The On Course DemonstrationWest Australian Racing

Ridersonthestorm33

With the running of the ATA yesterday uncertain if that was the race Allegation ran a beaten favourite in before knocking off Kabooki by a narrow margin in the 1974 Perth Cup a little tacker then in the old ledger half way up the straight and all remember is a constant crescendo of booing coming from the enclosure or “inside” as us paupers in the ledger used to call that area.

One of the final demonstrations can recall was in NSW at Randwick when the grey Glastonbury won the 1994 Metropolitan Handicap following some “patchy” form. His next run in the Melbourne Cup laboured and finished well down the track, had drawn him in a decent Melbourne Cup sweep, any hope he did have was gone then and there.

Over the years saw several punters give jockeys a spray as they returned to scale and some hoops could serve it straight back and there was some good banter, Jason Brown one day without missing a beat gave back as good as he received, a right of reply if you like and was humorous from both sides of the fence, no harm done.

Whether the on course “demonstration” was a good thing or not, it’s now confined to history and gone the same way as the old Ascot Ledger itself, and one thing is certain - even if a couple of the well fancied flops from yesterdays ATA happen to snaffle the Perth Cup there’ll be no “Allegation.”

JayJay

You would need to invoke Charlie Court's absurd Section 54B  Anti Demo Legislation (it is illegal to hold a public gathering of more than 3 people) to get any negative commentary from the lawn declared as a "demonstration" down at Gloucester Park these days. :))

Ridersonthestorm33

Haha remember that one well JJ didn’t go down too well in a left leaning household, although when used to ask my mum who she voted for never once told me saying it’s a private thing. Looking back that wasn’t a bad way to be. Unlike her other half where it was Labor or move out!

spinking

Riders you and me must be around the same vintage. I to was in the ledger with my grandmother that day and can remember the booing as we walked down grndstand road must have left straight after the cup. Maybe the old grannie baked Kabooki. By memory Tommy Graham rode Kabooki

Ngawyni

From memory Allegation was beaten at 3 to 1 on by Fade in the C B Cox Stakes (now regretfully the Van Heemst) before winning the Cup.

The only demonstration I can recall to match or better it was after La Trice (J J Miller) lost the 1970 Railway to Kilrickle (F Treen) on protest. The demonstration continued the following meeting - every time Treen came out to mount up. 

JayJay

Yep, The Latrice/Kilrickle demo was a doozy and was a bit like the never ending story. My Aunty Sylvia (husband of Kilrickle's trainer Ted Sullivan) told me many times of some of the stuff directed at her, Ted and Treen. She used to say 'we put in the protest but we didn't make the decision".

It still surfaced 40 years later at the Hall of Fame dinner. Some people never forget but it did tarnish  the reputation of a great horse who in the space of a couple of weeks won or was placed (take your pick) in a Railway, a Perth Cup and the Imperial Stakes.

I have it on good authority that the horse never uttered a word in the Stewards room.

SLIPPERGOLDEN

Not true Jay Jay. When questioned the horse replied Neigh

SLIPPERGOLDEN

spinking said:

Tommy Graham rode Kabooki

Tommy didn't mind a flutter in the day at the old Morley TAB. Quite a few years ago supposedly won a nice amount on favourite numbers