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Fine Cotton

Printed From: Thoroughbred Village
Category: Horse Racing - Public Forums
Forum Name: Historical
Forum Description: For the history buffs
URL: https://forum.thoroughbredvillage.com.au/forum_posts.asp?TID=4464
Printed Date: 28 Mar 2024 at 8:06pm
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Topic: Fine Cotton
Posted By: Fair Embrace
Subject: Fine Cotton
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2007 at 12:39am
Well sort of - I wanted to know if anyone can tell me (off the top of their head without having a look) who the jockey was that rode 'Fine Cotton' in the ring in race and what that jockey is doing now? (I already know the answer I just wanted to know if anyone else remembers)



Replies:
Posted By: Hoss
Date Posted: 06 Nov 2007 at 10:38am

That is a HOPELESS question, Fair Embrace! Only those who were involved in the events could ever know that, surely! And if anyone could name him, "off the top of their head", it would have to be the jockey himself, wouldn't it? He was OBSCURE!

But, as a completely wild and crazy guess, what about Gus Philpot being that man in question? An apprentice jockey back then, but currently training horses in North Queensland in a family operation - and his daughter featuring as a jockey for the team!


Posted By: Fair Embrace
Date Posted: 08 Nov 2007 at 1:15am
Do you not find it surprising that everyone knows about Waterhouse being involved in the Fine Cotton Affair but no one can tell you anything else about it, hell I don't even know the name of the trainer, I just happened to meet Gus recently.


Posted By: Hoss
Date Posted: 08 Nov 2007 at 7:30am
Try to find a copy of the withdrawn book The Gambling Man by Kevin Perkins, Fair Embrace. It was withdrawn because he libelled half of the establishment in NSW and Queensland but several thousand copies were sold before that.
 
Paerkins also claims, convincingly, that neither of the Waterhouses was in any way involved. They just knew what half Australia knew before the race (that the horse called "Fine Cotton" was an "insider special") even if they didn't know why. They were singled out as part of a conspiracy to get them out of racing - involving illegal bookies, crims, corrupt politicians and one or two individuals in the AJC. True or not, it's a fun read (available on Ebay etc. I believe).
 
Strangely, the role of Gus is not covered at all in the book. Did he know it was a "ring-in"?


Posted By: rubiton
Date Posted: 08 Nov 2007 at 9:12am
saw it advertised on its own website cant remember if it was com or com.au though


Posted By: Hoss
Date Posted: 09 Nov 2007 at 6:30am
http://www.thegamblingman.com.au/other.html - http://www.thegamblingman.com.au/other.html


Posted By: Run For Fun
Date Posted: 09 Nov 2007 at 7:12am
Not a long time later than the Fine Cotton affair was phoned about 11am on a Saturday.   "Get to the Canberra track with more than a few dollars and await another call".  So I did.
 
The call came with only a few moments before start time at Bendigo, traditionally in those days the Vic TAB meeting on Doncaster day in Sydney.
 
And the mail sh*t in, with form of 0, 0 and 0 in the racebook.
 
They bet 66 to 1 and I got on (courtesy of self, wife an another) for a very significant result.  Let alone the half a million dollars won Australia-wide by connections, mostly at randwick and at 33/1 with SP's.  Lot of money in the early 80's.
 
Has strangely never gone down in the annals of racing rorts, particularly as the winner (after the TAB and bookies paid out) later returned a positive swab.

Trainer got 10 years.  And frankly didn't give a toss. Wink


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It's hard to soar with eagles...

Cheers


Posted By: adolphus twirk
Date Posted: 23 Nov 2007 at 9:20pm
Hoss.....Donna Philpot is Gus' wife...I am sure she would appreciate being seen as young enough to be his daughter!!!  He did ride the horse but knew nothing of the ring-in and was only approached very late to ride it. Back then, you could find yourself a rider about an hour before the race and often bookies had started betting before the rider was announced and sometimes prices would plunge and then riders would be put up on a semaphore board and the public would know which horse to back then.  Another trick was for the rider announced to pretend to be  "indisposed" and a substitute rider "the gun" would take his place, after the money was on.   AHHHHHHH the GOOD OLE DAYS


Posted By: Fair Embrace
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2008 at 1:44am
Just wanted to let you know, I started reading The Gambling Man two days ago, I've probably only slept four hours over those days because I can't put it down, really rivetting stuff.


Posted By: Hoss
Date Posted: 26 Jan 2008 at 6:40am
Fantastic read, isn't it? Even if it's more than a bit mad and totally extreme in it's judgements! You can see why they had the second printing pulped! Whatever your views on the Waterhouses, it's required reading for racing fans with an interest in history.


Posted By: bangalow
Date Posted: 18 Mar 2008 at 10:51am

trainer I worked for in ballina trained Bold Personality before his owner Bill Naoum got a trainers licence himself. Was a very handy neddy Bold Personality ...he came from a pretty strong dam line.. I actually bought Noojee Lea who was a close rele of Bold Personality.



Posted By: Prince of Penzance
Date Posted: 03 Feb 2018 at 12:31pm
Did anyone here back this horse?


Posted By: Passing Through
Date Posted: 03 Feb 2018 at 12:34pm
What race is it in?

Tread warilyWink


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Posted By: Prince of Penzance
Date Posted: 03 Feb 2018 at 12:35pm
Raced at the trots last night


Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 03 Feb 2018 at 3:40pm
I have just read The Gambling Man.  What a read !LOL Who he doesnt name isnt worth their weight in chicken poo LOLWink


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animals before people.


Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 03 Feb 2018 at 3:41pm
PS.  See Haiden Haytana, the trainer involved in the scam, died just recently ?


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animals before people.


Posted By: Carioca
Date Posted: 03 Feb 2018 at 10:11pm
Originally posted by acacia alba acacia alba wrote:

I have just read The Gambling Man.  What a read !LOL Who he doesnt name isnt worth their weight in chicken poo LOLWink


" My father is a beautiful gambler, terribly skilful,he has taken some huge bets especially in pre inflation days, if you had to describe dad you would say he is a player of big punters , a game fisherman goes out to play big fish, my father was a player of big punters. He always worked on the idea of using a bit of bait, a small amount of his own money to give himself the chance to catch the big fish. If you look at any of the big bets dad laid, invariably it was when dad was a long way in front of the man and dad was giving him the chance to win back his own money and of course to give dad a chance to win more of the mans money. Dads approach was to play the man, when the punter starts to lose you let them bet bigger and bigger, so hopefully you will win a lot from him.
Robbie. Waterhouse.

" I don't use form to find winners, I use it to find prices. If I can find a bloke to take 3/1 on a horses that should be 7/2 I must beat you over a period of time.
Bill. Waterhouse.....it's a good read.


Posted By: AndiCap
Date Posted: 11 May 2018 at 10:12pm
4:35  https://www.timeform.com/horse-racing/result/chester/2018-05-10/0435/12/6/english-fine-cottons-handicap" rel="nofollow - ENGLISH FINE COTTONS HANDICAP (3)



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