking to get up to a middle distance and she gets 1800m today. She has drawn a nice barrier and should be well suited.

Makarska (R7) is a real chance. She has been in good form and being bred from a Zabeel mare she should keep getting better.

Autumn (R8) looked good making ground on debut and she should be better at her second start.