How The Everest sealed a peace deal in racing's cold war
There is nothing else to assume other than that horse racing’s cold war is over. Finally.
No more bickering over prize money, race dates, COVID protocols, strappers’ fees, whether there will ever be another meeting of Racing Australia. The only conclusion we can draw is that it’s done. Let’s all move on.
Any of the 12 horses could have won The Everest at Royal Randwick on Saturday and there would have been a compelling narrative.
But this was the one: Gillon McLachlan, the new boss of the jolly green giant known as Tabcorp and former AFL antagonist-in-chief, being surrounded by green hats as the winning slot-holder after his company chose Bella Nipotina to run for them – a Victorian-based horse bred by Michael Christian, whose other job is as the AFL’s match review officer.
And all on Peter V’landys’ patch!
There was a time when McLachlan and V’landys were butting heads so often protecting their respective football codes that McLachlan refused to mention V’landys’ name during interviews. Their relationship has thawed. In McLachlan’s new role resurrecting the country’s biggest gambling behemoth, they know they need each other.
Gillon McLachlan congratulates trainer Ciaron Maher after Bella Nipotina;s win in The Everest.Credit: Getty Images
Call this a little head start for McLachlan, whose towering frame V’landys couldn’t have missed from the Royal Randwick directors’ room, as he took acclaim for Tabcorp winning their first Everest.
“It’s not bad, I must say,” McLachlan smiled. “That was a lot of fun. You felt she’d done too much work at the start, but it was a brilliant and courageous ride [from Craig Williams].”
Christian was one of the few men on course among a modern-day record crowd of 49,117 who could legitimately boast being able to look at McLachlan eye to eye, which is hardly what can be said for relations between Australia’s two biggest horse racing states for years.
But there was an olive branch a few weeks ago.
The Everest was given group 1 status, a nod to V’landys’ crash or crash-through style, with the imprimatur of Racing Victoria. In return, Victoria’s answer to The Everest, the All-Star Mile, was also christened with elite status.
Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys.Credit: Rhett Wyman
Victoria’s own clubs and various stakeholders are not happy, but why would V’landys care? He’s got the men from the AFL on side now.
Christian’s roots also run deep to the southern code. He has been persona non grata in Sydney after rubbing Swans star Isaac Heeney out of Brownlow Medal contention for an offence most considered was minor. V’landys’ NRL uses a committee to make decisions on foul play. Christian goes solo for the AFL. He says it’s a high-pressure job, but not compared to watching Bella Nipotina race.
“My family has been coming to the races for the last 18 months thinking this could be her last run,” Christian said. “I’m lost for words. It’s just remarkable.”
To put the gravity of Bella Nipotina’s achievement into context, she raced as a two-year-old after a month of the season in 2019. It was about as early as a racehorse can go to the track for her age. Those types are usually finished as racing prospects by four or five. In her 55th start, at seven years of age, Bella Nipotina won for McLachlan and Christian, for Victoria.
There was also despair, the margins so fine. Traffic Warden, the young colt from Godolphin’s stable who was backed so vigorously near the top of the market, didn’t leave the gates. After months of meticulous planning, he was scratched at the barriers after becoming fractious. Jockey Jamie Kah was so furious she didn’t speak to media afterwards.
Asked what he was thinking as Traffic Warden, nominated as the pick of the yard, went out onto the track, trainer James Cummings said: “Aaah, I was thinking he just needs to keep a lid on it until he pops away from the machines.
“It’s almost part of the charm. As devastating and heartbreaking it is for everyone involved with the horse and from our team to the stables and the farm and everyone at Godolphin, it’s part of the challenge of competing at the top. You’ve absolutely got to take the good with the bad.”
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McLachlan did. Christian did. Victoria did.
Maybe it really is over.
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