Carnival Clues
Sydney Morning Herald
Thursday September 24, 2009
RACING MOURNS A GREAT HORSEMAN The racing industry has lost one of its finest all-rounders with the passing of Ted McCabe. Described as the "doyen" of thoroughbred education, McCabe was a rarity. "He was a bloke that did everything and got it right with no fanfare," Hawkesbury Race Club chief executive Brian Fletcher said yesterday. "Whatever the hassles were, he never passed it on to anyone. He was so loyal. When he made a decision, he never backtracked or moved sideways." McCabe was chairman of the HRC for the past 17 years and a member for 44. He also was chairman of the Provincial Race Clubs Association. McCabe was also an integral part of Jack and Bob Ingham's massive Woodlands Stud operation and continued on with Darley Stud when its owner, Sheikh Mohammed, paid $450m for the operation in 2007. "Ted was an excellent communicator, administrator and educator not only of young horses but of horsemen," Darley said in a statement. McCabe developed the Belmont Park pre-training and spelling farm at Hawkesbury. It is considered the best of its kind in the country. Horses such as Octagonal and Lonhro were just a few stars McCabe educated. "Belmont break in 250 to 300 horses a year and the staff you need to do that are difficult people," Fletcher said. "He had to manage them, he did that, he kept them going. He was a fine horseman. How many horses of the Inghams' or Darley play up at the barriers?" McCabe passed away on Tuesday evening at the age of 68. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday at 10am at St Monica's Catholic Church, Richmond.DONE AND DUSTEDThe dust storm that swept across the state forced yesterday's Canterbury races to be abandoned, with plans to stage the meeting tomorrow evening not feasible. "I'm looking at my car right now," Sydney Turf Club track manager Lindsay Murphy said yesterday morning. "It is completely covered in dust. It was silver but now it's brown." As usual Murphy and his team conducted the pre-meeting inspection of Canterbury at 6.30am. "We had to wear goggles, safety glasses," he said. "I wish we wore dust masks, we were coughing and spluttering." Murphy contacted Racing NSW stewards, veterinarians and the weather bureau. "Safety and welfare of the horse, strappers, trainers, everyone was taken into consideration," Murphy said. Racing at Eagle Farm was also abandoned because of the dust.KIWI TAB ROW Some New Zealanders may be without their regular betting outlets on Melbourne Cup day, with several Kiwi publicans threatening to shut outlets. The publicans are talking strike action after the nation's TAB slashed their betting commissions from around 2.5 per cent to 0.5-1 per cent. NZPA reported 112 of the 397 hotels and clubs with betting facilities were being crunched. Bruce Robertson, who heads the NZ Hospitality Association, told NZPA the cuts would cost one owner $NZ50,000 ($40,815) a year. "For some of them, they're not even getting enough commission to pay for the ink in the printers,"' he said.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald
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