By MIKE DILLON
The Kevin Myers case is almost certain to be heard on Friday week at Ellerslie.
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing is awaiting a response from all parties that the date is suitable.
There is an irony in this case, which now centres around a charge of bringing racing into disrepute.
If you can point the finger at an individual factor bringing racing into disrepute, it is the ridiculous amount of publicity this case has attracted.
No one wants to see anything dodgy swept under the carpet, but this case has been driven throughout by a handful of people who basically have no grasp of the situation and have inflamed public opinion with a delivery that has been totally lacking in balance.
You can mention here a couple of sports talkback hosts, neither of whom has any idea of the culture of gambling, one admitting on air, drawing a quick breath between attacks on Kevin Myers, that he doesn't go to the races.
The punter is the No1 person who needs to be looked after in racing because more than 80 per cent of all racing's revenue comes from there .
But don't lose sight of the fact that those punters include Kevin Myers and his owner, who incidentally backed his horse in Australia, not New Zealand, which the talkback blokes forgot to find out.
This needs dealing with quickly and properly.
The sad eventuality is that trainers, remarkable in their co-operation with the public on television for years when there has never been an obligation, will perhaps be less inclined to want to provide information to the punter.
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Roger McGlade can't make up his mind whether to give Monday's upset Cornwall Handicap winner Classic Spirit another hurdle race.
"He didn't enjoy the first one too much." said McGlade after Classic Spirit destroyed his opposition at better than 50-1.
"It took a long time for his heart rate to drop back when he tried the jumping business."
The Cambridge trainer said the horse was a lot more ready now for that type of race.
"But I don't think I'll take him to the Trentham meeting, it's probably going to be very heavy down there."
The nine-year-old gelding scored by a length from Able Way and Rotorua Cup winner Watch Officer.
If McGlade was in a betting mood on Monday, he got the expenses after earlier in the day producing $24 chance No Fibs to win the $20,000 Jacobsen Headstones 1600.
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Atmosphere creates excitement and excitement creates atmosphere.
That spiral syndrome was the lasting impression in the wake of Monday's action-packed $100,000 Mercedes Great Northern Steeplechase drama at Ellerslie.
It may not have needed an additional buzz, but the Sir Avion cheer squad, in the pink and black colours of the O'Connor family, provided it anyway.
And when part owner John Arnott thanked them at the official presentation the shout which went up would have done the MCG proud.
Making the noise were four of the O'Connors' five children and 10 grandchildren.
It sounded more like the entire MCG crowd.
No wonder Sir Avion's regular rider Ross Elliot, this time on fifth-placed stablemate Willie Tee because he could not make the weight, said he could hear the supporters screaming before he had finished the race and he was a long way back.
If you missed Monday's race at the track, when Smart Hunter fought back and grabbed Sir Avion on the line, you missed one of the truly great moments of New Zealand racing in recent decades.
Even for non-jumping fans in racing, the Great Northern has always been a very special race.
Long may it continue.
Racing: Punter must come first
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