Racing on the ropes as a spectator sport? The scenario has been developing for years. Veteran turf scribbler Max Presnell adds another warning about the situation in the SMH. He writes: 'Apart from a couple of notable exceptions, racing is no longer a spectator sport, emphasised in Sydney on Saturday. Royal Randwick just topped the 4000 while around 30,000 went to the nearby SCG for the Swans. No doubt apologists will argue this is the off season for the turf in more ways than one. Why is it tha

Racing on the ropes as a spectator sport? The scenario has been developing for years. Veteran turf scribbler Max Presnell adds another warning about the situation in the SMH. He writes: 'Apart from a couple of notable exceptions, racing is no longer a spectator sport, emphasised in Sydney on Saturday. Royal Randwick just topped the 4000 while around 30,000 went to the nearby SCG for the Swans. No doubt apologists will argue this is the off season for the turf in more ways than one. Why is it that Brisbane doesn't seem to have one? Strong and vibrant racing up there has been a fixture since January...But racing no longer seems to have a presence in the Big Sports Picture...'

The Cox Plate is definitely on the spring agenda for Black Piranha...The rapidly-rising Grp 1 star will lead out the Ramornie field at Grafton later this week and then it'll be head down for some serious prep work for major races in the new season. Trainer Con Karakatsanis is looking at the Epsom and Toorak as likely lead-up runs for the Cox Plate bid. (BP's stablemate News Alert is a major chance in the Ramornie).

Latest Cox Plate betting (Betstar.com.au):

Whobegotyou 7.00
Jolie's Shinju (SING) 10.00
Maldivian 13.00
Pompeii Ruler 15.00
Theseo 17.00
El Segundo 21.00
Heart Of Dreams 21.00
Onemorenomore 21.00
Typhoon Tracey 21.00
All Silent 26.00
Black Piranha 26.00
Ortensia 26.00

New season, new pairing...Flemington trainer Matt Ellerton and stable foreman Simon Zahra will become Melbourne's latest training partnership when the new season kicks off on Aug 1.

Holidaying Michelle Payne is booked to ride at Epsom UK on Thursday. She'll be on the Jane Chapple-Hyam trained Mystic Roll in a Claiming race over 7f (1400m).