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Letter of the Week

Dead wrong

Surprise, surprise.

After all last Friday night’s rain, which fell after the Flemington track had been irrigated with 4mm during the day, the track raced like a slow surface, not the Dead 4 we were officially given.

Contrary to all the expert on-air media predictions, the track rating did not receive an upgrade during the day but instead was downgraded to a Dead 5 after race five, notwithstanding that no further rain fell at Flemington.

How does RVL explain that one?

Perhaps RVL’s stewards would also like to explain why the Wildes were not asked to explain why Hissing Sid was ridden upside down at Flemington on Anzac Day.

This horse almost without exception has in the past been allowed to settle back in his races and produce at the finish. For some strange reason he was ridden up to go forward from the outside barrier on Anzac Day and the hard early workload deprived the horse of his usual finishing burst.

Happily for all concerned, the defeat at Flemington ensured Hissing Sid would get into the Warrnambool Cup with a mere kilo more than he carried to victory last year.

The smell surrounding the Flemington run became so much stronger when Sid strolled home to victory at the Bool after reverting to his usual racing pattern.

Kevin McNally

Moorabbin (Vic)

• Terry Bailey, chairman of the stewards panel at Flemington on Anzac Day, replies: Stewards accept that on Anzac Day Hissing Sid was ridden closer than normal but also take into account the circumstances in which the race unfolded. Hissing Sid drew the outside in a field of nine and jumped on terms with the field. This left the rider with two options to avoid being caught wide without cover. Subsequently Hissing Sid, with no speed in the race, settled outside the leader with cover. In the Warrnambool Cup Hissing Sid got further back than normal after being tardy away and getting a bump from the runner drawn to the inside — Hissing Sid then didn’t go around a horse with the field going wide on a heavy track on the third straight day of racing.

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Today's Racing
Friday 29 March
Saturday 30 March
Sunday 31 March