Ramdhani leaves ATC tracks in better shape

Outgoing Australian Turf Club racetracks general manager Nevesh Ramdhani was delighted to have a race named in his honour at Rosehill on Saturday as he departs for the Gold Coast in a major loss for Sydney racing.

The autumn carnival, at which Randwick and Rosehill tracks were under unprecedented pressure because the never-ending wet weather showed what Ramdhani has achieved over his decade-long tenure.

The fact the ATC lost only seven races over the carnival while dark clouds and rain exceeded any days of sunshine, was because of the work Ramdhani and his team have done on the track in recent years to achieve the best racing surface.

The measure of success in any job is leaving the place in a better state than when you arrived and Ramdhani has definitely done that, both with the tracks and in relations with trainers and others in industry.

Ramdhani’s legacy will be great track surfaces that race well in all conditions and on the whole are fair giving every horse its chance.

He will oversee the rebuild of the Gold Coast track over the next couple of years, but hopefully Racing NSW and the ATC will use his knowledge for the development of Warwick Farm.

Own County set spoil colts JJ party

The unfashionable pairing of Owen County and Keagan Latham has trainer John Sargent confident he can spoil the colts’ party in the final two-year-old group 1 of the season, the JJ Atkins at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The Dundeel gelding is still in Sydney, which Sargent believes is another plus, after being forced to win at Randwick last month, instead of running for a $1 million in the BRC Sires Produce Stakes.

“That probably worked in our favour because all he did was walk out of his box, go out and win and come home and eat up,” Sargent said.

“He is in a routine and is getting better all the time and the mile is going to be the right trip at the right time.”

Sargent decided to stick with Latham after he timed Owen County’s run perfectly over 1400m last time out and believes his style is another positive for the horse’s chance.

“Keagan might not be in Sydney all the time but he is one of the strongest riders around and for this bloke that European style will really help to bring the best out of him,” Sargent said. “It was an easy decision to leave him on because he knows him and suits him.”

Surreal Step ready for Charley rise

Brad Widdup is surprised he has been able to get Surreal Step to the black-type level of Saturday’s Bob Charley Stakes at Randwick so quickly, but expects him to again be in the finish.

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The five-year-old charged home to beat Much Much Better at Randwick last month after starting his time with Widdup with an eye-catching third in the Hawkesbury Gold Rush.

“I have only had him for three runs after getting him off Hawkesy and he has improved with each of them,” Widdup said. “We were hoping to get a couple of wins out of him when we got him, and he got one at Randwick last time and I think there is more to come.

“This race was the logical next step and he goes back to Randwick where he has performed well on a similar type of wet track to last time, so it points to another good performance.”