THE WEDNESDAY WHINGE has a new look but won’t be dispensing with the theme and focus on the THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY side of what is happening in racing. 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 and one of the most read on racing websites in the country. Our popularity continues to grow despite the bagging it cops from some high profile officials, especially in Queensland, who cannot cope with constructive criticism of any kind. We encourage supporters – and critics – to continue to contribute but plan to restrict the Whinge to less than 10 of the best items each week. Our message to those who continually bag us is simple: IF YOU DON’T LIKE WHAT YOU READ, THEN DON’T REVISIT THE WHINGE.
LABOR LEFT THE LNP AT THE BARRIERS WHEN IT CAME TO EAGLE FARM DEVELOPMENT 
ALBERT WILLIAMS of REDCLIFFE, a regular contributor, sent this email:
‘IMAGINE the situation if it had been the LNP Government that was ready to announce Treasury approval for $12 million in new reconstruction funding for long-awaited tunnels and car parking at Eagle Farm.
Racing Queensland and its little apolitical leader, King Kev, would have been shouting it from the roof-tops. Instead it was left to Peter Cameron to announce the breakthrough in a story in The Sunday Mail.
It’s a strange situation when it comes to racing coverage in the two stablemates of the Murdoch newspaper empire in Brisbane. The Courier-Mail, especially its Racing Editor, Nathan Exelby, seems to only report the events through the eyes of RQ. The Sunday Mail, through its far more experienced and respected racing journalist Peter Cameron, is not afraid to report the facts, provide constructive criticism and even went as far as writing an editorial recently calling for the Boards of RQ to stand down.
It’s still regarded as the April Fool’s Day joke of the LNP Government when former Treasurer Tim Nicholls, with his electorate smack in the centre of the racing precinct in Brisbane, announced last year amid a blaze of glory that the Eagle Farm redevelopment would be undertaken and completed well before now. Like many of the LNP statements about the wonderful job they did for racing (not to mention pork-barrelling of race clubs run by their mates like Kilcoy and Toowoomba) it was all piss and wind.
At least the new Racing Minister and Labor Government has delivered where Eagle Farm is concerned even if it means the track will not be ready for racing until next year. It was work that needed to be done on the biggest asset racing has in Queensland.
Here’s hoping he now delivers on what Cameron reported as speculation of a return to the old format where the thoroughbred, harness and greyhound industries had their own boards and no overarching body.
If that means some heads will roll at the top standby for plenty of bleating from The Courier-Mail, especially if Little King Kev falls on his sword.
‘IT’S TIME FOR SOME FACTS – NOT FICTIONAL DELIBERATIONS - ABOUT THE DOGS’ 
‘BARRY BONES’, a regular contributor from CAPALABA, sent this email:
‘I have followed the greyhound saga through your website now since February. I think it’s about time some of the facts not fictional deliberations are made known.
It’s little wonder that The Courier-Mail, the one city newspaper owned and manipulated by a man who doesn’t want to be known as an Australian anymore in Rupert Murdoch, constantly plays the Racing Queensland trump card and embellishes its key staffers including CEO Darren Condon and current chair Kevin Dixon.
Firstly, the CM made big headlines about the 53 positive swabs taken from Queensland greyhounds. Buried in the text of the story was the fact that there were 10,500 swabs taken to get that 53 positives result. More than 80% of those positives were due to use of non-performance enhancing drugs. But you won’t hear those facts from the CM or Condon or Dixon. All these latter pair can do is paint a picture of doom and gloom and the ‘we’ll all be ruined’, type of approach.
Given their past track records in racing administration it’s no surprise they seem to have no idea how to run a business that’s running smoothly, let alone one in crisis.
Back to The Courier-Mail. The latest episode of questionable journalism was Robert Craddock’s piece on CEO Condon with a big heading that relates the current trouble to the Fine Cotton embarrassment of many years ago. Nothing could be further from the truth. Could you imagine Dixon and Condon being confronted with something like the Fine Cotton scandal? The mind boggles as to what they would do.
In Craddock’s piece he and Condon talk about how bad the live baiting scandal is, how tragic it’s been and what terrible trouble the greyhound industry is in. Well hello, Messrs Condon and Craddock, every day or night there are 10 races with full fields each and every week since this ‘disastrous’ scandal broke.
In Craddock’s defense he did say in the last two sentences, that despite all the dramas turnover has not wavered. In fact, in some cases turnover on greyhound races has increased.
So why would these facts be buried in the last two sentences of a story which for all intentions placed greyhound racing on its knees and bleeding to death? Not the case, take note Craddock and Condon.
Lastly one has to have a long, long laugh at the statements in the CM story about the police investigating the live baiting. For starters a leading barrister is on public record as saying that video taken at Tom Noble’s trial track, which is all the RSPCA and cops have to go on, will not be allowed to be used in evidence because it was obtained illegally.
Does that stop cops making some unbelievable and highly amusing statements? The most recent was when one investigator said that 200 people were attending Noble’s trial track every Sunday to blood their dogs.
So when Racing Queensland allowed Tom Noble to advertise his unregistered trial track in the official industry publication The Chase, opening hours were between 8am and 4pm Sundays. (RQ has now realized his track was not registered and withdrew the ads, you gotta laugh).
So according to the cops 200 people came and went in those eight hours. Breaking that down there must have been 25 people every hour and one person blooding their dog every 2.4 minutes. This being the case Noble would have needed to install traffic lights at his main gate and parking attendants to move all the vehicles around his property.
And if the cops and RSPCA are right how could 200 people turn up every Sunday, get their dogs blooded and no one in authority knew anything about it? Bloody amazing!
So what now for Racing Queensland? CEO Condon, the man who says an email advising him of live baiting ‘fell through the cracks’, came out last week saying how good a job RQ is doing in handling this matter. Is he for real? Pity he didn’t handle things a bit better when allegedly an email and supposedly a phone call from Animals Liberation Queensland’s Hayley Cotton advised him that live baiting was common.
We have numerous people, some professional trainers, who have been left treading water waiting for RQ to do something. They have not been charged, they cannot run their dogs and they have been left high and dry while RQ tries to work out what to do.
Apart from that RQ is slowly bleeding stakeholders dry by its laughable attempt to fund an integrity issue by reducing the starter’s fee from $40 per starter to a measly $15. This is the death-knell for many in the industry. This money is paid to all unplaced runners and adds up to $125 a race, with winning prize money between $1300 and $4500 taking the $125 off the winner’s purse would not do any harm. Taking $25 off a payment of $40 is just lunacy, but that’s RQ for you.
So the greyhound industry must battle on, the Greyhound Board now has one of three directors already resigned, the chair off on a cops and robbers expedition and the sole Board member left standing won’t get any references from those who knew him at the Ipswich Greyhound Racing Club.
I am sure Racing Minister Bill Byrne, a former Army man, would be keener on battles on a lesser front than what he has inherited with Racing Queensland.’
THERE’S NO ROOM FOR CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IN THE RACING MEDIA 
BOB JOHNSON of SYDNEY sent this email:
‘THERE is no point complaining to News Limited about it so I thought I would use your website to have my Whinge about the demise of my favourite racing columnist Kenny Callander.
Like a lot of others who have followed his writings over the years, I was devastated to hear that Kenny has basically been forced out of the job but more so to learn that it may have been caused by complaints from a couple of high profile officials at Racing NSW who cannot cope with criticism.
I read where Callander said: “I resigned on what I believe was a matter of principle. For some time I don’t believe I had total editorial freedom when commenting on Racing NSW. Hence I didn’t believe it to be fair that I then criticize and comment on others whether they be stewards, jockeys, trainers, track managers or whatever. The decision to resign was an easy one.”
Honorable and dignified to the end but I just hope he picks up a gig with another publication that lets him have his say without being afraid they might upset the ‘gravy train’ like News Limited obviously is. It will be difficult to find a writer as hard hitting as Callander with some of those who are more accepted by officialdom regarded by the racing public more as promoters of Racing NSW than their voice in the media.
The way Racing NSW – and for that matter Australia – is being run by John Messara and his little buddy Peter V’landys is developing into joke status. This is what happens when you get breeders running the show.
We know that freedom of the racing media hasn’t existed in Queensland since Kevin Dixon took control. Perhaps Messara has been listening to his other mate from north of the borderwho just bans anyone who dares to criticize or disagree with his views.
About the only criticism you will hear of Kenny Callander comes via his son, Richard, who was too outspoken for the likes of many in racing not to mention his relationship with Chris Waller and how any upsets from that stable were excused big time.
As someone wrote it’s an indictment on the industry that some racing officials live in fear of quality journalism. Had it not been for the 4 Corners report who knows how long what was happening behind the scenes in greyhound racing would have continued?’
ONE CAN ONLY HOPE SEVEN PROVIDES AN ALTERNATIVE TO SKY 
HARRY ANDERSON of MELBOURNE writes:
‘SKY Channel versus Seven Network – I know who I would rather watch.
Here’s hoping the reports are right and a deal will soon be struck for all Victorian racing to be shown on 7TWO or 7MATE.
The final offer is apparently still on the stable from Sky Channel but the way they have treated viewers wanting to watch racing from Victoria since the demise of TVN I hope they miss out.
All you get from Sky is wall-to-wall racing from NSW which is what Messara and V’landys wanted when the latter apparently orchestrated the end to TVN.
When will these guys finally realize that NSW will never be able to compete with Victoria even if they try to blackout racing coverage from our wonderful state?’
EDITOR’S NOTE: I am assuming that the above email refers to this report by ROD NICHOLSON in the HERALD-SUN:
VICTORIAN racing is nearing the winning post in its bid for television coverage.
Negotiations will continue this week with the Seven Network to telecast races on a free-to-air digital channel while the Victorian clubs digest a final offer from Tabcorp’s Sky Channel.
The Victorian clubs hope Seven will commit to the state’s 4000-plus races a year going into all homes on a platform such as 7TWO or 7mate.
Victorian racing has been without acceptable television coverage since March 14 when NSW and Victoria ended their joint venture network, TVN.
Industry sources said the television component of Victoria’s media rights was the final piece of the puzzle.
“It is vital all media outlets are considered, not just television,” Victoria Racing Club chairman Michael Burn said. “It will all happen within weeks.”
Burn said the media landscape, and Victorian racing’s desire to “get it right”, meant the time taken to settle the issue should be seen as a minor inconvenience for punters.
“The media world is changing quickly,’’ he said. “We need races to be televised, not only on television but also on all other platforms. We are close to sorting all that out.”
Victorian racing continues on Sky Racing 1, and will do so for the remaining nine years of a contract, regardless of whether another carrier gains the rights. It is also being shown on Sky Thoroughbred Central, despite no contract being in place.
However, the coverage is minimal — with no previews from the mounting yard, reviews and interviews, as was normal with TVN — and that has heightened the desire for a dedicated television outlet.
While NSW signed a long-term deal with Sky Channel on TVN’s closure, Victoria was disinclined as it wanted to embrace corporate bookmakers, organise its own international rights sales and have control of its own outlets such as websites, mobile phones and apps.
Under a proposed deal with Seven, it is understood Racing Victoria would be out of pocket up to $10 million to establish and staff the coverage in the first year. But it would receive advertising revenues, which could be substantial.
Victoria is a joint venture partner with Tabcorp in wagering, which generates almost $350 million annually.
Industry sources said that was a totally separate business arrangement and should not be confused with media rights.
Tabcorp is understood to be prepared to pay up to $300 million for 10 years of the Victorian rights.
‘IS THE MACKAY CEO KICKING UP FOR A HIGH PROFILE JOB AT HEADQUARTERS?’ 
DREW BLANK from MACKAY sent this email:
‘WITH an attitude like his, this new CEO of the Mackay club could wind up in a high profile administrative position at RQ.
Telling trainers that ‘more race dates were not high on his list of priorities’ would win plenty of fans at RQ which seems hell-bent on destroying racing in Mackay.
Then telling trainers they should not go to the media with any of their grievances against the club. Well that approach is certainly taken out of the Kevin Dixon handbook for officials.
Ross Prowd take a bow, you are the new teacher’s pet. Cowboy Boy will be extremely jealous. But let’s face it – he might be a midget – but there’s room in there for two of you - and that other hobbit now working for a major club.’
‘SICK TO THE TEETH OF THEM TRYING TO MAKE CONDON THE SCAPEGOAT’ 
GLEN SUTTON of SUNSHINE COAST writes:
‘I DON’T know Racing Queensland CEO Darren Condon but if he is made a scapegoat for this whole mess in greyhound racing while Chairman Kevin Dixon and Integrity Chief Wade Birch survive then the joint stinks.
Every time I pick up a newspaper it seems Condon is being interrogated or ridiculed for the role he played – or failed to play – in listening to concerns about ‘live baiting’.
Doesn’t the buck stop with the Greyhound Board or more importantly the stewards and their bosses who were responsible for policing the sport? Surely they weren’t getting around blindfolded. In fact there are suggestions – apparently these have been made to the Commission of Inquiry – that certain issues were raised with them well before the 4Corners expose.
Now we are told that Condon was the godfather to the grandson of one of the trainers at the centre of the ‘live baiting’ saga. This is being linked to an email he said he didn’t receive and by association the poor guy is being condemned. He has had no contact with those people for years.
Why doesn’t the same media that is asking Condon all these tricky questions start interviewing Dixon and Birch? One bets the horrible impression that they don’t want to.
And to make it worse the stories are growing that Wade Birch is being groomed as CEO material. They have to be kidding. What's next Kevin Dixon for Racing Minister?’
‘THE STING’ RAISED INTERESTING EPISODE OF RACING’S SMELLY PAST 
PETER BREDHAUER of CAMBOOYA writes:
‘THERE was an interesting article by Peter Cameron in his TRAPS column on Sunday, in particular the last paragraph where he referred to the time that the late Sir Edward Williams, when doing the Federal Drugs Royal Commission, ordered telephone taps at Doomben and Eagle Farm racetracks.
The only person they discovered involved in questionable activities was a well-known journalist who had access to the jockeys’ rooms.
In liaison with underworld identity George Freeman, prices were sent off course for the SP bookmaking network. Races were rigged and jockeys paid off accordingly.
A copy of the tape was kept in the safe at Eagle Farm in case it was ever needed. Story goes a deal was struck between certain people. It would be interesting to know whatever happened to that tape in later years.’
‘HERE’S HOPING THE REPORTS THAT BETFAIR IS IN DEEP TROUBLE ARE RIGHT’ 
ALBY GLEESON of MELBOURNE writes:
‘ONE can only hope reports that Betfair in Australia is in deep trouble are close to the mark.
It’s not a healthy situation for the racing industry when a betting exchange where you back horses to get beaten is regarded so highly.
High profile stewards say Betfair fluctuations – especially when a favourite drifts alarmingly in price – are ‘very accurate’. Top trainers start to worry when runners they thought were good things are backed to get beaten on Betfair. Worse still bookies now rely heavily on Betfair in framing their markets.
The punters who backed Saturday’s Flemington winner Lumosty to lose got it wrong. But that is a rarity on Betfair. Like the corporate bookmakers, racing in Australia will be all the better if this betting organization retreats to its origins.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: HERE is a story by MATT STEWART in the HERALD SUN that may have prompted the above email:
ROBERT Smerdon and his foreman Stuart Webb are not dills.
They know their horses, know the form, know the map, know how and when to bet.
But they are petrified of Betfairitis. Everyone is.
On Saturday everyone thought Lumosty was a good thing at Flemington. The form gurus were all over her. She’d bee too classy, too sharp.
But Lumosty was “off’’ on the betting exchange.
Smerdon was at Morphettville and Webb in the Flemington grandstand as Lumosty cantered to the gates, struck down by Betfairitis.
She was unlayable on Betfair and drifted, alarmingly, from $3.20 to $5 on official betting fluctuations.
Both trainer and foreman were being bombarded by texts. “Had a leg fallen off?’’
An odd thing happened. Lumosty bolted in.
Smerdon and Webb said afterwards that their confidence was shot by the time the gates opened.
Since Betfair’s arrival from the UK about a decade ago they and others have learned that the exchange, where in simple terms someone plays bookie and someone else punter, is rarely wrong.
A wise old professional punter — let’s call him The Emu — said Betfair was “God”.
“If they’re out the gate at Betfair, they just don’t win,’’ he said.
The Emu cited a recent example. “Horse trained by Mark Kavanagh at Ballarat last week; had trialled beaut, looked a moral. Was something like $2.50 to $2.30 on official flucs but you could get $7 on Betfair. It ran tailed off, last.’’
The Emu says the crippling effect of Betfairitis proves some stables (he wasn’t referring to Kavanagh) must leak like bullet-riddled buckets.
“Info’s getting out, simple as that,’’ he said. “One might be a bit sore, put in an average gallop. Low-paid staff can make a good quid leaking to big Betfair punters.
“But the pros are also doing their own markets, which are often far different than say fixed odds or official betting fluctuations and their opinions are represented through odds available on the exchange. Some big punters are also manipulating markets on it. There is a hell of a lot of smoke and mirrors with Betfair.’’
The stewards are well aware Betfair is God. Whole rooms are dedicated to monitoring it.
Stewards pay little attention to official betting fluctuations but if one is “off’’ on Betfair — like Baron Archer at Echuca in March — alarm bells go off.
Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey said he and his panel found Betfair “very accurate”.
“Many drug tests and inquiries have been sparked by wildly drifting favourites. But the statistical guys (punters) are big on it, one in particular. If he reckons a favourite can’t win, it will be out the gate (drift alarmingly),’’ he said.
Bookmakers are also believers.
They used to whip up their own betting markets, with an eye on the bookie next door, but most have learned that the real story of the race that’s not yet run is told by Betfair.
The exchange crashed during the middle day of the Warrnambool carnival last week. Some reckon Russian gangsters infected Betfair’s software with a virus, which they’d done before.
The bookies stood helpless on their stands, naked without the wisdom of the exchange.
But for all of its power, the local exchange is said to be in strife; huge overseas but far from it here.
A Betfair spokesman denied it was struggling, saying “the exchange is growing strongly and is the only wagering platform that can service sophisticated and winning customers’’.
Asian exchanges, which are difficult to hold to any account, are already being used by some colourful types. They are hovering as Betfair’s murky successors.
‘NSW RACING OFFICIALS SHOULD DO THEIR WOOLIES AND HEAD TO WARRNAMBOOL’ 
PERCY SMITH of MELBOURNE, a regular contributor, sent this email:
‘PERHAPS some of the big noting officials from Sydney should follow the lead of the First Lady of racing, don their winter woolies and head south of the border to Warrnambool for the May racing carnival.
Crowd-wise it makes Sydney’s The Championships look miserable considering the population that event has to draw from. I hope your paying attention Mr V’landys – King of Everything Racing in the Harbour City.
Despite the bitterly cold weather and rain Warrnambool attracted increased attendances during its three-day event last week and there was a significant rise in wagering as well.
It just goes to show that when it comes to racing NSW will always finish second best to the pacesetter on the Australian scene – Victoria.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: HERE is a report from racing.com (the RVL website) that supports the above email:
SIGNIFCANT wagering and attendance increases at last week’s Warrnambool May Racing Carnival prompted Racing Victoria to predict a bright future for the iconic event.
Crowd numbers at each of the three days of the Carnival, which was held from Tuesday to Thursday last week, were up at least 15 per cent, while wagering across all operators was up seven per cent on 2014.
Racing Victoria chief executive Bernard Saundry said those figures were pleasing and painted a positive future for Victoria’s biggest non-metropolitan racing carnival.
“The release of the official wagering results confirm it was a highly successful Carnival and I’d like to congratulate all involved at Warrnambool Racing Club for their achievements in executing a fantastic event,” Saundry said.
“To have more than 25,000 fans trackside across the Carnival in cold and wet conditions is a pleasing result, with the event achieving attendance growth across each of the three days.
“The strong support the Carnival received from both participants and the local community cements its position in the annual Victorian racing calendar and provides a great platform for the Club and the industry to further grow the three-day event.”
After a 17 per cent increase on last year’s opening day, turnover was up 14.9 per cent on Day 2 before a six per cent hike on the final day when there were extenuating circumstances.
“The seven per cent wagering growth across the Carnival was realised despite turnover being affected on the Thursday due to Betfair’s wagering system being down for the day,” Saundry said.
The Day 3 crowd of 13,100 was up 20.7 per cent on 2014, following from a 29.8 per cent spike on the Day 1 crowd (5743) and a 15.8 per cent increase on Day 2 (6490).
The overall crowd figure of 25,333 was up 21.3 per cent on last year.
Total starters at this year’s carnival numbered 331, which was up 9.6 per cent on last year, and, importantly, all six horses that fell throughout the course of the week were uninjured.
FRENCH PUNTERS TAKE A LIKING TO PUNTING ON CRANBOURNE NIGHT RACING 
WE thought this story by MARTY SHEVELOVE in the CRANBOURNE LEADER was worth reproducing:
IT seems French racegoers have taken a shine to Cranbourne.
The lack of a form guide and the foreign tones of Cranbourne race caller Terry Bailey have not discouraged the French, who have been more than happy to open their wallets and have a punt.
Since April, the first four races of Cranbourne’s Friday night program have been beamed live into France via Sky Channel, with punters shelling out an average of $802,000.
On Friday, French bets topped the $1 million mark.
With the eight-hour time difference between Cranbourne and France, Cranbourne’s first race was shown at 10.15am with the last of the four races wrapping up just before noon.
The day’s regular French racing card followed.
By comparison, when French racing is beamed into Australia several nights a week, the betting turnover is less than $10,000 held by the three Australian totes per race.
The Australian racing industry gets a small piece of the money wagered by the French on the Cranbourne races.
Cranbourne Turf Club CEO Neil Bainbridge said it could translate into larger purses at Cranbourne.
“Hopefully, we’ll be increasing our prize money next season,’’ Bainbridge said.
The minimum purse is $20,000 for a Cranbourne night race, up to $5000 more than other country race tracks in Victoria hand out at their day meetings.
Night racing resumes at Cranbourne on May 15 with programs also set for May 22 and May 29 before the night racing season comes to an end.
With the end of daylight savings time and the cooler weather, post time for the first race has been moved up an hour to 5.45pm.
Bainbridge said the early start time was a bit of a trial.
Last Friday night’s crowd was just as large as those for the 6.45pm starts.
The French did not seem to mind the earlier start either with a punt on the Cranbourne races now becoming part of their breakfast menu.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in the above e-mails should not be interpreted as those of JOHN LINGARD, the owner-editor of the letsgohorseracing web-site. That is why he has added an ‘EDITOR’S NOTE’. Every endeavor is made to verify the authenticity of contributors. We welcome any reasonable and constructive responses from parties or individuals.
