Punt Drunk: Zahra in more strife as spring racing heats up
The Friday edition of Punt Drunk is here as we gear up for a Group 1 type of weekend headlined by the Makybe Diva Stakes. We’ll bring you the latest from the infamous AirBnB party, the newest race to be created by Peter V’Landys as well as professing our love for spring racing. Buckle up for a bumper weekend of racing, footy finals and plenty more!
Zahra in the mud over AirBnB lie
We all know the story: a bunch of jockeys gathered at a Mornington AirBnB on a Wednesday night for one hell of a party and got caught. They all released apologies and said they were sorry, and we all rolled our eyes and thought they were just sorry they got caught. Well, it turns out that Mark Zahra’s apology is a bit far-fetched, with the veteran jockey being busted for blatantly lying to Racing Victoria stewards about his involvement.
When it was rumoured that the 2020 Caulfield Cup winner jockey had been in attendance, stewards called Zahra and he categorically denied it. Fast-forward six hours and he calls them back, admitting he was there and explaining the reason he lied in the first place was because he wanted to inform his wife.
So because he didn’t have the bottle to tell his wife straight away, he has now copped a four-month suspension for misleading stewards instead of telling the truth. The lesson here is to be a bloody decent bloke.
V’Landys splashes the cash once more
It remains unclear who holds more power in New South Wales: Gladys Berejiklian or Peter V’Landys? PVL certainly carries on like he is the most powerful man in the world, and the chairman of Racing NSW furthered those claims with the announcement that a BM68 worth $700,000 will be run on Golden Eagle Day. The new race will be run under the same conditions of The Kosciuszko, awarding sweepstakes winners one of the 18 slots for the new event.
The race will be known as the Four Pillars Midway and is yet another cash-splash by PVL in a bid to stay relevant in the racing scene. Following the creation of The Invitation in August and now this new event, we’re just waiting on V’Landys to announce an egg-and-spoon race worth $1 million because why the hell not?
How bloody good is spring racing?
If you are like us and are absolute degenerates, Wednesday 11am is one of your favourite times of the week. It is when the fields for the upcoming weekend of racing are released, and it is complete mayhem trying to lock in early prices or being the first to get your tips out for Flemington. This week was no different.
The 13-horse field for the Makybe Diva Stakes featuring 10 Group 1 winners, Anamoe making his return in the Run to the Rose at Kembla Grange, boom three-year-olds Ingratiating and Finance Tycoon set to duke it out down the Flemington straight – it’s just the ticket. Throw in the likes of Artorious, Instant Celebrity, Mystic Journey, the Theo Marks Stakes, the Sheraco Stakes, the Bobbie Lewis Quality – the list goes on!
Racing.com caller Ric McIntosh uses the line “How bloody good is the ‘Bool?” but we’re going to stick with how bloody good is spring racing?
Friday Racing Tips – September 10, 2021
About Punt Drunk
Welcome to Punt Drunk! Our new daily column covering all the latest horse racing and punting controversies, dramas and headline news. Have a story or gripe or issue that just grinds your gears? Just hit us up in the comments or contact us page and our jaded, punt hardened Punt Drunk staff will give it the Punt Drunk treatment it deserves. Don’t expect pleasantries or typical racing media fanboy gloss from Punt Drunk – we’re on the punt and we don’t have time to bullshit; the next is about to jump…
