[Stradbroke photo]

So what's the track rating this Sat.? Any ideas from the Brissy locals?

"The sole criteria that all industry participants, be they owners, trainers, jockeys and punters ask for, is simply to have a level playing field - such that each participant shall have an equal opportunity at victory when the judge calls a halt. To that end, why is it then that there appears to have been a monumental stuff up in the track rating that was delivered when stewards took control of the Eagle Farm meeting in the early hours of last Saturday morning? Stewards handed out a track rating of “slow”, which is one of five ratings options they have to inform the public – the others being fast, good, dead and heavy.

Why is it that numerous jockeys, many with worldwide riding experience can be interviewed by Sky Channel some eight hours later, following the running of the Stradbroke at 3.55pm, and yet those jockeys, to a man, had no hesitation in calling the track “heavy”, albeit no rain had fallen on Eagle Farm since 7am or 8am on race morning?

Subsequent to the Stradbroke meeting, when interviewed Monday morning on Radio TAB, Track Manager, Bill Shuck has agreed that he was of the opinion that the track was “slow” Saturday morning, but conceded that is raced like a “heavy” track on Saturday afternoon." Purser.

...there was no rain Sat. but it was slow in the morning and heavy in the afternoon? I don't know about anyone else, but I'm getting a bit sick and tired of Brissy 'official'' track ratings !