by Brian Cain
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Harper called a meeting at Shangri La between himself Bob Fields and Blake on a late evening early the following week. He brought with him a handful of paperwork and jostled it around on the kitchen table of the stable complex. Bob had come over from Loudbark directly after work and had no anticipation of the meetings subject matter as did Blake. Harper kept looking down at the table appearing nervous about what he looked at. He rubbed the back of his neck with his hands and twisted his head from side to side. "Okay, a race caller at Randwick said something that's true. Its high time Flaxmead stepped up. I've stuck with one two three four class races although Flaxmead was benchmarked after probably his second run that's why they call them benchmark handicaps these days. I can't hide behind this rubbish anymore and had to make a decision. I've always been happy doing what I did running a few horses locally being a vet. Then this fell in my lap, I made excuses to myself. I don't have a strapper, I don't have adequate transport, Flaxmead will never find a jockey or whatever. That's all been taken care off." Harper hesitated for a few seconds avoiding eye contact with Blake and Bob Fields. "I was always worried about the establishment, I know few people high in the industry but know of them but over the last two weeks doors have opened. I have had calls from the most powerful people in the some positive some not so good. The most amazing thing is the amount of local people who have come down my drive shock my hand and assured me they are right behind us. Delegates from the CFWMU. Management and workers from wineries. Mobs of other people who I've never seen before in my life. Soldiers from the army camp members of the police force. I can't walk away from this so here's the plan."
"Pheww," went Bob. "You had me worried there for a while Graham the kids would have been devastated."
"That's the thing that really kept me in the race. I could tell anyone but them I was giving up for a quiet life," replied Graham.
"I could see a lot of disappointment coming as well but pleased to see you're a stayer. I suggest you hand the high flyer board room stuff to me, I'll only be too pleased to assist so you can get on with horse races," added Blake.
"Great I was about to suggest that myself," replied Harper. "I've entered Flaxmead in the Chairman's Handicap a group two race part of the AJC Australian Derby meet at Randwick. I'm waiting to hear if he makes the ballot draw."
"What's the chances?" asked Bob.
"The same as everyone else's so keep your fingers crossed," replied Graham.
"If he gets in and wins it what next?" asked Winston.
"The Chairman's Handicap is the lead up race for The Sydney Cup a group one race over three thousand two hundred metres same as the Melbourne Cup, if he wins that they know we're coming and all this cloak and dagger stuff will be real." replied Graham.
"What are these races worth to win?" asked Bob.
"Six hundred and seventy five thousand dollars," replied Graham.
"Wow you're joking?" quipped Bob.
"Where there's big money there's big power and people who corporately and industrially throw their weight around," added Winston. "Id like the names of all the organisations that back those races, when it comes to throwing corporate and industrial pressure I know a couple of heavy weights. Well play as bigger hand as anyone, Id say the chances of Flaxmead running are higher than fifty percent. The fact is that he can up the attendance of their race meeting by at least ten percent. Add two children on the sidelines and the media will up the ante for the event. The race record would be on the line with Flaxmead running they may end up with a world record. The betting on Flaxmead has already raised a few eyebrows and would generate cash flow and interest well beyond current accepted levels. If I had an event organiser, board member or CEO that couldn't see that he wouldn't be there long."
"I wouldn't know where to start when it comes to that," said Graham.
"I thought of those things but how to sell them," added Bob.
"These unofficial points will be raised with the correct people, crossing your fingers wont help," added Winston. "What the contingency plan if we miss the ballot?"
"I've entered Flaxmead in three other group two races of equal standing but the Chairman's is the pick of the bunch for us," said Graham.
"Write down all the races in order of preference and I'll do some ground work on sponsors. I can see some people wanting Flaxmead to drop out of a hole in the ballot bag before it's even drawn. I want to know the results of the draw as soon as you know Graham, I can direct our time and resources to the next step and waste no time."
"Things are pretty clean these days Winston," insisted Graham.
"Even the most well behaved little boy's get dirty hands, we can at least make sure everyone's hands are clean," replied Winston.
