KEY POINTS:
For years tough-minded Sydney stipe John Schreck called the jockeys into the judicial room just before they mounted for the Golden Slipper, the richest 2-year-old race in the Southern Hemisphere.
Watch yourself, Schreck told Australia's best jockeys, no interference would be tolerated.
A few years before his Sydney
stint was finished, Schreck gave up on the pre-race pep talk.
He knew he was wasting his breath. Put $2 million on the line and jockeys will do whatever is required.
Schreck was proven to be right.
In 1996 Greg Hall slaughtered the Golden Slipper opposition, scattering horses everywhere as he barged his way out to win on Merlene.
The high-class filly retained the race and Hall copped what is still Australia's biggest fine for a jockey, $50,000.
This became a mockery when it was strongly suggested Merlene's co-owner and multi-millionaire Lloyd Williams paid Hall's fine.
The point is, no amount of disincentive is going to stop a jockey doing whatever is required to win a race worth a million or more.
New Zealand's chief stipe Cameron George lined up Ellerslie's jockeys on Sunday night and told them the inaugural Karaka Million race did not deserve to be sullied by race interference.
Same result as always - Mark Du Plessis on runner-up Maureen Dorothy copped a three-week suspension and a $5000 fine for severe late interference in the big race.
Sharp sprints like the Golden Slipper and Karaka Million are helter- skelter affairs and always open to interference.
If you're unlucky late in the vast percentage of races, there is a similar race coming up. Miss an inside gap in the Golden Slipper because you think you might cause interference and they aren't running another one any time soon.
The Melbourne Cup is worth a lot more - but 3200m at Flemington does not create anything like the same time desperation. There is no obvious answer to what we saw on Sunday.
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As Mark Du Plessis exits stage left, back on duty again is Jason Waddell, who resumes riding at Paeroa on Friday.
Waddell was suspended for 17 riding days on three charges and has not ridden since January 2.
Because he wasted properly to get his weight down to remarkable levels for his late winter comeback last year, Waddell's body did not balloon even after a month off and a Fiji holiday.
"My weight's spot on and I feel terrific," said Waddell, who will ride Il Divo in Saturday's $75,000 H S Dyle Waikato Guineas and will be reunited with Fiscal Madness for the $200,000 Whakanui International on Saturday week.
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Canterbury trainer Michael Pitman is confident he can combine to get David Walsh over the line for his 2000th winner at Riccarton tomorrow.
Walsh got to 1998 with a winning treble at Riccarton on Saturday.
He has a mount in seven of the eight races he can ride in tomorrow.
