“It is my view that wagering is optimised when there are at least 12 starters in a race.” emailed John Couglan, an expert on the subject. Alas, on Saturday four out of the eight races had less than the each-way eight starters, a disgrace for the main betting program of the week.

About a decade ago, Couglan was commissioned to produce a report, before the Chris Waller domination, by the Sydney Turf Club regarding the lack of numbers in off-season Saturdays, particularly the effect on betting.

Regarding the present situation he asks: "Has Chris Waller frightened other trainers from accepting? Why are there not more horses chasing Sydney prizemoney? Is prizemoney a catalyst for horses to race? (Sydney has significantly more prizemoney on normal Saturdays than Brisbane, which consistently has more starters.)

“Are there too many barrier trials in Sydney compared to other states? – an old chestnut.”

Couglan says the past two Saturdays have been similar; Randwick two days back had only 72 acceptors (67 starters after scratchings), Caulfield 107, Doomben  99, Morphettville 98, Belmont  86 and Newcastle  87. The previous week, Rosehill enticed 78, Flemington 94, Eagle Farm 99, Morphettville 93, Belmont 98, and Kembla Grange 96.

You have to add to the Couglan list the modern fixation by some trainers about winning strike rates, but Sydney’s obsession with barrier trials plays a significant role.

ODDS AGAINST THE BATTLER

Officially, Chris Waller tops the trainers' list regarding horse numbers – 127 at Rosehill. A year ago, Gai Waterhouse had more than Waller but, going on ATC figures, she has about 100, similar to the Darley or the Godolphin conglomerate at Warwick Farm. Bjorn Baker runs second in numbers at Warwick Farm in an era when the big get bigger and the battlers diminish by the season. Scratching topweights, two again at Randwick on Saturday, by Waller is a contentious point with critics and chief stipe Ray Murrihy admits to monitoring the situation. “To date we feel he is just looking for the best option for his horses,” Murrihy said.

BRAVO DUBBO

Certainly with 84 starters in seven events, the feature being for $20,000, Dubbo last Monday not only produced bigger fields than Randwick but also a superior surface. While the horse quality was questionable, the calibre who train and ride them was not.  Trainer Clint Lundholm, grandson of the Coonamble legend John, took the Silver Goblet for juveniles with Any Blinkin Day, while Greg Ryan, on 154 winners for 2013-14, attempted unsuccessfully to build on his tally in the duel with Brad Rawiller for Australia’s leading jockey. However, apprentice Samantha Clenton is an eye-catcher and should do well when she comes to town, in the style of Winona Costin, mentioned here as a “horse to follow” and who produced a slick double on the Kensington on Saturday.

TRAINER'S RETIREMENT PACKAGE

Australia was fertile ground for Kiwi cunning, a point emphasised by Alan Jones, a coup specialist, with Shady Deal. Working within the rules of racing, but only just, Jones secured $26 about a weight-for-age horse in a Seymour maiden in 1979. The Shady Deal caper was recalled in Sports Rorts: from Dodgy Dogs to Nobbled Nags by John “Dr Turf” Rothfield and John Adams. Jones gave Shady Deal a solid New Zealand foundation of seven barrier trials against top-liners and every tout there eagerly awaited his debut. Thus the trainer moved him to Australia, changed his name to Torbek, similar to Torbreck, a poorly performed maiden. Torbek was switched to Bendigo trainer B. A. Frawdey , “who didn’t win races out of turn”. On the day in question, which corresponded with the AJC Oaks at Randwick, stable punters went to Sydney and hit rails bookmaker Bob Blann for $120,000, while others, including Bruce McHugh and Jack Waterhouse, also suffered big losses. Backed into $3.50, Torbek won easily and the New Zealand owner after the event admitted he had never heard of Frawdrey. Torbek returned to Jones next start, scored at Kilmore and went on to triumph in the Toorak, the St George Stakes and Orr Stakes. Jones, husband of champion jockey Linda, lives on the Sunshine Coast and there has never been another Shady Deal.

Horse to follow: Blademeister defied the racing pattern by storming down the outside and proving too strong in the second at Randwick on Saturday.

Disappointing: Lord Of The Sky, the $1.40 favourite, stopped like a pricked balloon in Saturday’s Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield, but “no abnormality” could be detected.