Correct STG .....first start was a stand at Bunbury and clashed with Pacific Ruler who had won the first 2 y/o of the season at Northam...Pacific Ruler ...trained by Mark Roberts but not the Pure Steel Roberts ....started favourite but San Simeon emerged the victor. Remember standing on the track at the start ready to lend assistance if needed which was the norm in those days and noticed Ray Sweetman had done his preliminary on a little Garry Rowan horse he had in the race....can't recall his name....but the reins were done up on opposite sides and crossed under his chin. Needless to say Ray was a bit flummoxed when I pointed it out and he asked me to change them over in a hurry hahaha..The Willo boys might have got on although SS was hardly a secret in terms of disclosed ability.
San Simeon first start November 11 1978 at Bunbury, defeating Pacific Ruler, 2nd start at Pinjarra a week later, then spelled.3rd start at GP Feb 1979, a stand, beat Pacific Ruler, then back to Pinjarra, then to the Triple Crown at GP when he lead, Pacific Ruler breezed and ran 2nd, then 6 from 6 at Bunbury. Had his first mobile start in Sires Produce....won by a nose.....from......Pacific Ruler....who would have won had he got out a stride earlier....and History would have been rewritten.
Lou Austin had a better two-year-old by his own admission horse called prince of gold have a old vhs tape, when prince of gold raced in melb.at yarra valley track he bolted in, the commentator ,said pre- race I asked lou is this horse a better two year-old then san simeon. his reply in one word was --yes ----- he won 10-outta 12. never raced again, should have been 12 for 12. except for incidents
Was that Mark E Roberts @curmudgeon as opposed to Mark R Roberts.....Mark E was an older fellow back then and if it is the same fellow as I am thinking of, a terrific bloke who trained a hard pulling mare at the time.....and picked up my wallet one night at GP and went to a lot of trouble to find me and return it. Did he train Pacific Ruler for long before it went to Jack Retzlaff (I think?)?
Yes...Mark E was the man I think @ Jay Jay. He originally came from the Eastern States ......could well have brought a horse over for some of our age classics and remained . Older man yes..probably in his late forties early fifties at the time...slim build 5' 8" or so greying wavy hair. He came under undue pressure as the trainer of Pacific Ruler mainly because the horse kept running second to San Simeon and the commentary began that he wasn't doing the horse justice.....the old outsider sledging I believe. Pacific Ruler may have been transferred to Kevin Keys and finished his 2 y/o stint with Ian Greig being trained from Lew Dorsa's property.....not sure but maybe KK was banished to the sidelines for a period that brought about that particular move. Also..not too sure of the middle trainer and your mention of Jack Retzlaff has thrown a spanner in but know for sure that he finished with Ian Greig. The horse did have a tortuous campaign as a 2 y/o.
Yes, that's him, a good fellow and a good trainer. He had a good mare around the time of Gleaming, got to know him a bit as were were stable together on race nights, around 1978 I reckon. Wallet story....it was the night Phil drove 5 winners in a row (and went on to drive the first on the card at the next meeting before Royal Force knocked off Steelo at his next drive, would have been 7 from 7). Anyway, Gleaming was one of them, I think Golden Time, then trained by Gordon Plewright I think, Chryso Mou, maybe Extra Sly another. Anyway, I backed them all, had a right doozy of a night and went and bought a coffee from the birdcage kiosk for the drive back to Northam. Arrived back up there, no wallet...bugger, big bugger, it was stuffed with cash. I was despondent Saturday morning, about to head to GP to begin what I thought would be a futile search and my old Dad phones, gives me an address and a name (Mark E Roberts in Forrestfield), Brilliant, just off Hale Road...he has your wallet. Brilliant, I rock up, cup of tea, hands over the wallet, I try to give him 50 bucks, he was having none of it, wouldn't take a cent....he had also headed to the kiosk, I had left it on the counter ledge, he picked it up, found Dad's name in the phone book and that was that. Brilliant ending and a place in my heart forever.
Jay Jay see you mentioned a golden time was it involved in a 33/1 to 7/4 plunge maybe phil drove it smallgoods boys had it, or done the punting or maybe I have got the wrong golden?
That's him, the right Golden ....don't even have to look him up, by Playbill from Baruch bred by the famous Mr Rhodes from Christchurch E.T (Teddy)Breeze was trainer and driver...Pinjarra.....big. big move for the times. PC was not training or driving at the time post Juniors Image. Very speedy daisy cutting chestnut wh was a bit unreliable. Don't think he kept the race!!!
Down to business....Patrick from gate 10 at $18 is going to get a soft run....it is a quality field and is he good enough? Great race......and then how about the Bunbury Cup field on Saaturday night, ripper race.
Both great races JJ. Also noted Our Mandingo going around at Bunbury .....first up after nearly 5 years off....must be a story there. I am throwing my lot in with the old bruiser Vultan Tin in the Cup and like Shockwave a bit tonight.
Patrick for me his three runs this time in from a letup have been more then creditable,he has been labeled urgent early, in each of those runs, tonight will be a bushfire drive watch and act,hoping he doesn't finish up 3 or 4 back the marker line.
Wonder what the lugging pole achieves with wildwest, if it makes him more tractable, no doubt he has some quick sectionals waiting to be released if it makes a difference, .
Shockwave was a big run - head on film would be the key
Cant believe Unwritten Rule is $2.20 in race 8 - i thought the no 10 had a very good e/w chance
On the way home in the car the last hour or so - on Langdons Sports show - heard 2 gallops trainers - re the Winterbottom -James Cummings - boy does he get carried away - thought he was one of the Hawkes clan
Then they had Kieran Maher on - allways had a bit of time for that bloke - did he give Dubious a rap and a half - Craig will have this in the box seat - just off the pace - its way dwn in weight - and got a great e/way chance . Havent had a bet at the gallops for about 10 years - but im going to back it tomorrow
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Cant believe Unwritten Rule is $2.20 in race 8 - i thought the no 10 had a very good e/w chance
On the way home in the car the last hour or so - on Langdons Sports show - heard 2 gallops trainers - re the Winterbottom -James Cummings - boy does he get carried away - thought he was one of the Hawkes clan
Then they had Kieran Maher on - allways had a bit of time for that bloke - did he give Dubious a rap and a half - Craig will have this in the box seat - just off the pace - its way dwn in weight - and got a great e/way chance . Havent had a bet at the gallops for about 10 years - but im going to back it tomorrow
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