The jury is still out but Kavanagh's mare can bounce back "On Saturday, she met a very much harder, fitter racehorse, and we probably lacked that little bit of hardness": Trainer Mark Kavanagh on Atlantic Jewel's second place on Saturday. Champions get beaten but Atlantic Jewel is at the crossroads. Not that she had earned the Big C rating but she was and still is at the budding stage. Now it must be ascertained whether Atlantic Jewel is going to be as effective at journeys longer than 1600 metres in elite company, particularly the extreme pressure of the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley. Going down by only a short head to an accomplished group 1 performer It's A Dundeel in the Underwood (1800m) at Caulfield on Saturday is no load to carry. Consider, too, James McDonald, on the winner, was later fined $500 for breaching the rules with one hit too many. McDonald gave a Darby Munro performance of weight-for-age navigation and aggression on It's A Dundeel, while Michael Rodd handled Atlantic Jewel to perfection. Still, brushing between the pair influenced Rodd to examine the official video regarding a protest but it was insufficient. Measure up the incidents, perhaps piddling, and it emphasises so little between them. Also, it was on a dicey rain and traffic-damaged surface and the mare could be a better chaser than up front, as she was in the Underwood. Of course, the cry went out that she's no Black Caviar. But Atlantic Jewel, to her credit, has raced outside of Nelly's comfort zone of up to 1400m. Boss rides into trouble Wise guys figured Glen Boss would get a stint on the rack or at least a taste of the lash from stewards after his saddle choreography on Mr O'Ceirin near the end of the Naturalism at Cauflield on Saturday. A habitual offender, he was fined $2000. Boss was also warned about his lack of effort on Puissance De Lune at the end of the Underwood. Obviously it didn't make any difference to the placings. Anyway, if he wins the Melbourne Cup on Puissance De Lune comfortably what are the odds about Boss ending the staying test with the reins in his mouth like John Wayne in True Grit? Randwick rates it right Top racing on Saturday at Randwick was aided by a fair surface, emphasised by four race and two class records. Yet the course proper was officially deemed a "dead four" throughout. Stewards considered an upgrade but, because of a soft section between the 900m and 400m, felt it was best left untouched. Take a bow Navesh Ramdhani, the Randwick manager. Take pressure off Pearce The white ants are chewing away at Darren Pearce, the Australian Turf Club chief executive. Yes, the ATC lacks the vision of the Sydney Turf Club and the tradition and understanding of the racing industry of the Australian Jockey Club. But surely he can't be held responsible for the lack of public acceptance of the new grandstand, which is more for the privileged than the punting racegoer. Over the past year he has been put under more pressure, with less support than other racing CEOs. For instance, he has had the get through a Golden Slipper extravaganza, and the opening of a half-finished Randwick renovation for the Black Caviar farewell. Those who preceded him - Michael Kenny and Pat Parker for the STC, Tony King and Ray Alexander at the AJC - had separate club carnivals, although the AJC was responsible and did a better job than Racing NSW. Wayne Wilson on form Despite 12 serious cancer operations in the past few years, the distinctive tone of Wayne Wilson, very much the sound of Brisbane racing, is still being heard on the racecourse. Wilson called the successful picnic meeting at Deagon, usually a Brisbane training facility, last Sunday week before a sold-out crowd of 7000, perhaps a pointer to the coming Fernhill venture at Mulgoa. Making a guest appearance at Randwick on Saturday he pointed out there were more bookmakers - 14 - at Deagon betting ring than the main Randwick betting ring. Only recently Wilson told Brisbane media: "I've lost my pancreas, my spleen, my gall bladder, one-and-a-half kidneys, part of a lung, part of my brain, and both my adrenal glands. But I feel pretty good. And, as he indicated at Deagon, heart and tongue are in perfect working order. One to follow While Boban looked a big talent scoring in the Bill Ritchie at Randwick on Saturday, the 1400m sprint isn't a noted springboard for the Epsom. Certainly the George Main Stakes is, so Fawkner's 2¼-length fifth under weight-for-age, 59 kilograms, appealed. Fawkner drops to 53.5 kg in the group 1 metric mile at Royal Randwick. Field Marshall, the $2.05 favourite, finished a miserable sixth after reefing and pulling madly in the Sydney City Handicap at Randwick on Saturday.