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SCMP Reporter

AT least the status of the Macau Jockey Club in the eyes of its Hong Kong counterpart is now crystal clear - it is persona non grata. The Asian Racing Conference doesn't seem to be worth the paper it is written on, either.

 This much is self evident from Eric Saint-Martin's trip home to France last week to ride the Hong Kong-owned Arc De Triomphe winner, Urban Sea, to victory on her seasonal reappearance.

 Remember the arguments trotted out when Lester Piggott wanted to pop over to Macau to ride in their Derby?  Originally the official line was that no jockey on a one-month licence could disappear for a day or two to ride outside the local jurisdiction, even if they were not missing a meeting.

 Well, Saint-Martin is on a one-month licence, too, yet his journey to Europe received the full blessing of the Club, and quite rightly so as there was not any racing here last Wednesday.

 So France is all right but Macau is not. Similarly, Australia, England, Ireland, Dubai even Singapore is in but Macau is not.

 Now this column does not intend to fly any flags for the Macau Jockey Club, which patently has its faults.

 But questions must surely be asked in the highest circles of the Asian Racing Conference - if there any - as to how one member (Hong Kong) can pick and choose and judge another member (Macau) in such a high-handed fashion.

 What the Jockey Club over here is trying to do is to keep down Macau racing so as to preserve its own turnover and its charitable donations.

 Quite laudable if you believe it is a potential threat.

 But let us not at the same time go through this ridiculous farce where there is a pretence of some racing brotherhood within the umbrella of the Asian Racing Conference.

 Remember all that pomp and ceremony of a couple of years ago when Hong Kong played host to the Asian Racing Conference, welcoming Macau delegates with open arms?  The reality is so totally different and is brightly illuminated by the different treatment meted out to Piggott and Saint-Martin.

 Piggott was shown the door for riding in Macau, Saint-Martin, riding out of his skin, remains very much flavour of the month.

       MIINNEHOMA'S Grand National triumph epitomised so much that is right with British jump racing.

 It was tough but fair. A mixture of hard-nosed professionalism and romantic amateur achievement.

 Richard Dunwoody's ride on Miinnehoma was about as good as you could possibly hope for and the display of 51-year-old grandmother Rosy Henderson who rode Fiddler's Pike into fifth proved the greatest steeplechase on earth with yet another fairytale.

 But should we be betting on the race over here?  With a field of around 40 virtually guaranteed for each running, it means that the betting value is going to be emasculated by the local tote which only caters for a maximum of 14 runners.

 Horses starting at 50-1, 100-1 and 200-1 were jumping at ridiculously short prices over here.

 There was no value in the quinella or tierce pool, either. Indeed, any professional punter having a bet on the National would have arranged to send their bets back to Britain.

 This is not to say we shouldn't show the race. It is one, if not the most exciting race to be found anywhere.

 No one loves it more than myself and the crowd voted with their feet by staying on and watching it at the Valley.

 They also bet $25 million through the tote, despite the appalling value on offer.

 But surely the issue is the overseas race which could be bet on, instead of the National. A race where the Jockey Club can offer value to its millions of punters.

 The Government limits the number of races which can be telecast from overseas, so by telecasting the National another top overseas race is lost.

 If the Club showed the National but used its telecast licence to bet on another race at a different time they would be maximising the benefit to their consumers.

 The spectacle of the National would be there for all to see, and the value would be there, too.

 At the moment we have the spectacle but no value.

     JOHN Ridley's appointment as successor to clerk of the course, John Jeffs, was overshadowed by news filtering through of multi-million dollar plans to redevelop the Sha Tin stabling complex.

 There is currently a feasibility study being conducted to see whether the stables, built 20 years ago, can be knocked down bit by bit and a much newer design erected.

 It is estimated that it will take some three and a half years to complete should it get the green light but it will leave the racing community with stabling to match the quality of Thoroughbred stock now coming to compete here.

 Owners are spending millions on their horses and these same horses can race here until they are 10 or even older.

 They get very little variety and because of the employment situation with part-time mafoos, and because of a shortage of land, they are confined to their boxes for much, much longer than in other countries.

 For the good of racing, but particularly for the sake of the horses, it is to be hoped that this major project can go ahead.



Jockeys the pawns in a sorry game of pretence