Crio’s Racing: Vale Simone Montgomerie

Sadly, any racing overview this week must acknowledge the tragic fall and death of Simone Montgomerie in Darwin on Monday. Jockeys have a passion for horses and a respect for the dangers inherent in their profession, yet it nevertheless shakes everyone to the core when such a horrible accident occurs.
Simone Montgomerie had carved out a seemingly perfect lifestyle in Darwin, riding plenty of winners and raising a young family. Her background, like so many others in the industry, is steeped in racing. She was raised in the small Eyre Peninsula community of Streaky Bay, the daughter of Peter, trainer of Melbourne Cup runner-up On A Jeune. Simone went to Pony Club with globetrotting hoop Kerrin McEvoy, whose family ties run deep in the town – jockeys all, from grandfather Bill Holland via uncles Tony (elite trainer) and Peter (President of the Streaky Bay Racing Club) and dad Phillip….this is a place that knows its horses and has experienced the highs and lows. Monday, unhappily, has cast an unprecedented pall over the region, indeed the national racing fraternity.
But, though the Cup Day was rightly abandoned, the wheels of racing roll onwards, for me to Flemington this Saturday. It’s Aurie’s Star Handicap Day, a modest meeting where “Flemington horses” get to enjoy the expanses of HQ, often preparatory to carefully scheduled triumphant returns in Spring – our next meeting here is Craiglee Stakes Day (7 Sept), then Turnbull Stakes in early October before the gala 4 days in November! It comes around very quickly.
It is a long day with 9 races to be conducted as RVL attempts to make up for abandoned meetings and sate the demands of owners and trainers. Thus we kick off at 11.30 with a $30,000 BM70 transferred from Kilmore last Sunday and now rebadged (as at tracks nationally) in tribute to Simone Montgomerie.
Some of the earlier fields will require scrutiny. Look, for example, at R3, on face value a routine F+M 0-84, but surely containing some “Watch” types. Interestingly, top young Sydney apprentice Lester Grace is down for just the one mount, claiming here aboard John Steinmetz’s well credentialled Minh Khai (5). Another to catch my wary eye is the lowly rated Princess Peggy – here’s one stepping up quickly from Adelaide class and with just $30,000 in earnings, yet the Tony McEvoy/C.Williams combo demands caution.
I’m also likely to face a dilemma in MR5. Wrongly, but following “good mail”, I fell in to Clang And Bang a fortnight ago in an unsuitable race (jumping off the winner, my initial selection!). He looks, therefore, reasonable value at 20/1 with a claim here, but….a word of caution. The huge D.K.Weir stable has been off the boil for a couple of months – a Geelong winner on Tuesday broke a near 30 runner drought for them and, beforehand, it had also been barren through much of July. I like to roll with good form – but will still have a snip E/W MR5 No2.
As usual it is a really open Quaddy. Here are some numbers to kick off discussion:
MR6- top two are on Caulfield cup paths and Folding Gear is Blinkers 1st time, but unlikely today. Henwood (11) is flying and looks a big, HQ type. Find a speed map and include the likely leader. Don’t discount the progressive 15 at odds. 3 is an obvious inclusion.
MR7- Some ordinary stock for a G3. Ferlax (3) went Benalla, Sale, G1 Guineas at Flemington in an incredible winning sequence in Autumn. I am a bit of a skeptic still, though he has nominated for the big ‘uns. Riziz (4) is the form horse and Temple of Boom (2) the genuine group runner down the famous straight. Interesting to see how former WA star Luckygray goes, now with the crafty Smerdon camp.
MR8- uninspiring 2000m H’cap. What do you do with Upbeat? He’s a tease but has talent. 3 and 11 are worth consideration. I need to get some form and scrutinize this one further.
MR9- very wide. 11, 3 and look for on pacers.
It is belting down here in Flemington now (Wednesday 6pm) but the track is resilient so I’m reckoning on about a 5 or 6 for what is an interesting card.
Punters will certainly have an eye on Randwick, especially the Missile Stakes (SR5, WFA, 1200m). The 2011 winner, Rain Affair, will head betting but general interest will be surround the returning toppy, Hay List, as he tentatively resumes his interrupted career. MicMac heads a small but quality support cast. Good race.
Elsewhere, of course, racing goes on…. at Louth, at St George, at Carnarvon and points all around the country as it has since settlement – but heavy hearts will reflect on the toll of our much loved sport and another young life tragically lost. RIP

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