Seven days … in racing – The Sheikh and Shirley

In this edition:

• ‘On our own two feet’ – Makiv making the most of an independent Godolphin Australia
• ‘I don’t see a positive future for the club under this Board’ – Dual resignations add to ATC turmoil
• Written in the Stars – ‘What else would I do if I wasn’t doing this?’ – Age won’t stop the remarkable Shirley Batten
• ‘You have to laugh and you have to pick yourself up’ – Robbie Griffiths on living life, losing mates and a new Legacy
• ‘We need to sit back and work out what the punters want’ – Corstens takes collegiate approach to ATA presidency

The egalitarian nature of Australian racing plays out on the front page of The Straight today. Two very contrasting stories, one about a global powerhouse trying to retain its foothold in the hypercompetitive landscape, and one about a 93-year-old trainer whose love of the horse still gets her to the stables at 4am every morning.

The future of Godolphin in Australia has been a favourite of the rumour mill over the past 12 months, but for Andy Makiv, managing director of the Australia arm, it has been about forging a new path.

The public training model shift, and the subsequent departure of James Cummings courted headlines, but as Makiv explained in an extensive chat on Straight Talk, it was less about personalities and more about shoring up the future for the blue army.

Makiv made it clear that Godolphin is first and foremost a stallion operation, under the Darley brand, and that everything that happens on the racetrack simply feeds into that.

If the early signs are accurate, the option to exit its private arrangement and push its best and brightest out to different stables is proving fruitful. Since August 1, Godolphin has had 17 Australian winners for eight trainers. On Saturday, the Ciaron Maher-trained Zardozi shoots for glory in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes. 

Shirley Batten’s path is a very different one to Sheikh Mohammed, but no less important for an industry which is in danger of reverting to the Sport of Kings stereotype in the modern era.

She’s been training for over 50 years and still has a stable of three on the Gold Coast at age 93. Her racing life has evolved from riding in point-to-points in rural Victoria to training champion jumps horses in the 1950s. With the help of her son David, she is far from your typical Gold Coast retiree.

Jessica Owers spoke to her for the latest edition of Written In the Stars.

Robbie Griffiths is no Shirley Batten. He doesn’t envision himself still training in his 90s. The loss of a trio of mates in close succession, plus a couple of major health scares of his own, were a reminder to him of the perils of not slowing down.

The foot has come off the accelerator for the Cranbourne-based horseman and he now has more time to reflect on what he wants to achieve moving forward. Like all trainers, a good horse always helps with the early starts and he has one of those with the perhaps appropriately named Legacy Bound.

Griffiths stepped away from the Australian Trainers Association presidency recently, with an enthusiastic Troy Corstens moving into the breach.

Corstens also knows the healing power of a good horse in the stable – Baraqiel won the Moir stakes recently – while he sees a more collaborative approach as key to the success of the ATA.

The Australian Turf Club has had a few dramatic weeks in the past couple of years, but the past five days might just sit in the Hall Of Fame for the club. The messy exit of CEO Matt Galanos was confirmed earlier this week, and then two board members exited on Thursday, with one, Ben Bayot, giving his fellow directors a significant spray on the way out.

This fallout has been in the wings ever since the Rosehill proposal fell short of member approval, but with just four board members left, the club faces a crisis. Intervention from either the NSW Racing Minister or from Racing NSW headquarters looms as a possibility, just four weeks out from The Everest.

What you may have missed this week:

• Tough turf times over, Lines insists Gold Coast is back on track
• On the limit – Melbourne Cup change sees lightweights surge
• Drop the Pilot: Rising star’s prize money frozen over jailed owner query
• States asked to step up to back pony racing after TIC closure
• Rytenskild and Tabcorp settle dismissal case
• The Point of Consumption tipping point – Does Queensland move first?
• Slipper winner Stay Inside to get jump on rivals in early trials
• Run The Numbers –  Brightside part of an elite quartet
• Rowe On Monday – End of the Galileo era, fast HK starts for Aussies and Kiwis and a Bangkok musical tribute for Chester

Don’t forget to check out this week’s edition of Straight Talk. There’s plenty of discussions on the biggest issues in racing, wagering and breeding and that extended interview with Andy Makiv.

Enjoy your Group 1 racing weekend

Regards

Bren O’Brien

Managing Editor and Founder

The Straight