Saturday produced the remarkable and the bizarre as the country's two best horses returned. Winx might have defied logic, but jockey Craig Williams filling his boots before winning the Lawrence Stakes on Hartnell defied belief.
Hartnell went to Caulfield to avoid the unbeatable Winx. But in the minutes before his Lawrence win, Williams was panicking more than Hugh Bowman after Winx missed the start in the Warwick Stakes.
The champion hoop realised he had weighed out in a heavier vest and needed to make up weight, so went to the farrier's bag and took out a set of clinching tongs and a buffer, and put them in his boots.
The resulting fine of $2000, after Williams weighed in 1.3 kilograms heavy and admitted his bind to stewards, was laughable.
"My first thought was the horse would be disqualified. I had to make up the weight," he told stewards.
The fact that no one reported Williams taking equipment from the farrier's bag behind the barrier raises concerns - both with integrity and occupational health and safety.
What damage would have been if the farrier's tools had been dislodged from Williams' boots during the race?
What would punters have been saying if Hartnell, the $2.80 favourite, was beaten?
Fortunately Hartnell had too much class for his rivals and won easily, even though he was on his wrong foot and had more than a kilo extra on his back.
Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey was right when he told Williams: "If it wasn't so serious it would almost be humorous."
However, the penalties of $1000 for altering equipment without stewards permission and another $1000 for being more than 0.5kg over his allocated weight are hardly severe, considering Williams' winning percentage was $6000.
Blowing in the wind
The wind blew Dracarys and Deploy to track records at Randwick on Saturday, but it also had an unsettling effect on a number of horses.
Up And Coming Stakes favourite Calculated overraced and gave himself no hope and several horses were slow from the barrier, which could be partly attributed to the the southerly.
"It certainly has effect on times but you also need a horse to handle the buffering they are getting out there," premier trainer Chris Waller said. "There are some that are struggling with it."
Look back on the meeting Omei Sword, although well beaten as favourite in the Show County Quality, should lose no admirers after going down on her knees coming from the gates. Her sectionals were strong late.
Perhaps the strongest form reference of the afternoon might be the Silver Shadow Stakes where Formality had a narrow margin over Alizee and Champagne Cuddles.
The latter filly was badly affected by the wind and was off the bridle before the turn but once she balanced up late she took ground from the other two fillies.
Arrogate goes under again
Winx continued on her winning way at Randwick but the same can't be said for the only horse above her in the world rankings, Arrogate.
The Dubai World Cup winner couldn't run down stablemate Collected in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Sunday.
The result will not change the rankings as they are done on a peak performance and Winx will probably not be in a race to improve her 132 rating until next month's George Main Stakes.
Hayes' footy injury
Formality's co-trainer Ben Hayes was on hand to see her win at Randwick on Saturday, only because of his bruised ribs.
It was a case of B Hayes out for Euroa, where he has been playing Australian Rules football, but in at Randwick.
"A bloke took a screamer on me and got me good in the ribs," Hayes said. "I'm hoping to be back for the finals but it might be hard with all the good racing coming up.
"Dad [David] has already told I'm retiring at the end of the season to concentrate on being a trainer."
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