30 May 2015



Racing             

MORE FRUIT FOR BOB AND SANDRA’S SIDEBOARD 

Bob Peters was going down the escalator at Belmont, as I was going up, about a week or two after his champion filly Delicacy had done us proud with her two magnificent Group I wins at Morphetville (SA).
I asked him whether he had got another sideboard to accommodate the additional ‘fruit.’
(‘More fruit for the sideboard,’ was one of the late Don Scott’s favourite expressions. No, I do not mean Don Scott, former hardman for God’s greatest AFL side, Hawthorn- I mean the late professional punter and writer of Racing Books).
Bob gave me his sphinx like grin, his mind clearly on great breeding unions and important races still to win.
Well, Peters and his wife Sandra were in their customary Winners Circle after the Group III Belmont Sprint (1400m) on May 30, where jockey Peter Hall was reminding everyone that at 48 he was almost reaching his prime. No-one is disagreeing with him, including Danny Miller,a generation older, who surely reckons the best is yet to come for both Hall and himself!
Hall was aboard the Grant Williams trained Shining Knight, for the Peters, in a race reduced in lustre by the scratching of champion, Luckygray (hoof injury).
Hall had Shining Knight slightly worse than midfield, in the one out lane, for most of the race.
With Dawn Approach, and Fuchsia Bandana, vying for the lead, Hall was in a good position to pounce –and he did so with his usual timing, reversing the roles in the Northam Stakes, of last month.
Dawn Approach showed the same fighting spirit he displayed against Luckygray, in the Roma Cup, before succumbing by half a length with Fuchsia Bandana finishing third yet again.
Shining Knight will race in the Hyperion (1600m), in a fortnight, according to trainer Grant Williams.
Balmont Girl (Pat Carbery) racing first up from a spell, loomed in the straight but died on the run, finishing fifth. Expect her to strip fitter and regular rider Shaun O’Donnell will return to ride his ‘second favourite horse’ for the Hyperion. (There are no prizes for guessing who is number one).
Bass Straight, another resuming, was fourth and was held up slightly in the final 100m.

25 May 2015



History
LESSONS FROM HISTORY

According to ALP deputy leader, Tanya Plibersek, in her Arthur Calwell Memorial Lecture (30 April 2015), the former Labor Leader, (1960-7), wanted Australia to be a country with a national identity based on values, not on birth.
However, some of us remember Calwell better than her revisionist portrait of him.
Calwell deserves to be known as the Father of Immigration, (as Chifley’s minister in that portfolio between 1945-9), as much as Scott Morrison deserves to be known as the ‘Man who stopped the Boats.’
Both men were highly effective immigration ministers.
However if Plibersek thinks Calwell was a multiculturalist she is very much mistaken.
Calwell was a fervent supporter of a White Australia –in other words European immigrants only and the post-war program reflected that fact. It stayed that way until Harold Holt and Gough Whitlam finished off the White Australia Policy.
Nowhere in the memorial speech was there recognition of Calwell’s defence of that policy. In 1947 he said, in a jocular riposte to the SA Liberal member, Sir Thomas White, “Two Wongs don’t make a White.”
Ironically, today, a Wong is the ALP Senate leader-Penny Wong (SA).
If Calwell was around in this era, and made that comment, the sky would fall in on him, as per shades of Andrew Downer’s comments on abusive husbands. Downer as Opposition leader was addressing the party faithful, in 1994, on the Liberal slogan, ‘Things that Matter.’
Downer, with his usual quirky humour, then labelled wife-beaters as the ‘things that batter,’ and it went over like a lead zeppelin! In fact the South Australian never really recovered from that and was replaced, as leader, by John Howard early in 1995.
So, humour reflects societal changes.
Yet political courage usually prevails and reaps a justifiable reward.
President Harry S. Truman once upbraided, in colorful language, the Soviet Foreign Minister, Molotov, on the breaking of agreements. Molotov sputtered he had never been spoken to like that before. Truman replied, “Well keep your agreements and you won’t have to be spoken to like that.”
Truman’s directness of approach struck a chord with the US electorate because in the 1948 presidential election, although given a snowball’s chance in hell of beating challenger Thomas E. Dewey, the incumbent president won.
Contrast that with the approach of Dr H.V. Evatt in his dealings with Molotov. In 1955 Evatt, as Opposition Leader, wrote to Molotov asking him whether there were any Soviet spies in Australia!
 It was breathtaking naivete from a man who had been a former High Court judge, then Attorney General and External Affairs minister in the Curtin and Chifley Labor governments, between 1941-9.
It destroyed whatever chance he had of becoming PM. Asking a liar like Molotov,  the man who had co-signed signed the infamous Nazi –Soviet Pact (23/8/39) that led to the destruction and division of Poland a month later, to reveal the truth on such a matter was ludicrous.
When Morrison became Immigration and Border Protection minister he was told he could not turn around the boats because it would offend Indonesia.
After his huge success at doing just that, the Labor Party, as late as October last year was still having two bob each way on border protection. ALP spokesman Richard Marles then said that a future Labor Government may turn back boats but only if Indonesia approved. That certainly won the Doc Evatt Award for Madness and the total surrender of national sovereignty. However, even that was too much for Labor leader Bill Shorten who jumped all over Marles.
Now we see the world asking Australia for advice on how to deal with people smuggling. Is it any wonder the Australian Silent Majority are yearning for a Morrison prime ministership?
He has the courage to make the right decision while Labor unfortunately learns nothing from History.
Shorten, in Adelaide on May 20, was asked six times whether he would turn back the boats and on every occasion he fudged on the reply. He will never be PM and the current Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton, will not miss him for a target.
As for Plibersek, she has been dubbed ‘Plibersplit’ because she is demanding that the Government have a free vote on Gay Marriage while insisting her own Labor colleagues are tied to a binding party vote on the subject!
There are currently 11 in the Federal Labor caucus, (including six in the Senate) who are prepared to cross the floor on this issue, right now. Why on earth would anyone in Labor, let alone the deputy leader, want to put the party through the wringer on such an issue?
Plibersek is a political dunce. The Labor Party has had four major splits in its history and each has proved costly. In 1916 the Labor Government split over conscription and did not return to government until October 1929 –just in time for the Great Depression.
The 1931 split saw the party in Opposition for another decade and then after eight years in government lost at the polls in December 1949 and stayed in Opposition for 23 years, helped hugely by the 1955 split.
Does ‘Plibersplit’ really want to become another Billy Hughes, ‘Stabber’ Jack Beasley, or Doc Evatt –all of whom did huge damage to the ALP?
Labor’s post World War II immigration program was planned to develop Australia while helping the displaced people of Europe.
It contrasted with Labor’s attitude to immigration, (and jobs for returning soldiers), following the Great War (1914-18). Then, Labor had opposed such schemes, particularly the Men, Money and Markets policy of the Bruce Government (1923-29).
Labor simply misjudges the electorate today if they think there is a huge groundswell for multiculturalism. There is none, rampaging Islamists have killed that desire, if it ever existed.
While a multi-ethnic Australia is a possibility, for people willing to subscribe to the Australian traditions and way of life, a policy that turns Australia into a collection of warring tribes is not wanted and is going to be resisted.
Cultural and moral relativists can howl at the moon but all cultures and morals are not equal.
Put simply Australians do not want this country turned into another Lebanon, or any other Middle Eastern hell hole. The lessons from 1400 years of Islamic aggression should be obvious and no other religion/ideology comes close to killing 270 million people. Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Pol Pot are not in the same league as the Death Cult.
Australians know Islam is a supremacist political ideology that encompasses everything promoted through a veneer of religion; it treats all others as inferiors and makes them second class citizens when it has control; it is violent and intolerant; it treats women as second class citizens; it promotes murder through ‘honour killings’ that are despicable; it wants to replace western Law with Sharia which places all non-Muslims in a lesser status by law; and  it is a religion that promotes taqiyya (deceit) as appropriate conduct towards non-Muslims.
The Left can use nonsense words like Islamophobia and xenophobia as much as they like, but Middle Australia is not for turning and nor should they be.
The Weekend Australian, (Inquirer section, 23/5) had a feature on how Muslims feel and they really have replaced the ‘10 pound Pom,’ of the 1940s and 1950s, as arch grizzlers.
One Sheikh, photographed, looking like someone auditioning for the part of Faisal, in a remake of Lawrence of Arabia, was bemoaning the fact he no longer felt as welcome in Australia, as he did in 1983.
 Is it hard to wonder why, simply read a newspaper or watch the news?
 In addition, if a western male walked through the streets of Riyadh in a pink tutu it would probably be comparable to the Sheikh trying to emulate Sir Alec Guinness, in Australia, although the latter was a far more convincing actor.
After the Canadian terrorist shootings, in the Federal Parliament at Ottawa, car stickers appeared with the best two words since Gough Whitlam’s memorable 1972 slogan, It’s Time.
The Canadian stickers simply said: Fit In.
It’s time that happened.

24 May 2015



Racing

Minimalist by the Bare Minimum

In a thrilling three horse tussle it was Minimalist (Shaun Meeres), coming down the outside, that just shaded Crystal Gardens (rails) and Playboy Persona (centre) in the Sky Racing Provincial Championship Series Final (1400m), at Belmont yesterday.
The official margins were a nose, by a nose, and many initially thought Peter Hall’s vigour on the fancied runner-up ($4.80) had prevailed in the very tight finish.
Minimalist ($17) finished with the proverbial wet sail after being 12th on the turn and Meeres timing was vindicated-just.
Trainer Ivan Haggerty said Minimalist had been a difficult horse to train in his 30 run career that has now yielded three wins, with the last two coming at his last two starts.
“You have to kid to him a bit and it is pleasing that in his last three runs he has started to produce. We work him at home, not at the track, and that plus some farrier work has helped.”
Haggerty said that Belhus syndicator manager Peter Morley had got to the stage of thinking the gelding would have to go before his recent improvement.
Indeed, Morley’s frustration was understandable as it was only six starts ago the gelding was racing at the minor Kojonup track and being ridden by a heavyweight former UK jumps jockey!
Apprentice Jake Casey went from a feather duster to a rooster in successive races, riding Fred Kersley trained gallopers.
In the Ramelius Resources Handicap (2100m), won convincingly by form stayer Tower of Lonhro (Joseph Azzopardi),  Casey had been aboard Ask Me Nicely that the interval race statistics show was third throughout……… but not quite.
Casey attempted to push out at the top of the straight but experienced jockey, Pat Carbery, on Cyber Crime, held his line and Casey was pushed back to last, before recovering to finish third behind the Adam Durrant duo, Tower of Lonhro and Gladstone.
Casey redeemed himself for Kersley, in the next, with North Ridge, third throughout and with a clear run, holding off Top Show by half a length with that galloper finishing well from the rear of the field.
After being runner up in three races Lucy Warwick got the ‘monkey of her back’ with a good ride in the last race for her father, trainer Justin Warwick.
Working across to lead, from the outside barrier, on Brother Patrick ($14), the talented apprentice caught them napping, turning for home, scooting away and giving the others something to catch. They couldn’t.
A drifter in the market, Brother Patrick has shown his penchant for ‘mile’ races, claiming three of them from his last four starts over the 1600-1650m distance.
Peter Knuckey and Simon Miller combined for a winning double with Regal Gleam and First Among Equals, respectively.
Miller expects further wins from the pair.

17 May 2015



Racing

THE CHAMP RETURNS WITH A WIN

Racing fans came to see him win and WA champion Luckygray did just that with a quality win in the Roma Cup (1200m), his second victory in the race.
The win was a hard fought one, after jockey Shaun O’Donnell, gave his charge every opportunity, after jumping well, by sitting in fourth position, one out.
When Luckygray went to Dawn Approach (Takahide Ikenushi), in the final 200m, Luckygray seemed set to pull away, however that galloper fought back and only a long head separated them after the stirring duel. Fuchsia Bandana, was a good third, three quarters of a length away, after being momentarily blocked for a run.
Luckygray was entitled to feel the pinch at the finish as his run last year in this same race (fourth) was his only one for the year. Shortly after that race he escaped from a handler at the Ascot pool, sustained injuries and was sent for a long spell, missing the chance for a third Railway Stakes victory.
Coming into the Roma Cup weighing 490kg, Luckygray was 30kg heavier than when he won his second Railway Stakes, in 2013, Trevor Andrews said before the race. However rival trainer, Dan Morton, saddling up Zester in a neighboring stall, exclaimed, “Trevor has also put on 30kg since then too.” (Yes, I did manage to break them up).
Clearly he can only improve with more race fitness and with more distance (the horse, not Trevor).
Luckygray’s trainer had the last laugh, claiming post-race, “this is what racing needs, he is so genuine, a super star who oozes class.” (It was pretty good training feat too).
The public agreed, despite huddling inside, in some of the coldest conditions experienced at Belmont. There was loud cheering behind the glass windows when the champion grey swept to victory.
O’Donnell who regards ‘Bradley’ (Luckygray) as the best horse he is ever likely to ride said the grey wanted to smash the barrier to get going at the start. “He was so anxious, he lurched sideways commencing but after speeding out of the gate settled well. He showed them what he is made of today and he is still number one.”
The same could be said of the jockey who despite some personal trying circumstances, in recent times, has shown great professionalism, maintaining good form, particularly in feature races, a fact mentioned by other riders.
His affection for the grey is obvious and matched by the pride his young 12 year old daughter, and valet, Giaan, has for her father.
O’Donnell said at the Roma Cup speech that ‘Bradley’ was “his knight in shining armour.” If he had looked sideways, at that stage, he would have noticed someone else with a beaming smile that clearly showed she regarded her father in the same light!
Team Luckygray is certainly hard to beat as a spectacle.
Luckygray has now won 14 times, including nine group wins, (from 29 starts) with earnings of almost $2.7 million.
Trainer Shane Quilty maintained his good form when Hey Bro also won on resuming from a spell. Hey Bro had good betting support, firming from $12 to $6 and comfortably accounting for Aerozine and Flying Zoe.
Quilty paid tribute to his Epsom Ave, Ascot, veterinarians for ensuring the horse had a career by performing a soft palate operation.
Jordan Turner rode a back to back double, in the third and fourth races, on Saxy Grace and Hey Bro, respectively.
Pushed back earlier in the 2100m race Saxy Grace was balanced up nicely by Turner to come down the outside to win convincingly. Trainer Adam Durrant described the small mare as a “good little earner who can stay all day.”
“I wish there were more 3200m races for her,” the leading trainer said. Durrant was referring to the WA Cup race where she showed her liking for the long race by finishing a good third behind Ask Me Nicely.
Brother and sister act, Jarrad and Jerry Noske, were also in the winner’s circle on Saturday, with Discoville and Surpark respectively, although the latter had to share the win with Gigante (Jason Brown).
Discoville gave Neville Parnham a double for the day as in the previous race Paul Harvey comfortably won on Malibu Style with perennial place-getter Keysbrook second.
The icy strong wind was probably at worst in the early races, a factor the Hall of Fame jockey reported to his Hall of Fame trainer.


11 May 2015



Politics
BJORN AGAIN SCEPTICS 

Hell seemingly hath no fury like a climate alarmist aroused.
That seems to be the message coming from the Abbott Government’s decision, last month, to set up a climate change centre at the University of Western Australia (UWA), courtesy of a four million dollar grant.
The proposed Australian Consensus Centre has produced anything but that and the massive stink is because is because controversial Danish born author Bjorn Lomberg is the recipient of the funding.
The usual Green-Left suspects railed at the decision. For the former Greens leader Christine Milne it ‘was an insult to every climate scientist in Australia,’ while Tim Flannery said it was “an ideological attempt to deceive the Australian public.” In addition, an on-line petition has more than 6000 signatures raised by born-again guardians of the legacy of Pope Urban VIII, attacking a new Galilean heretic who dares to disturb orthodoxy!
Still, it was enough for UWA to run up the white flag and surrender to the mob, rejecting the money, and the centre, on the 8th May. Nor is it the first time this has happened. Lord Monckton was similarly deemed persona non grata by UWA for his views on climate issues.
Lomborg’s ‘crime’ is not that he is a climate change denier but rather that he downgrades the issue by saying, “I don’t think climate change is the most pressing issue in the world.” That alone condemns him with the new Inquisitors.
Lomborg seeks to challenge people to think, supposedly what universities are for, yet these are the very centres that charge him with the new heretic label, ‘climate contrarian,’ and demand that he be kept off campus ‘in the name of science.’
No wonder Brendan O’Neil, Editor of Spiked, said there is a palpable religious feel to the denunciations. ‘Once we had in the name of the Lord,’ he wrote, but now dissenters are stilled by the Golden Calf of Science. O’Neil said the new secularist masters ‘ brings to mind dark intolerant episodes from history’ when questioners like John Wycliffe, the Morning Star of the Reformation, was hounded out of Oxford University for ‘riling church elders.’  Indeed, and it could be said some academics of today are the ‘spiritual’ heirs of the mob who supported Barabbas.
Clearly UWA vice chancellor Paul Johnson plays the role of the new Pontius Pilate with his craven surrender to academic cowards and as Federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne rightly noted, “what a sad day when staff at a university silences a dissenting voice rather than test their ideas in debate.”
One academic not impressed with the treatment handed out to Lomborg is Colorado professor of Environmental Studies Roger Pielke Jr.
Although sometimes an opponent, including on a panel debate, the American praised Lomborg’s book The Skeptical Scientist as being ‘incredibly useful in the classroom.’
Pielke warned, in what should also be observed by homophiles and Islamophiles, that debate should never be closed down, or shutout, simply because of hostility to a particular view or person.
Bill Gates described Lomborg as “data driven, and always worth listening to” while The Economist magazine described the Copenhagen Consensus Centre as an ‘outstanding visionary idea’ and deserving of global coverage.
True enough. As the Copenhagen Consensus has shown, solutions to a wide range of problems are considered after looking at what experts in the particular area have to say. These problems are evaluated by a panel of economists and subjected to budgetary constraint. A pecking order of projects is listed.
The Copenhagen Consensus 2008 listed reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in last place (30th) on the list of major problems, therein the problem with those who cherish this cause as the most important issue facing the globe.
Unlike Lomborg, those academics at UWA are incapable of rising to the challenge.
 In 2004 Time listed Lomborg as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. As journalist Andrew Bolt asked, would anyone from UWA make the top 100 Australian list?
Minister Pyne will now look for another venue to host the Consensus Centre but that may not be in Perth, thanks to the antics of the new heretics known as ‘climate spoilers.’