From a betting turnover perspective, a Saturday meeting, day or night, with Sky 1 coverage should be the best possible outcome for Tasmanian racing.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But, when we get it, we have to take advantage of it. There is no point having a prime timeslot if some of the races, including a feature event, are going to be shunted to Sky 2.
The meeting at Mowbray on Saturday night was scheduled for Sky 1, alongside Flemington. In theory, that's about as good as it can get.
However late starts saw several races, including the Brighton Cup, moved to Sky 2 thereby frustrating anyone without access to that channel.
Only a very small percentage of Foxtel's customers pay the extra $5 a month for Sky 2. Mainly on principle, not because of the cost.
So, if Tasmanian racing is promoted as being on Sky 1, to keep faith with punters it must be on Sky 1, barring exceptional circumstances.
The problem on Saturday night appeared to be horses being late into the mounting yard and thereby late arriving at the barriers.
Barrier staff can't load them on time if they're not there.
It didn't help that there were only 30-minute gaps between most races.
Chief steward Scott Quill said officials were "mindful" of the situation.
"We encourage participants to be as quick as they can but a couple of things that happened on Saturday night were out of our hands," he said.
"(Jockey) Jack Martin being stood down by the doctor after race five delayed the Brighton Cup and there were two incidents in the scales area after races five and six that didn't help. We ended up with a bit of log jam."
Quill said 30-minute gaps between races "can be done" but 35 minutes was preferable.
"The 30-minute gaps put pressure on jockeys, trainers, strappers and stewards, given that horses are supposed to be in the mounting yard 15 minutes before each race," he said.
"If the previous race starts two minutes late, suddenly the gap is 28 minutes and so on."
No doubt it is a difficult situation, especially for trainers who can't afford the same staffing levels as their counterparts in bigger mainland centres.
But, at the end of the day, no-one should lose sight of how important it is to start races on time. Run late, get shunted, lose punter interest, lose turnover, lose revenue, lose prizemoney. It's that simple.
TRAINER, JOCKEY CLASH TWICE
Trainer Bill Ryan and jockey Daniel Ganderton will be back before the stewards later this week after two incidents in the scales area on Saturday night.
Scott Quill said stewards had opened an inquiry into "two separate altercations" that occurred after races five and six.
"We've taken initial evidence from both parties and adjourned the inquiry to a date to be fixed," Quill said. "We hope to conclude it this week."
Apparently there was no shortage of witnesses, should the facts be in dispute.
In-form jockey Ismail Toker fell foul of the stewards after the opening race on Saturday night.
He was found to have illegally shifted out on Elisavet at the 400m causing Gee Gee Millmagic to be checked.
Toker was suspended for two meetings. He will ride at Mowbray on Wednesday night before missing the Sky Stakes and Tasmanian Derby meetings.
TASMANIANS IN THE MONEY
Two former Tasmanian apprentices and a smart sprinter kept the Tasmanian flag flying on interstate tracks at the weekend.
Irishman Chris Graham, who rode 101 winners in three years with Spreyton trainer Adam Trinder, landed his first metropolitan double at Ascot.
Graham moved to Perth late last year to capitalise on his 3kg city allowance.
Teagan Voorham also rode a double at the metropolitan meeting at Murray Bridge on Saturday.
Voorham has ridden 29 winners in SA this season and is equal seventh on the statewide premiership.
Meanwhile, Tasmanian-bred sprinter Bold Star gave Needs Further his fourth stakes-winner in the listed Kensington Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.
The Gordon Richards-trained four-year-old has won three of his past four starts in Melbourne.
The 2017 Tasmanian sale graduate was bred by Don Cameron and is from the draft of Brooklyn Park.