Size does matter, particularly with Saturday fields, but its importance has declined with jockeys, which was emphasised by Hugh Bowman last week. It confirms jockeys have never been healthier.
"I'm big," Bowman declared to colleague Andrew Webster last week, but there was a time when big was anything but beautiful.
Looking at the top 20 Sydney jockeys 30 years ago, only two, Tony Marney (51 kilograms) and Peter Cuddihy (51.5 kilograms) were over 50 kilograms with the top liners Ron Quinton (48 kilograms), Malcolm Johnston (48 kilograms) and Kevin Langby (48 kilograms) well below.
Down south, champion Roy Higgins at 54 kilograms was regarded as a giant in stature and ability. Bowman lists his riding weight as 55 kilograms.
Perhaps Bowman is best compared with Jim Pike. Bowman has Winx, Pike had Phar Lap. "Ride like Pike," was the paragon of virtue for a half century after he retired.
"Poor health as a result of stringent measures to which he had subjected his body in order to continue riding marred his later years," wrote A.J. Chittick in Jim Pike - the Master.
However Bowman is an example of the wellbeing of the modern saddle heavyweight, in particular and jockeys generally. Jeff Lloyd at 56 is the third-most successful jockey in Australia at present and Dan Miller is still riding at 70.
Thirty years ago a 55-kilograms jockey would have been lucky to get a Saturday engagement because the weight limit was lower and opportunities limited at the top of the handicap. Bowman has eight bookings on Saturday's nine-race Royal Randwick program, disappointing because three races have less than eight starters, a negative on the best turnover day of the week.
With so many meetings over the holiday period, other major centres are also suffering. Although Brisbane on Saturdays does better for lesser prizemoney.
Small fields are a threat to racing's integrity, increasing the risk of attempted fixing or manipulation, according to Paul Bitter, a former chief executive of the British Horse Racing Authority.
"The continuing decline in field sizes is damaging the popularity of racing," the Racehorse Owner's Association in the United Kingdom declared.
Are we so different? I have been bleating about Sydney Saturdays for over a decade.
"In 1999 John Coughlan did a review 'to establish the reasons why totalisator investments on NSW meetings are in decline' commissioned by NSW Racing Pty Ltd," I pointed out in 2004. "However, at the time, well-researched data from Coughlan fell mainly on deaf ears.
"Take the present plan to cut barrier trials. 'Too many barrier trials were a possible reason for poor field sizes'," Coughlan maintained five years ago. He stressed there were fewer trials in Victoria.
On the best number of runners per race, Coughlan reported: "Looking through the situation overall, something like [only] 30 to 40 per cent of Sydney races on Saturday had 12 runners or more, significantly below what you would expect."
Programming, too, was highlighted by Coughlan. Soon after, the TRB introduced a "Back to the Future" programming package. Despite the best endeavours of those involved it could best be described as the "Dark Ages Were Better Than This".
The current situation here has hardly improved. On Friday there were only three races with 12 or more left in the field. Consider, too, that the Highways for bush cuddies have given numbers to our Saturdays.
Yes the foal crop is down, obvious examining provincial and midweeks, and while Melbourne isn't as strong as formerly it's better than Sydney, which has been going through a particular drab holiday period.
Brisbane and surrounds Saturdays have had more vitality, even without the highly successful Magic Millions day.
Surely more could have been done in a promotional sense by the Australian Turf Club when Bowman, crowned best jockey in the world, returned a few weeks back.
Obviously Bowman handles famished.
"No matter how much you try to explain it to people, even those closest to you, they don't understand what it is like to go without a drink when you're thirsty," Bowman said last week. "To not eat when you're hungry."
Pike lived with the pangs of starvation but had an edge on Bowman. No food, but before every meeting he was fuelled with a brandy and soda.
