October
NovemberSo disrespectful
It is great to know that So You Think will get an opportunity to prove his greatness in next year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. But if the reports are correct regarding how this opportunity has come about, then it is a lesson in how not to treat a living legend.
How could Dato Tan Chin Nam and racing manager Duncan Ramage arrange such a deal with Coolmoore without first even mentioning it to Bart Cummings? How dare they treat such a great and proud trainer with such disrespect? Melbourne Cup week was to have been a week of happiness and enjoyment for Bart Cummings, particularly after his recent health setbacks. Instead, this opportunistic deal soured the carnival for Bart and his team.
The way it was done and the timing of the announcement, together with certain public comments by Ramage about Bart, demonstrated the callous attitude adopted by "Team Dato" in pursuit of making millions of dollars!
Bart Cummings deserves a public apology from Team Dato ... or, better still, perhaps Dato Tan should hand over say $10 million to Team Bart as an expression of appreciation.
Casuarina (NT)