Allan Robbinson wont forget The Footy Show dumping
ALLAN Robinson was not paid a cent for his More Joyous interview on Channel 7 -- and we're hearing the only reason he turned down Channel 9 for a similar request was because of his exit from The Footy Show.
Robinson had a popular segment on the long-running league show called Street Talk, but was soon punted after his good mate and producer Gary Burns finished up and crossed to Fox Sports.
The jockey was contacted at the start of the week by Nine to tell all about his involvement in the More Joyous scandal. His only role was simply picking up the phone and contacting owner John Singleton to find out if his horse was crook.
It remains to be seen if Robbo will front the explosive Racing NSW inquiry tomorrow. Take the $1.10 he won't show. Robbo appeared on Today Tonight on Thursday. The Footy Show dumping hasn't been forgotten, hence he won't volunteer to appear on Nine any time soon.
When we first contacted Robinson on Monday morning, he said he had only met Tom Waterhouse once -- in the carpark before a race meeting at Gosford a few years ago -- and knew nothing about More Joyous.
He phoned back on Monday night and admitted he had fibbed.
"I'll tell you about it tomorrow," said Robbo, who stayed true to his word.
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THE More Joyous scandal forced a reshuffle in the Nine commentary box on Friday night, with Andrew Johns scratched from the Brisbane-Souths game.
Johns was penciled in to join Ray Warren and Phil Gould at Suncorp Stadium, but was being interviewed by Racing NSW stewards in Sydney.
Nine played it safe and sent Brad Fittler north, while Johns helped out with the coverage of the Bulldogs-Wests Tigers match at ANZ Stadium.
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GAI Waterhouse was an interesting "omission" from the race-day program yesterday.
The trainers and their runners were listed in alphabetical order. But poor ol' Gai got torpedoed after Chris Waller and his 13 runners filled up the last column in the bottom right-hand corner of page eight.
Waterhouse said Miss Stellabelle, her best chance at Hawkesbury, ran her usual honest race for third in the Darley Crown. Expect the mare to be sighted next in the Listed Dark Jewel (1400m) at Scone.
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WE'VE been told the asking price for three-time Group 1 winner Sea Siren is about $1.5 million.
We reckon that's pretty good, especially as a few yearlings who were snapped up at last month's Inglis sales for a much beefier price tag might never make it to the track.
Sea Siren is expected to make it four Group 1s when she starts favourite in Saturday's BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben. Trainer John O'Shea nominated Sea Siren for Royal Ascot, just in case any prospective buyer wanted to target England with the mare.
We know at least one serious buyer has inspected the horse.
IS BOOM colt All Too Hard being aimed at Saturday week's $500,000 Inglis Scone Guineas (1600m)?
According to co-trainer Wayne Hawkes, a trip to the bush meeting is being entertained before the $25 million colt has his final start in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes (1600m) at Royal Ascot.
Should All Too Hard head to the Hunter and contest the set-weights race, expect him to be back in Muswellbrook by the time his Guineas' rivals hit the bend.
Hawkes also told TVN the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on the same day could be a possibility.
NEIL Werrett was blessed to race mighty mare Black Caviar. Now his kids are badgering him to try his luck with the dishlickers.
"The kids have asked about buying a greyhound,'' Werrett said. "I actually used to own a pretty good greyhound called Valiant Lee. She won eight in a row down in Melbourne.''
Werrett was a special guest at Friday's Wagga meeting, and was delighted when he got to watch his Moriarty line up in the Cup.
Speaking of Black Caviar, how good is this cartoon that's been doing the rounds on the web?
The everyday punter must be wondering why two of the stars of the autumn carnival - Pierro and Black Caviar - get it on in the breeding barn. But Werrett was adamant he didn't want Black Caviar served by a first-season (and untried) sire.
THERE were reports last night the four hoons who stormed the track after the last race were being sniffed out by the dog belonging to former champion jockey Malcolm `Miracle' Johnston.
BLAKE Shinn continued his winning week when he kicked home Honourable Aussie for Nathan Tinkler in the Blakes Marine Benchmark 80 Handicap (1500m).
Shinn booted home wins at Kembla Grange and Warwick Farm on Tuesday and Wednesday, then finished with four during the Wagga carnival.
Shinn said Honourable Aussie was always a hope when he drew barrier two given his affection for the rail.
ANDREW Gibbons copped a careless riding suspension for the first time in 900 rides after his winning effort on Petrify.
The hoop was given four meetings, with his excellent record taken into account by acting chief steward Greg Rudolph. Interestingly, Rudolph told us journeyman Robert Thompson has gone around more than 3000 times since his last suspension.
RUN OF THE DAY:
So much for the Darley second-stringers? Jockey Christian Reith produced a gem on Limes to upstage stablemate Complicate and the rest of the Hawkesbury Guineas field.
FLOP OF THE DAY:
Keith's Legacy was backed heavily in the ring from $4 into $2.90 favouritism, but didn't even get warm, finishing fourth, beaten 3.1 lengths in the Listed Rowley Mile (1600m).
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