THE WEDNESDAY WHINGE has a new look but won’t be dispensing with some of our old favorites and will continue to focus on THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY side of what has happened in racing over the past week. The Whinge will continue to provide an opportunity for The Cynics to Have Their Say. Thanks again for your support for the most read column on this website. Our popularity continues to grow despite the bagging it is copping from some officials who cannot cope with constructive criticism and insist that no-one reads it. We encourage readers to continue to contribute but plan to restrict the Whinge to only eight or at the most 10 items as well as stories you may have missed in the mainstream media. That is what you seem to want. Feedback suggests that unless there is a major issue that the column at times is too long.
‘SHOULD CLUBS BE ALLOCATED TIMESLOTS BASED ON TURNOVER RETURNS?’ 
BRETT WINTEC, a regular critic of Racing Queensland, raises some good arguments in his latest email:
‘I have long held a view that the best wagering mediums should be provided the best wagering slots for the benefit of the broader racing community.
What I have witnessed lately is that those clubs, regarded by some in the industry as close to Racing Queensland, appear to be provided treatment which in my mind is not in-keeping with the optimization of Queensland’s wagering product.
By way of example, can anyone explain why Kilcoy was allocated a prime Sunday date on 5 October 2014?
To put this into perspective the Kilcoy meeting turned over $352,096 on Tattsbet, whilst the previous Sunshine Coast meeting on Sunday 28 September 2014 turned over $623,747. This represents a 43.5% reduction in wagering turnover on Tattsbet, which I expect would be replicated with interstate wagering operators, bookmakers and the corporates, all of whom pay turnover fees for wagering on this product.
There is little doubt that weekend race dates provide increased appeal to punters. For this reason, you would expect that Racing Queensland would be allocating recognized TAB venues to prime weekend race dates. I do not know of any other business that is prepared to accept a 43.5% reduction in turnover, for no apparent reason.
Another example of decisions made by Racing Queensland that are impacting wagering outcomes is the performance of the new track in Toowoomba. On Saturday, Toowoomba turned over a poultry $315,377. By way of comparison, the Sunshine Coast raced on Saturday 13 September 2014 in Toowoomba’s slot and they delivered wagering turnover of $409,015, a 30% increase on the Toowoomba meeting.
Wagering is the lifeblood of our industry and from what I have witnessed lately it could be argued by some that the strategies being implemented by Racing Queensland aren’t focused on optimizing wagering outcomes. These appear more focused on delivering benefits to those clubs regarded as more RQ-friendly.
To enable stakeholders to better understand Racing Queensland’s rationale, they should publish wagering outcomes from each meeting. This would assist stakeholders and enable us to question Racing Queensland’s proposed race date schedules, armed with proper information.
Come on Racing Queensland, we all have a common goal, so why not publish wagering outcomes now that it appears prizemoney and other incentives are being driven by these returns?’
EDITOR'S NOTE: Chairman Kevin Dixon has been quoted by his 'spin doctors' in the racing media as saying RQ is prepared to take one for the team if it means promoting and marketing a low turnover meeting in a prime timeslot. What they didn't say is that this fits nicely into the political landscape for the LNP where clubs like Toowoomba and Kilcoy are concerned.
AT LEAST ONE PUNTER HAPPY TO SEE RODD LOSE RIDE ON HAPPY TRAILS 
KELVIN GREEN of SYDNEY gets some dirty punting water off his chest with this volley against a couple of top jocks:
‘BLAME me for talking through my pocket but I was delighted to wake to the news on Monday that Michael Rodd had been dumped from Happy Trails.
His Turnbull Stakes ride was in my opinion a shocker – the horse never got clear in the straight and finished 14th when some might argue it should have figured in the finish.
All Rodd had to do was switch around Super cool and he would have been able to hop onto the back of Brambles and Lidari and follow them through into the clear. Instead he ran up the backsides of the slow coaches in front.
Connections reacted quickly and gave Rodd the big hook. Let’s see how Happy Trails fares with Damien Oliver back aboard for the Caulfield Stakes and the Cox Plate.
I was one of many punters who felt they never got a run for their money last Saturday but I’m happy to reinvest now that Rodd has been banished from riding the horse.
Another of my bleats after Saturday’s racing was the ride of Glynn Schofield (Chad’s daddy) on Brigantin in the Metropolitan. I know it was a roughie but I specked some of my hard earned on the horse.
Why he went for a miracle rails run when there was a gap to the outside you could have driven a truck through is beyond belief. I thought some questions of the tactics might have been asked but they weren’t.
And while I’m in the mood for a Whinge my mood did not improve when I watched the ‘suck up’ job by Fat Richie to his mate Chris Waller on the Racing Review program. At least Mark Sheen was prepared to ask the ‘champion trainer’ if he could explain how Moriarty came out and won the Craven Plate after finishing last in the Hill Stakes at its previous start when a heavily backed favorite.
Waller waffled on about how it didn’t look good for the punters but how the stable tried to prepare every horse to get across the line first until big Richie stepped in and stopped the embarrassment by changing to subject.’
RACING QUEENSLAND STILL FAR FROM FLAVOR OF THE MONTH IN NORTH 
IF you think the natives in the racing industry in the north aren’t still a shade restless over their treatment by Racing Queensland then cop this letter from a leading trainer in the region:
‘I believe a significant impact on two-year-old numbers available for the Pallarenda Stakes is the continuing uncertainty of when or indeed if the Townsville track will be closed.
I know of a number of people who didn't bother with two-year-olds because the track was going to be ‘fixed’ after July, August, September, October, November...
Is Racing Queensland setting the country tracks up to collapse?
And I see it’s alright to run six horse races in Brisbane on Saturdays but not at Townsville, Mackay etc.
Wonder why?’
VASTLY DIFFERENT APPROACH TO COVERAGE OF CHAD SCHOFIELD APPEAL 
PAUL SIMPSON of MELBOURNE writes:
‘OLD habits certainly die hard for some members of the racing media in Victoria.
Report on another unsuccessful appeal by Chad Schofield against an improper riding charge highlight the point I am making.
Patrick Bartley reported for The Age:
A Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal judge has warned jockey Chad Schofield to vastly improve his riding after he dismissed an appeal against an improper riding charge.
President Greg Garde told Schofield that if he didn’t heed the warning then he could find his career as a jockey curtailed.
In doing so, Garde not only dismissed Schofield's appeal for improper riding but also dismissed the jockey's attempt to have his sentence reduced.
He said Schofield was responsible for the two bumps involved (in the incident) and agreed with chief steward Terry Bailey there was risk of danger.
Adrian Dunn, reporting for The Racing Network (TVN), took a different slant on proceedings when he wrote:
Michelle Payne has told the Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal that she didn’t feel in danger at any stage of the race that led to Chad Schofield being suspended for 32 meetings.
Payne told Justice Greg Garde, the president of VCAT, who is presiding over Schofield’s application to review the decision by the RAD Board to dismiss his appeal, the incident between the 1100 and 850m of the Mornington race on September 17 never placed her or anyone else in danger.
She said there was a lot of bumping in races and it was an everyday occurrence. She described the two bumps between her mount and Schofield's mount as not severe.
"It’s not dangerous, it’s competitive riding," Payne said. "I didn't feel in any danger."
Payne said if a dangerous situation arises in a race, jockeys call out or warn their peers.
"At no stage did I call out to Chad," she said.
Now admittedly Dunn is simply reporting what Payne told the hearing and jockeys are known to stand by each other in times of trouble. But even when he filed another report on the outcome of the appeal it took him until well down in the story to highlight what Bartley used as the lead to his story.
It prompted me to think out loud: The more things change in racing the more they stay the same. I was, of course, harking back to the support that some racing journalists gave to Danny Nikolic when he was battling stewards, especially the chairman Terry Bailey.
In the Schofield case evidence at this latest appeal included a ‘virtual confession of guilt’ by Schofield in an interview with Bruce Clark on RSN. It certainly didn’t help his case. There was also evidence produced that Michelle Payne had sent out Tweets saying the stewards did what they had to do.
Strangely, I have not seen any reports on these issues anywhere in the racing media. It would appear that there is still the odd dagger floating about for the Bailey style of racing integrity and, in my opinion, that can only be put down to ‘ills of the past’.’
ANIMAL LIBERATIONISTS AGAIN SHOW THEY ARE A ‘BUNCH OF FRUIT LOOPS’ 
SALLY JAMES of MELBOURNE sent this email:
‘THE animal liberations are entitled to their say – in a democratic country like Australia – but some of their actions beggar belief.
The billboard that has been erected on CityLink with an image of a dead horse does their cause no good at all and in fact is regarded by most member of the public – whether they are racing followers or not – as completely out of line.
I used to donate to the RSPCA but I stopped doing that when they started using money to fight political causes – like an opposition to jumps racing. They don’t know the real facts and ignore the obvious – that a career of the jumps saves many horses from being sent to the doggers.
When signage like this is allowed is any consideration given to young children driving past in cars with their partens, some of whom might belong to pony clubs or love horses.
Surely there is a responsibility on the part of what ever Government department accepts this sort of billboard advertising to ensure the message being relayed is not inappropriate as is this case here.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: HERE is a Media Releases that was distributed concerning the above complaint:
RACING Victoria (RV) Chief Executive, Bernard Saundry, has issued the following statement on equine welfare in response to a billboard erected on CityLink with an image of a dead horse.
“To put a dead animal, be it a horse, a dog or a cat, on a billboard is highly inappropriate and distasteful,” Mr Saundry said.
“The billboard is offensive both to the 70,000 participants within the Victorian thoroughbred racing industry who love and care for their animals and indeed to the wider community who are travelling past this distasteful image.
“The health and well-being of our equine athletes is at the heart of our industry and central to the thinking of participants and administrators alike.
“The level of care afforded the industry’s equine athletes is practically unmatched by any other domesticated animal. Trainers, owners and breeders afford outstanding care to their horses.
“Indeed, over $300 million is spent annually in Victoria alone by owners on the training, care and welfare of the state’s racehorse population.
“Trainers and breeders each have their own vets to ensure the welfare of their horses is maintained. This is complimented by 60 vets contracted by Racing Victoria to afford care on race days.
“The inference that horse racing kills its equine athletes is misleading and very disappointing for the many people within our industry who have spent the best part of a lifetime caring for horses.
“The average fatality rate in Victorian thoroughbred racing is the lowest in world racing and we are working hard to reduce it even further through stricter medication controls, significant investments in improving tracks and training facilities and the funding of major research studies.
“Beyond the track, the vast majority of participants retire their racehorses in an appropriate manner and through initiatives like our Off the Track Program we are working to ensure that every healthy thoroughbred has a fruitful life after racing.”
NSW RACING LEADS WAY ON CORPORATE BOOKIES AND TRIALING TWO-YEAR-OLDS 
RON QUIRK of SYDNEY writes:
‘RACING in New South Wales has its critics but certainly leads the way on two important issues – trying to rein in the corporate bookmakers and trialing of unraced two-year-olds.
I could rave on forever about how there needs to be a national approach to implementing some control on the off-shore betting agencies but that would be a waste of time.
It seems to be too hard for the Australian Racing Board and some state jurisdictions but surely the trialing of two-year-olds is much simpler.
New South Wales has led the way requiring all two-year-olds to trial publicly before they race. But, for some inexplicable reason, Victoria and Queensland continue to drag the chain.
It has been a hot topic of debate in Victoria for some time and little seems to be happening there but now Queensland has been dragged into the debate after two heavily backed youngsters won at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
At a time when there needs to be some assurance that punters will get a fair go we have officials of RQ saying statistics do not suggest that turnover would be significantly increased if all youngsters had to trial.
With all due respects, might I suggest to RQ that this is a ‘head in the sand’ approach to an issue that needs to be addressed not swept under the carpet?’
WHO WANTS PROTECTION FROM TRIALING OF TWO-YEAR-OLDS – PUNTERS OR BOOKIES? 
CLIFF ARGUS of CANBERRA poses the question:
‘IS it the punters or the bookmakers that the trialing of unraced two-year-olds protects?
The topic is again being debated – this time in Queensland – after Wicked Intent was backed from double figure odds and saluted at the Gold Coast on Saturday. The youngster had not trialed publicly.
In contrast the filly Frequendly also landed a plunge when she won at the same meeting but the story goes connections were beaten for the punch and missed the price that was bet. Trainer Les Ross has vowed not to publicly trial any more of his two-year-olds this season after she ran odds-on.
What can we expect next – the bookies (especially those corporates who hate losing) refusing to bet on two-year-old races where there are a number of first starters that have not trialed?
And as for trials protecting the punters’ interest and those being opposed to them being forced to produce their youngsters in public before racing, the fact remains that there is no requirement on the trainer to try in these trials or jump-outs.
At the end of the day the bookies’ grapevine is pretty accurate and if a youngster has ability most will know – whether they have trialed or not.
As for the suggestion that if connections aren’t forced to trial two-year-olds before they race that the sport will continue to live in the dark ages – well that is ridiculous.
Trainers have to jump their horses out of the barriers and gallop around a turn in front of stewards before being allowed to start in Queensland.
Surely as the Chief Steward at RQ – Allan Readon – says, that should satisfy the safety aspect of the situation.
Of course it still does not guarantee that one will not run off the track as occurred at the Gold Coast last Saturday.’
HERE’S HOPING TRACK CONTROVERSY DOES NOT DOMINATE SPRING DISCUSSION 
JOHN MURDOCH of GOLD COAST sent this email:
‘ONE can only hope that the track controversy does not continue to dominate discussion during the spring carnival in Melbourne.
The weather Gods can conspire against course rangers in the preparation of tracks in Victoria but surely there needs to be a rule put in place to protect the horses.
Hard tracks are causing major problems and the latest trainer to highlight this has been Chris Waller.
Unfortunately, the system in the past has been milked during the Cup carnival by Dermot Weld and Lee Freedman.
This is different. There has been a chorus of criticism of the hard tracks at Caulfield and Flemington in recent weeks.
As Waller said – instead of arguing and debating the issue, it’s time to get it right.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: HERE is a Media Release distributed following concerns expressed over the tracks in Victoria.
RACING Victoria (RV) Chief Executive Bernard Saundry has issued the following statement regarding RV’s Track Preparation Policy.
The statement is in response to an article in (Monday’s) Herald Sun under the heading ‘Waller stands firm on track ire’ which incorrectly references the industry-endorsed track rating as a Dead 4.
“The industry’s Track Preparation Policy is designed to assist clubs with their race day track preparation to ensure the safety and welfare of all participants as well as good and fair racing,” Saundry said.
“The Policy states that the desired racing surface is a Good 3 for the majority of a meeting, with a Good 3 described as an ‘ideal track with some give’.
"For clarity, both the Melbourne Racing Club and the Victoria Racing Club have prepared tracks in accordance with this Policy for the meetings held at Caulfield and Flemington during the past month.
“We are currently reviewing the industry Track Preparation Policy in-line with the Australian Racing Board’s new national track rating system which comes into place on 1 December to ensure that all Victorian tracks are prepared in a consistent manner.”
JOAO MOREIRA BUILDS HIS FAN BASE AS THE NUMBER GROWS IN AUSTRALIA 
PETE the MAD PUNTER sent this email:
‘THIS is not a whinge but I hope you still run it.
How good is Hong Kong-based hoop Joao Moreira?
Chris Waller got the bouquets but Moreira deserved to share the spotlight on Epsom day at Randwick.
He returned to Hong Kong and dominated the card there on Sunday but unfortunately is now on the sideline with another suspension. Perhaps he just tries too hard at times.
Punters will be following Moreira in droves if he returns to Melbourne in the spring.
Horses just seem to go well for him and he can ride at a lightweight. That helped him secure the mount on Epsom winner He’s Your Man at the expense of fellow Honkers-based rider Zac Purton.’
RACING STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED IN THE PAST WEEK 
CHANNEL SEVEN TOLD TO SMARTEN THEIR ACT WITH POST-RACE INTERVIEWS
CHANNEL Seven executives and Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey will this week hold talks on time-consuming post-race interviews.
PATRICK BARTLEY reports in THE AGE that Bailey has become concerned that on-track interviews conducted with the winning rider by former jockey Sam Hyland delay the winner returning to scale.
Bailey said the interviews had caused a delay in the signaling of correct weight.
“I think it’s something we have to streamline. Channel Seven have already contacted me and are keen to talk, so I think we’re very much on the same page,” he said.
BILL VLAHOS GRANTED INDEFINITE ADJOURNMENT OF CORRUPTION HEARINGS 
DISGRACED racing identity Bill Vlahos has had a rare win, with Racing Victoria granting an indefinite adjournment of hearings into his dishonesty and corruption charges.
STEPHEN DRILL reports in the HERALD SUN that Mr Vlahos, the architect of a collapsed $140 million betting empire called the Edge, has been facing charges of engaging in dishonest, corrupt and fraudulent actions.
Racing Victoria has accused him of building up his BC3 Thoroughbreds ready-to-run racing company, which bid a record $5 million for Jimmy, a half-brother to Black Caviar, with punters’ club cash.
But Racing Victoria has agreed to delay a disciplinary board hearing until the Victoria Police fraud squad has finished its inquiries.
The Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board, the independent body which hears inquiries into actions in the racing industry, announced this morning that the case was adjourned.
“The grounds for the adjournment are that investigations by Police and other authorities involving Mr Vlahos are ongoing,” the statement said.
“The rights and privileges granted to Mr Vlahos as a registered owner and stablehand remain suspended until the hearing and determination of these charges.”
Racing Victoria and Mr Vlahos’ legal team consented to the adjournment, the statement said.
But a ban remains on Mr Vlahos from attending racetracks, owning horses or betting on races.
The restrictions were put in place when charges were laid in February.
Mr Vlahos, who was once a high-flyer in Victorian racing, filed for bankruptcy in December after theHerald Sun revealed his punters’ club did not have the cash to pay out its members.
More than 1000 punters were stung, with some losing their houses because they had redrawn on their home loans to invest in the punting club that promised 25 per cent returns.
The club also figured in some divorce proceedings, with the financial ruin putting strain on marriages.
But despite the flashy image, betting sheets seen by the Herald Sun revealed that Mr Vlahos was not placing the bets in the large amounts that he told his members.
Mr Vlahos had blamed mysterious Dubai-based punter Daniel Maxwell for the club’s collapse.
But no-one had heard of Mr Maxwell when the Herald Sun dispatched a reporter to the Dubai address Mr Vlahos provided for him in court documents.
Meanwhile, a legal dispute over the $5 million insurance payout for Jimmy, BC3 Thoroughbreds’ highest profile purchase who died of laminitis in December, was in mediation this week.
Bloodstock agent Inglis is claiming it is entitled to the money because it paid for the horse’s vet bills, while Black Caviar’s breeder and part owner of Jimmy, Rick Jamieson, is fighting the claim.
Administrators are still investigating Mr Vlahos’ financial dealings, with a company he controlled called Noble Edict also in bankruptcy proceedings.
BC3 Thoroughbreds was placed into liquidation and wound up voluntarily in April.
The Herald Sun understands Victoria Police investigations are continuing.
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