KEY players in Saturday's $1 million Coolmore Stakes claim the Racing NSW handicapping department is ''antiquated and inept'' as confusion continued yesterday over weights for one of Sydney's most important group 1 events, reports The Age.It says: Trainers, owners and jockeys were still guessing yesterday as weights for the 1600-metre event will not be declared at 4pm today.Typhoon Tracy will be given topweight - from 58 to 61 kilograms, meaning her trainer Peter Moody will have only hours to de
KEY players in Saturday's $1 million Coolmore Stakes claim the Racing NSW handicapping department is ''antiquated and inept'' as confusion continued yesterday over weights for one of Sydney's most important group 1 events, reports The Age.
It says: Trainers, owners and jockeys were still guessing yesterday as weights for the 1600-metre event will not be declared at 4pm today.
Typhoon Tracy will be given topweight - from 58 to 61 kilograms, meaning her trainer Peter Moody will have only hours to decide whether to accept with her at 9am tomorrow.
Bart Cummings said that he would run his outstanding three-year-old filly Faint Perfume in the Coolmore Classic, but admitted he had no idea what weight she would get.
Sunline, a dual Cox Plate winner, carried 60 kilos the year she contested the race, and many believe Typhoon Tracey should be given a kilo or two less than her.
''We're all completely in the dark,'' one trainer said yesterday. ''This is a farcical situation with a panel of four having to handicap just four races.
''They're supplied with an outside ratings service, which they should have by now and it can't be that much of a difficult job.''
Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys drastically downsized the handicapping department in 2005 and refused to appoint a chief handicapper.
The former harness racing executive also outlawed the long-held custom of giving trainers a guide as to what weight their horses would receive in a bid to help them with placement and programming.