(Rod Gallegos is a leading commentator with Sky Racing and Sky Sports Radio)

Have the balustrades to one of the final bastions of male dominance finally been breached? If not, they have certainly been dented.

Earlier this week a contest to find a woman race commentator was held in the UK and 23-year-old Hayley Moore, the sister of champion England jockey Ryan Moore, was declared the winner from an original field of 50.

There was a handsome cash prize and, more importantly, a position on a commentary course starting next January after which she will be interviewed by the Race Commentator Management Committee to determine whether she is worthy of a place on the professional callers' roster for 2013.

Victoria Shaw, co-incidentally a Victorian, has been the trailblazer for women race callers in Australia. Mainly restricted to the picnic circuit she has been a guest caller at many tracks throughout Australia including Rosehill, Gosford, Alice Springs, Hobart and King Island.

Her latest assignment will be to call the Gladstone Cup on August 13. Again, coincidentally, Gladstone in central Queensland was the launching pad of the racecalling career for the recently retired Wayne Wilson.

Victoria admits it has been a tough task trying to break into racecalling in Australia but she hasn't had her enthusiasm dimmed by the male dominance and even the odd bit of prejudice.

Considering that women are making a considerable impact in the jockey ranks and other aspects of racing, why shouldn't they stand behind the binoculars and add their dulcet tones to the airwaves?

*****

APPROACHING the end of another racing season special mention has to be made of Peter Moody and Chris Waller.

As a young fellow in the back blocks of south east Queensland near Charleville, Moody probably wouldn't have dreamt that he would reach such dizzy heights in Australia racing.

Completely dominating the trainers' premiership in Victoria this season he became only the third to top the ‘110 mark' in that State joining Lee Freedman and David Hayes.

Modest in the extreme Moody's post-century comment is worth noting: "Loyalty is undersold in this industry and it's a big part of my stable. I've got a great team around me," he said.

Waller had spirited opposition in Sydney from the power-packed Peter Snowden stable and the exuberant and effervescent Gai Waterhouse but in the end had a decisive win.

*****

THIS weekend in Sydney at Rosehill, the Winter Challenge is the feature for which one of the winter stars, Scarf, is a firm favourite.

However, if nothing else I am loyal, hence I am giving the David Payne-trained Madibabold another chance. He is coming off two consecutive minor placings at Rosehill and although he hasn't won for a bit more than12 months the horse is blissfully unaware of this melancholy fact.

He is fit, favourably drawn and on the minimum weight.

*****

AT Caulfield, the Bletchingly Stakes is the highlight and that old adage, a good tune still is played on an old fiddle, comes to mind with regard to the eight-year-old (soon to turn nine) Stanzout.

He finished second in this race last year and his latest run suggested that he may be ready to show his best once again. Mind you, his wins have been rather spaced but with the experienced Dwayne Dunn on top he will have my support.

On a statistical note, Stanzout has had a variety of riders throughout his five-and-a-half year career of 52 starts but this is the first time Dunn has been on him in a race.