NEARING the end of the racing season it is hard not to be impressed with the overall performance of Nash Rawiller.

Despite tipping the scales, in jockey terms, as a heavyweight, he is assured of the Sydney premiership.

Even though he has the support of the powerful Gai Waterhouse stable it is a tribute to his saddle-sitting skill that he is pressing towards a century of Sydney wins.

And, of course, Chris Waller, is a (metaphorical) heavyweight in the ranks of trainers because he will top the tonne because he only is three short of the goal with 12 meetings remaining before the end of the season.

Talking about Gai Waterhouse, it was a bit surprising that last weekend she was reported as having been critical of the Australian racing journalists.

Surprising in as much that she seems be generally favourably publicised.

Lucky for Gai that she didn't offer the same criticism about some of the doyens of the past like Jack Elliott, Bert Lillye and Bill Casey because the Richter scale may have reached record figures.

Remember Gai, we/they (the press) always will have the last word!

*****

SPEAKING of the media, one of the most taxing tasks in racing surely must be race calling. A kaleidoscope of jockeys' coloured silks scampering over various distances, some barely visible in packed fields, to the most would be unfathomable.

However, young people are undaunted as they strive to break into this elite arena.

Evidence of the passion to peer through high-powered binoculars and provide an accurate race description was underlined in recent weeks by the Sky Sports Radio and Sky Racing John Tapp Race Caller Scholarship.

A highly competitive field of budding race broadcasters applied from around the country and the finalists each called a race at Wyong last week.

The winner will be announced on Racing Retro this Sunday.

Judges were impressed by the calibre of contenders in their bid to become full-time race callers.

As I said, it is a taxing task. These days the race caller is under enormous pressure because avid punters have the benefit of repetitive televised replays.

And punters are a critical bunch, some thrive on finding a race caller's lapse which, considering the amount of racing in Australia, are rare.

Mostly the criticisms come from people who, armed with an overflowing bucket of wheat, couldn't call a yard full of famish chooks.

But such is life these days.

My best wishes go with the latest recipient of the John Tapp Scholarship as the young man will follow in the footsteps of Matt Hill, Josh Fleming and Mitch Manners. 

***** 

IT'S been a pretty bleak winter for me but hope springs eternal and I am hoping for a change of fortune at the Eagle Farm Tattersall's meeting on Saturday.

For the final Group One of the season, the consistent mare Beaded is a short-priced favourite in the Sky Racing Tattersall's Tiara, a 1400 metre weight-for-age event.

Nevertheless $2.10 is most unappealing in my attempt to recoup some of the losses.

So I am banking on the Sydney four-year-old Hurtle Myrtle. Her past three runs are a sound recommendation and she represents good value, even on an each-way basis.

Personally I will back her straight out because of my long held theory that if you bet each-way you either halve or double your stake.

Hurtle Myrtle has had carefully spaced runs, one run a month. She was successful at Randwick in April, a tad unlucky at Scone in May and then won impressively in the Dane Ripper Stakes at Eagle Farm earlier this month.

In the Healy Stakes (1200 metres), former Victoria gelding Trusted Partner made a successful transition to Queensland by winning the 1000-metre Lightning Handicap on June 11 and should back up even better this weekend from a nice draw.