Racehorse TALK

By Mark Brassel

Just goes to show that it's never over!

The remarkable 'purple patch' currently being savored by jockey Hugh Bowman has taken him all the way to the lead in the inaugural Racing NSW Bart Cummings Medal which covers the 2008-09 racing season.

Trainer Gai Waterhouse bounded quickly from the barriers and has led the Medal race all the way - up until now.

But Bowman's winning form has obviously been noticed by judges and he is the new leader, two points clear of Gai (111 points).

Bowman had kicked home 11 winners from the past six metropolitan race meetings at which he had ridden; including Cheap Thrills (at Canterbury yesterday) and Apparitions and Nuclear Sky (Rosehill last Saturday).

Points in the BCM are determined by a panel of leading racing media figures.

The award is named after industry icon, Bart Cummings, in recognition of his contribution to the thoroughbred racing industry over many years and unparalleled achievements as a trainer.

This special award acknowledges consistent, outstanding performances amongst jockeys and trainers at NSW metropolitan race meetings through the racing season.

The results and point score table will be published up until six weeks prior to the end of season before the count goes behind closed doors; this will ensure a build-up on the night the Medal is awarded similar to the AFL's Brownlow Medal.

The Bart Cummings Medal will be assessed annually, based on the performance of jockeys and trainers at NSW metropolitan race meetings over the racing season (i.e. 1st August to 31st July).

Each week the judging panel awards 3 points to the jockey or trainer whom they consider was the outstanding performer at Sydney metropolitan race meetings in the week prior, and then 2 and 1 point respectively to the jockey or trainer who they regard as having the second and third best performance.

Points will be tallied over the racing year to determine the winner of the Bart Cummings Medal, culminating in an awards night (scheduled for Thursday, 13th August 2009) which will also showcase highlights of the racing calendar. The latest point score is:-

Jockey/Trainer  Points

Gai WATERHOUSE  111

Hugh BOWMAN  96

Corey BROWN  88

Jim CASSIDY  70

Gerald RYAN  67

Daniel GANDERTON  64

Glyn SCHOFIELD  54

Nash RAWILLER  45

Chris MUNCE  42

Joseph PRIDE  40

Chris WALLER  35

Anthony CUMMINGS  32

Peter SNOWDEN  31

Kerrin McEVOY  28

David PAYNE  26

Bart CUMMINGS  25

Kevin MOSES  24

Blake SHINN  24

Kris LEES  23

Jeff LLOYD  23

Nathan BERRY  22

Grant BUCKLEY  22

Jamie QUINNELL  22

Gary PORTELLI  18