Melpark makes a major return

STAR pacer Melpark  Major issued a stern warning to other Grand Circuit hopefuls with a sparkling return to the track in the first official trials at TABCorp Park in Melton last night.

It was his first proper hit-out since he was injured while preparing for the 2009 Inter Dominion series which was held at the Gold Coast in March.

Melpark Major hasn’t raced since taking out the Group 1 Victoria Cup at Moonee Valley in December which was his 22^nd win from 49 starts.

At Melton last night his trainer/driver Amy Tubbs allowed the five-year-old son of Iraklis to settle back in the field in a slowly run pace before asking him for an effort down the back straight.

He quickly ranged up outside the leader, smart pacer Maffioso, and that pair turned on the after-burners.

In shocking weather conditions, that pair covered the next 400 metres in 27.6s, before Melpark Major edged to the lead on the home turn.

Tubbs kept him working in the home straight but his condition ran out in the final stages and he was grabbed near the line and beaten in second place by the talented Decorated Jasper.

They ran the last 400m in 28.6s, which means Melpark Major ran his last half-mile in approx 56.4s., an outstanding effort for a horse still considered “fat” by one stable member.

Melpark Major looks like he still needs a couple of decent hard runs before he can regain his stamina but the turn of foot is obviously still there.

Although he had the easier run behind the leaders, the effort of Decorated Jasper should not be overlooked.

He has also been freshened up since contesting the Inter Dominion series and looks ready to win some big races.

Despite the atrocious weather the report on the track itself was a emphatic yes from all and sundry.

The facilities looked first rate and the big circuit looks certain to provide some exciting racing when the track opens for racing proper in July.

Court Rules the Queensland Derby

RELISHING the wet track, New Zealand stayer Court Ruler has simply outstayed his rivals to take out the Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm today.

Allowed to settle well back in the field by jockey Larry Cassidy the task looked beyond Court Ruler when  he was a long way off the lead approaching the home turn but he gained a dream run through the field on the bend and set off after the front runners.

After trailing the early leader, Rockdale, Larry’s Never Late kicked clear in the home straight and was traveling like a winner until race favourite Shocking starting to loom up out wide on the track.

But just when the favourite looked like nailing the race Court Ruler pushed through in the center to grab victory.

Shocking edged past Larry’s Never Late to grab second with the filly Prix Du Sang storming into fourth in an eye catching run.

At Eagle Farm earlier in the day Linky Dink took out the Group 1 T J Smith Stakes for two-year-olds while Black Piranha broke his run of near misses in feature races to win the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.

Is Malthouse the next target for media jackals?

MICK Malthouse had better look out.

Now that they have helped bring down the coaching career of Terry Wallace at Richmond, the jackals of the media are sure to be looking for another kill.

And the Collingwood coach looks the ideal target.

Apart from achieving only mediocre results with Collingwood so far this season, Malthouse is certain to strongly speculated as Wallace’s replacement at Richmond.

But let’s face the facts – the Tigers are a basket case and the only possible reason Malthouse would head to Richmond, if they wanted him, would be if he thought his tenure was up at Collingwood.

And that is where the media will be tasting blood.

Malthouse is out of contract so his future at Collingwood must surely be hanging on a thread.

He has had 10 years at Collingwood and although he did well to get moderate teams into two Grand Finals, that is still a lost decade.

Where Collingwood supporters may not be as feral as Richmond when it comes to burning their coaches, they are sick and tired of “honourable losses.’’

The Leigh Matthews led premiership team of 1990 ended over 30 years of laughter and taunting for Collingwood but that was 18 years ago and the jibes are starting to hurt again.

The problem for Malthouse remains the same as he stated during last year’s finals - He just doesn’t have the cattle on the field to produce a premiership.

President Eddie Maguire can bleat all he wants about the Club standing behind Malthouse but you can be sure a lot of the people in that Club have knives in their hands.

The bonus for Collingwood is that they have Nathan Buckley sitting in the wings ready to takeover.

The minus is that if they don’t grab him now he might move elsewhere.

Hong Kong star is the best in the world

HONG KONG superstar Sacred Kingdom confirmed himself as the top sprinter in the world by smashing the track record by winning the Kranji Sprint in Singapore.
Given a perfect ride by Brett Prebble, Sacred Kingdom trailed local champion Rocket Man all the way and overtook that horse in the last 100 metres for a narrow but convincing win.
Rocket Man was also well ridden and had the benefit of everything going his way on the home turn.
Just before entering the home straight he was sitting pretty behind the breakneck pace set by fellow local Lims Fighter, the rank outsider of the field, who  just happened to drift off the fence and give the local hope a dream run through.
Unfortunately for the locals Prebble pushed Sacred Kingdom through the same gap and he joined Rocket Man to fight it out with 200 metres to go.
The experience of Sacred Kingdom told in the closing stages and he drew clear to win by three quarters of a length from Rocket Man with a gap of three and a half lengths to Diabolical third.
After setting the early pace Lims Fighter collapsed to finish at the tail.
The winner set a new time of 1:07.8 for the Kranji 1200 record.
Australian champion Takeover Target finished a distance eighth after looking to have every chance.
His jockey Jay Ford said: “He never really seemed to travel.”

Moody - is he a tough man or a thug?

THERE can be a fine line between toughness and thuggery and the AFL will have to decide on that margin tomorrow when it reviews the Geelong vs North Melbourne match.
When the AFL match review committee studies the videos there seems no doubt that Geelong tough man Cameron Moody will be in the shit, it is only the depth that matters.
His stupid little whack on North’s Scott Thompson after a Geelong goal was not forceful but it was completely unnecessary and can only attract a guilty verdict.
With his poor past record he is likely to be in the shit for that incident but again it is only the “depth” that matters
Much more important will be the verdict on his “attempt to spoil” in a marking contest where he punched Thompson in the back of the head.
Moody’s straight right hand got nowhere near the ball and struck his opponent’s head with severe force.
It knocked the North player off his feet and clearly stunned him.
The AFL have been doing a song and dance act over recent years declaring that any head-high contact, accidental or deliberate, would be seriously dealt with.
Surprisingly Hawthorn’s Luke Hodge recently escaped a suspension for head contact in an “attempt to spoil” situation which surprised a lot of people including past Hawthorn great Dermott Brereton who declared it no accident.
Already the “experts” are varied in their responses to the Moody punch.
As expected past Geelong player Billy Brownless, a known comedian, is standing up for his team and said that Moody would get the all clear.
Moody only kayoed Scott Thompson.
If a similar punch kayoed Gary Ablett the football world would be in an uproar.
Not so generous to Moody were the likes of past greats Brian Taylor and Tim Watson.
Taylor said that it was the sort of football that we had got rid of in the 1980s.
Watson was also concerned with Moody’s intensions.
His seemed to suggest that Moody had his eyes on the player and not the ball.
If the AFL panel go with the Watson option then it must rate as a serious, intentional and dangerous act which should receive a hefty suspension.