About 11 months ago, racing/sports reporter Matt Smith threw his reputation to the racing wolves (now there's a betting idea) by predicting what might happen this season. As the 2013-14 season is just about over, now seemed a good time to look back and see whether he is on-the-money or a questionable clairvoyant. Next season's predictions will be published early next month.
The sure things
• John McInerney will win the greyhound trainers premiership by several hundred wins: Slightly overenthusiastic. With three weeks to go, the margin is only 121.
• The natural order will be restored and Mark Purdon will win the harness racing trainers' premiership: Nailed it. In fact, he and co-trainer Natalie Rasmussen have set themselves a new mark, training 152 winners to date - more than 50 clear of Robert Dunn.
• Matthew Cameron will probably ride out of his skin this season and finish second in the jockeys' premiership. Again: Sorry Matt, I underrated you (Matt Cameron that is, not myself). He was so far ahead in the race this year that the bookies paid out on the premiership race back in May. He's 24 wins clear of Johnathan Parkes with just a few weeks to go.
• Dexter Dunn will win the drivers' premiership. Probably by about 70 wins: I'm not kicking any 50m goals guessing this one. The man who was named after a character on Dynasty is making a dynasty of his own with his seventh straight title already in the bag. He's 91 wins ahead of Blair Orange at the moment, so I'll give myself a B on this one.
• A European-bred galloper will win the Melbourne Cup: Thanks for that, Fiorente. Australian-trained, but bred in Ireland.
• There will be at least 15 drunk people at New Zealand Trotting Cup Day: My Cup Day was spent in a small circuit between the press room - situated on the first floor of the members' stand - and the winner's circle along with the occasional dash to the stables. But even within that space, I could see the swaying and general rambunctiousness as I wandered down to track level - and that was in the fancy area.
• Chris Waller will cry in a post-race interview after a big win in Sydney or Melbourne: I'll let this quote from the Melbourne newspaper Herald Sun tell the story after Zoustar's win in Melbourne in November:''It is understandable that Waller became emotional when was asked to reflect on the enormity of his achievements in the last 12 months.''
The others
Successes
• It's A Dundeel will win at least two group 1 races in Australia including the Cox Plate: No Cox Plate, but wins in the Underwood Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes will do.
• An Australian horse will win the Interdominion Pacing Championship in Sydney: Thank you, Beautide.
• Recite and Ruud Awakening will have some titanic struggles in the 3yr-old fillies races this season with Recite winning the head-to-head battle: Both had their issues this year but Recite won the group 1 Levin Classic this year, so I'll take it.
• A group 1 winner in either the harness or galloping code will come from south of the Waitaki - be it trained or bred down south: Who Shot Thebarman, bred at White Robe Lodge, springs to mind immediately after his group 1 Auckland Cup win. No training wins as yet, so my three-year probationary period still is exactly that.
Failures
• Another high-profile New Zealand thoroughbred trainer will set up a satellite stable in Sydney: It looks like Trent Busuttin is considering setting up a stable in Melbourne, so that's a start.
• The New Zealand trotters will have it all over their Australian rivals: Keystone Del did cause the Kiwis some trouble, but he is New Zealand-bred, so is practically one of ours. How's that for justifying my failure?
• Armbro Demon would come back from her latest spell recovered from her injury problems and charge through the grades: Not quite, although she is now under the care of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen so if anyone can get her right, they can.
• An Otago-trained horse will win the Coupland's Mile at New Zealand Cup Week: Close, but no cigar. Big run from The Solitaire to finish second - she's having another crack this November
• Bart Cummings will train his 13th Melbourne Cup winner - this time with his grandson, James: They had a falling out instead and didn't have a runner in the cup.
