THE curtain falls on Townsville’s winter carnival on Saturday with the running of the Cleveland Bay (13300m) and the 132nd Townsville Cup.
Both races have attracted the best sprinters and stayers currently racing in the north.
There are a few visitors from the south including the brilliant track specialist Executed in the Cleveland Bay and the Kelly Schweida trained Outrage in the Cup.
Kelly ventured north to win the Rockhampton Cup last month with Ruling Force - and his winning jockey Adrian Coome has elected to partner Outrage.
It was a big call by the leading Queensland jockey who has been aboard Fastnet Flyer in its recent starts and is rated a leading contender on Saturday.
Robert Thompson, at this stage is expected to ride Mountain View in the Cup in spite of the horse’s recent lapse of form.
An interesting entry is former Melbourne provincial stayer It’s all About Harry now trained at Rockhampton by Mick Attard.
The dead-heated for fourth in the Provincial Plate at Flemington three weeks ago and is said to have arrived in the north in top condition.
His main mission however is the Cairns Amateur Cup which is also being targeted by John Manzelmann with his new $33,000 acquisition Artibai.
With last week’s Ladies Day attracting the biggest crowd in years, the TTC is looking toward a big two days (Guineas is run on Thursday) with a host of visitors.
Cup week also includes a sell out Calcutta at the Ville Casino on Friday.
Special guests include John O’Shea, the Mareeba kid who has hit the big time in Sydney as Godolphin’s trainer, Billy Slater the Innisfail kid who has caused more than a storm in NRL and record breaking Larry Cassidy who is on the verge of a return after a long break from the saddle.
THIS is the story of 74-year-old Giuseppe (Joe) Caruso.
Mr Caruso is a recreational punter. He was in hospital for a hip replacement three weeks ago and his son Robert, who often shared a bet with his dad, placed $100 each way on two horses in the last race at Doomben. They finished first and second – the winner Frequendly was $71 and the runner-up was $31.
Joe said that on Monday a representative of the betting company he used rang him (in hospital, mind you) and asked what bets he had placed on the Saturday. An older man and not in the greatest state of health, Joe was not really certain of all the bets that Robert had placed. And he didn’t care.
Joe said the betting company had now closed his account and refused to pay the winnings of roughly $10,500, claiming that their customers’ accounts cannot be used by a third party.
Don’t worry, the show is far from over. Lawyers are being briefed and letters will this week hit the desks of RVL, NT Gaming Commission and no doubt the desk of Nick Xenaphon the South Australian Senator so hot against rip-off gambling.
Yes, there is more to come from this in an era whereby bookies are virtually taking over.
This is another urgent call for government to act – to remove, replace or completely overhaul the NT Gaming Commission that currently controls this multi-million dollar industry.
Why aren’t the corporates licensed by the states in which they work – just like the on-course bookmakers all over the country? They should be subject to the same rules and regulations as all other bookies.
That might, just might, see some changes to the somewhat unscrupulous lure of free bets to the unsuspecting – and prevent agents from ringing and disturbing punters in their hospital beds.
It’s time.
