Shortly after Sniper's Bullet passed the winning post in Race Three at Rosehill Gardens today, the criticism of the Racing NSW Handicapper was deftly quiet. What was absurd was the pre-race outburst of trainer Tracey Bartley, and his assessment of the handicapping of promising galloper Impaler's Bullet prior to his previous two runs, together with another attack on the ratings-based handicapping system employed by Racing NSW. In his last two runs, Impaler's Bullet's allotted weight has been criticised by his trainer as ridiculous. However, let's have a closer look at the handicapping of the promising youngster sired by Bite The Bullet. He opened his campaign with 3.3 length win in a Class 3 race against all-aged gallopers, with 0.5 kg over the limit. Taking into account WFA of 4.0kg, he them stepped up into a Class 4 handicap for 3YO's with 4.5 kg over the limit. Harshly treated? He was effectively racing one class higher with the same weight, although many analysts would suggest that there is little difference between a Class 3 and a Class 4 race at the present time in NSW racing. Leading Sydney race analyst Marc Lambourne marked the 3YO as a $1.60 chance, and he was similarly assessed by the general market, returning the same starting price, easily winning after being held up early in the straight. On Saturday 30th December, the potential star met a substandard field in another Class 4 event, rising only 1.0kg for his previous win and overall outstanding record. Again assessed by Marc Lambourne as a $1.60 chance, who flippantly, but accurately suggested on morning radio that the 3YO would have been allotted more than 60kg in years gone by, the 3YO again scored an easy victory, in a race that was lacking in participation by punters. NSW Tab figures shows that the race was the second lowest in regards to turnover for the day. While Tracey Bartley is obviously excited by his promising galloper, it should be unreasonable for any NSW trainer to expect that promising 3YO's should be able to waltz unbeaten through the classes at long-odds-on for five or six runs in succession, collecting $40,000 or $50,000 in prizemoney each time. Despite his current "buzz" factor, the truth is that Sniper's Bullet does NOT attract an extra 5,000 paying customers through the turnstiles paying $10 a head each time he appears at the track, so therefore, the question must be asked, who is paying for the privilege? Ongoing underweighting of our promising 3YOs will only result in a lack of challengers in the long term, leading to fields of only four or five runners, or even worse, abandoned races. Either way, the punting dollar will go elsewhere. While Trackdata sympathises with the current plight of NSW trainers and their financial problems in the current age, to continue to stage races with long odds-on favourites is only going to continue to reduce revenue for the entire industry in the long term. For Tracey Bartley, the Autumn 3YO Set Weight races where the handicapper is unable to affect Sniper's Bullet's weight are only weeks away.. Kevin Skene, TRACKDATA, 30/12/2006 Note: This article is certainly not a personal attack on former excellent jockey Tracey Bartley, a new trainer who has shown exceptional skills at his craft in his early years as a trainer. Rather, we are choosing only one in many instances of outbursts from NSW trainers in recent times in regard to the handicapping of their promising horses, who we suggest are making their assessments without due credibility. 
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TRAINERS NEED TO PULL THEIR HEADS IN, Part 2