The Weekly A-Z

Posted on August 28, 2020 | Posted by Digby Beacham

A – ALLIGATOR ASSAULT

Allan Endresz, the owner of boom four-year-old Alligator Blood, is not one to roll with the punches. He prefers to land them. That was evident when he declared his intention to launch a $6 million claim in the Supreme Court for the loss of a potential slot in the $15 million Everest. It all stems back to Alligator Blood being disqualified from the Magic Millions for a positive swab. That prompted negotiations with the TAB, which were advanced, to be suspended.

B – BROWN BREAD

Brett Brown’s tenure at the helm of the Philadelphia 76ers came to a predictable demise this week when his side was swept 4-0 in its Eastern Conference first-round series by the Boston Celtics. Brown had overseen the “Process” in which the Sixers deliberately bottomed out in order to acquire A-grade talent in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons via the draft. His inability to extract the most out of that talent on a consistent basis led to his termination.

C – CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE

James Anderson didn’t need to become the first fast bowler in Test history to claim 600 wickets to have his credentials rubber-stamped. But it certainly didn’t hurt. The right-armer achieved the feat against Pakistan, joining spin greats Muttiah Murilitharan, Shane Warne and Anil Kumble in the exclusive 600-wickets club. A truly outstanding career.

D – DOWN, NOT OUT

Essendon turned in a putrid first half against Hawthorn. No pressure, no care and no system. They were lucky to only trail by 36 points at the long break. A far more assertive Bombers team emerged from the change rooms after half-time though and with their dominance inside the centre square, zeroed in on the Hawks. Joe Daniher proved a reliable target in attack, booting three in a successful comeback that helped breathe life into Essendon’s finals hopes.

E – ELLEEGANT INDEED

A spring horse or not? That was the question surrounding Verry Elleegant ahead of last week’s Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m). We now know the answer. Forced to do plenty of work in the run, she was still able to overpower Star Of The Seas to send a shot across the bow of her rivals this campaign.

F – FREE ADVICE

Punters had their fingers burnt a fortnight ago when Shaun McGruddy’s catch-me-if-you-can tactics aboard Saracino in the Belmont Newmarket undid the chances of Free Trade. The initial reaction was the Michael Lane-trained gelding went terrible. That was not the case. He has a chance to atone tomorrow in the weight-for-age Idyllic Prince Stakes (1300m). It is a better field, but he remains a high-class horse. I’m sticking.

G – GOING TO TRIAL

St George Illawarra star Jack de Belin had his immediate future clarified this morning when it was revealed he would face trial for an alleged sexual assault that occurred in late 2018. De Belin pleaded not guilty to five counts of aggravated sexual assault, but has not played since because of the NRL’s stand-down policy. The 29-year-old’s trial is expected to start in November.

H – HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN

We heard last night’s clash between Richmond and West Coast labelled exactly that more than once in the build-up … and those who tuned in, weren’t disappointed. Very little separated two of the league’s big boys until the final term when the Tigers pulled clear. Their past two encounters have been absorbing and it would be fantastic if they were able to meet again in the post-season with full-strength line-ups.

I – ILL-TIMED INJURIES

Rarely is there a good time for an athlete to sustain an injury. Josh Kennedy’s concussion last night could lead to an absence of multiple games because of the compressed fixture, Jon Patton’s calf tear continues his wretched run in his maiden season at Hawthorn after a dreadful stint with GWS, while Latrell Mitchell will undergo scans to learn the extent of a hamstring injury picked up in the win over Parramatta. It’s hard to see the Bunnies mounting a serious NRL premiership push with Mitchell on the sidelines.

J – JUST THE TONIC

There were a number of trainers and owners wondering what the spring would look like if the restrictions on horses from Victoria entering NSW remained in place. Those with gallopers outside the metropolitan area in Melbourne need not worry any more after Racing NSW relaxed the conditions. Though it doesn’t solve all of the problems for all concerned, it is obviously a step in the right direction.

K – KEEP YOUR HEAD

That is the message punters around the country will be praying the Adam Durrant-trained This’ll Testya does when she resumes in race 5 tomorrow. An imposing physical specimen, This’ll Testya has the motor of an elite horse, but her manners can leave a lot to be desired. She has tested the patience of Durrant, but he knows if he can iron out her kinks, a big race win is attainable.

L – LACK OF COMMON SENSE

There are times in everyday life where you need to display a level of flexibility, a degree of empathy. Harness Racing Victoria did neither this week when it scrapped an eagerly anticipated showdown at Ballarat between Lochinvar Art and Ride High because the race didn’t attract the necessary six nominations. Really!!!!

M – MESSAGE OF INTENT

It is impossible to construe the NBA players’ and officials’ stance any other way. The decision by the Milwaukee Bucks to boycott their match against Orlando yesterday morning, WA time, in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin, ignited a chain of events throughout the sporting space. Where it goes from here will be fascinating, but clearly the NBA is a powerful vehicle for societal change.

N – NEW YORK STATE OF MIND

In any normal year, Flushing Meadows is chaos with a capital C as tennis’ biggest names arrive for the year’s final grand slam. In the unimaginable 2020, it will now be the year’s second grand slam starting on Monday, but won’t resemble anything we have seen previously. The bubble that has enabled the Cincinnati Open to take place will be extended into the next fortnight. There are a host of headline acts missing, yet two prestigious singles titles remain up for grabs.

O – OVER AND OUT

The never ending Anthony Seibold saga reached its climax this week when he accepted a seven-figure payout to exit the Brisbane Broncos less than two seasons into a five-year deal. Seibold’s trials and tribulations on and off the ground have resembled a reality show. Fortunately for all concerned, the curtain has now been drawn.

P – PICK ME

That is what Queensland and South Australian football and government officials have been saying to the AFL in the hope of securing the hosting rights to this year’s grand final. Queensland is the clubhouse leader at this stage given it has accommodated all clubs at some stage during the season. WA is not out of the picture just yet, thanks to the diamond in the crown — the 60,000 Optus Stadium — and low COVID-19 numbers. This time next week we will know the when and where.

Q – QUEASY

That is how rival NBA players and coaches felt this week after LeBron James and his LA Lakers got to work in their first-round Western Conference series against the Portland Trail Blazers. The championship favourites flexed their sizeable muscles to rebound superbly from a shock opening-game loss. We now wait to see whether it was all in vain.

R – RUNG BELOW

Any Group 1 is hard to win (unless you are Black Caviar and Winx), but only the most ardent Victorian racing supporter would argue tomorrow’s Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield is anywhere near the level we witnessed last Saturday at Randwick when the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) attracted a stellar field. That said, the winning connections of tomorrow’s first elite-level race of the Melbourne spring won’t give two hoots.

S – STORM WARNING

A week after horrific weather led to the abandonment of the Moonee Valley card, another Storm is about to hit the metropolitan Saturday meeting in Melbourne. Superstorm and his stablemate Windstorm. The pair of Grant and Alana Williams-trained three-year-olds will step out for the first time since crossing the Nullarbor in the Listed Heath Stakes (1100m) and a benchmark 78 event respectively.

T – THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

Jeff Horn has done an enormous amount for boxing in this country. That should never be forgotten. His stirring win in a Suncorp Stadium war with Manny Pacquiao in 2017 laid the platform for many opportunities for the next wave. One of those beneficiaries is Tim Tszyu, who surely ended Horn’s career with a boxing masterclass on Wednesday night. Hopefully Horn can now enjoy retirement.

U – UNPRECEDENTED

We have heard on countless occasions in 2020 that we are living in unprecedented times. It is hard to argue. And that is before we factor in WA’s Damien Oliver claiming an 11th Scobie Breasley Medal on Wednesday night. The award, presented to the best flat jockey in the Melbourne metropolitan area, followed previous successes in 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2015, 2018 and last year. If Oliver’s start to the new season is any guide, a 12th title could well be happening in a year’s time.

V – VALIDATION

Bayern Munich entered last weekend’s Champions League final as overwhelming favourites and didn’t disappoint, eking out a 1-0 victory over PSG to claim a sixth European Cup triumph to go with their Bundesliga success. An almighty sporting club that has an insatiable appetite for success.

W – WEEK TO FORGET

The match review panel and AFL Tribunal didn’t cover themselves in glory last round. Some of the rulings from match review officer Michael Christian, chiefly his decision to send Tom Lynch to the tribunal, were baffling. Lynch was quite rightly allowed to walk free by the tribunal, but the judiciary’s finding that Luke Dahlhaus was not guilty of a dangerous tackle on Matt Crouch was bewildering. Time to sharpen up.

X -X’S & O’S

For fans of the NFL, the wait is nearly over. Pre-season games have not taken place in the lead-up to the season opener between the defending Super Bowl champs Kansas City and Houston a fortnight from today due to COVID-19 pandemic, only heightening the anticipation of what is to come.

Y – YOU DID WHAT

Liam Reddy’s first-half howler against Sydney FC was not the reason Perth Glory’s participation in the A-League finals campaign ended. But it certainly didn’t help. Reddy has been a wonderful servant for Glory in the twilight of his career, but his shoddy footwork and lack of awareness regarding a back pass that gifted Adam le Fondre a simple goal was not his finest moment.

Z – ZAK’S SMILE

Resembled a split watermelon. Young Port Adelaide star Zak Butters’ unbridled joy at kicking the sealer after some silver service from Scott Lycett in the match against Hawthorn last Saturday evening was as pure as it gets. Butters hit the stoppage at full speed and converted from close range in the type of play you see once a year at best. His celebration was equally impressive.