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.

ONE BAD DAY & IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD FOR THE CORPORATES

OSCAR JACKSON of SYDNEY, an obvious ‘hater’ of the corporate bookmakers, sent this interesting email:

‘ALL of a sudden those poor ‘parasites’ on Australia racing, the corporate bookmakers – not to mention the TAB Fixed Odds services – have a bad day and it’s the end of the world.

Week in week out over the spring carnival – and almost year round – they will rip millions off punters – big and small – but once in a blue moon the odds manage to turn the other way and it’s all doom and gloom.

What will they do next Saturday – refuse to bet the thousands of punters who won off them last Saturday at Randwick? That’s the normal procedure if you prove too successful – the corporate operators simply close down your account – and the powers that be in this country allow them to do what they like.

Was there a punter anywhere in the country who cared about the bleat from the ‘TAB talking head’, Glen Munsie, who described the eight out of nine favorites success story on Super Saturday as a ‘punters’ nirvana’?

Another cry-baby was Robbie Waterhouse. When talking about the ‘strip out for the Sydney ring’ he told of one corporate bookmaking tout who said: “It was that bad I’ll be lucky to have a job on Monday.”

Sorry Rob but one swallow doesn’t make a summer. What about all the other big days when it was the punters going home with nothing in their pockets?

The spring has hardly even started and as anyone who has a punt will testify it’s a time to ‘print money’ for the bookies. Melbourne Cup week is never anything less than a wipeout for punters but they back up every year.

They’re a hardy breed the punters. They aren’t millionaires, living in mansions, driving around in big cars and most of all they don’t turn up to do battle at the races every week thinking it’s their God-given right to win.’

TRAINING FOR GODOLPHIN HAS TURNED THE FULL CIRCLE FOR JOHN O’SHEA

DARYL JOHNS of NORTH QUEENSLAND sent this email:

‘A YEAR has certainly been a long time in racing for John O’Shea.

It has seen his fortunes turn the complete circle.

This time last year many good racing judges were predicting he wouldn’t last as the private trainer for Godolphin.

Following class acts like John Hawkes and Peter Snowden was never going to be easy and the going was tough early days for O’Shea.

But with a strong back-up team – and one suspects a lot of help from Darren Beadman – O’Shea has not only unearthed some great gallopers but his stable has been the strength behind the rise to stardom of the new star of our riding ranks in James Macdonald.

O’Shea and Godolphin sent a sombre message to rivals for the spring with their domination in winning five of the nine features at Royal Randwick on Saturday. About the only downside is that the majority of the big money won by their horses is headed off-shore despite the investment that Godolphin has in Australian racing.

The win by O’Shea’s beloved Cowboys in the NRL Grand Final must have capped an unforgettable win for the boy from the Queensland bush who is quickly reaching the training level of another in Peter Moody.’

SHOULD STEWARDS LOOK MORE AT JOCKEYS WHO LOSE THAN THOSE WHO WIN?

BARRY DOUGLAS of BRISBANE made this contribution:

‘WHEN one of the best jockeys in the country – if not THE best – in Hugh Bowman is being questioned over allegedly ‘moving his elbow’ in the direction of rival Blake Shinn in Saturday’s Epsom, it just shows how competitive our riding ranks are in this country.

Bowman was reportedly surprised that he could be facing a careless riding charge over the incident at the 500m mark and, according to the evidence, so was the alleged major sufferer, Shinn.

Whether it was an instinctive reaction as Bowman attempted to rebalance himself in the saddle on Winx, or whether he was being over-competitive, time will tell. But it just goes to show how tough the competition is when these riders do battle in the big races.

There was another example at Flemington on Sunday when Dwayne Dunn was questioned by stewards, but escaped any action, after his winning ride on boom galloper Chautauqua. He was forced to change track and force a passage when boxed in on the odds-on favorite by James Macdonald and Hugh Bowman.

James Macdonald forced a passage to win on the heavily-backed Calliope at Randwick on Saturday and suffered a careless riding charge to sour arguably his best day in the saddle.

Ironically the three jockeys at the centre of stewards’ inquiries were on runners that were carrying millions of dollars of punters’ money. Whilst I am not suggesting that gives them the right to break or even bend the rules, perhaps stewards should be looking more closely at those who, at times, get beaten on well backed runners, rather than jockeys who win on them.’

ARE THESE OWNERS OF CUPS HOPE PLANNING TO MOVE FROM TOP STABLE?

FROM a LICENSEE in NORTH WEST QUEENSLAND who asks to remain anonymous:

‘HERE’S a story – yes it’s more than a rumor – emanating from racing circles in north west Queensland and it involves our latest Melbourne Cup hope.

Preferment is raced by a well-known and successful racing family from Mt Isa.

The story goes that before the VRC Derby winner hit his straps this campaign there was some sort of dust-up with champion trainer Chris Waller.

It has been suggested by those close to the camp that the owners will never have another horse in the leading stable when the careers of those currently there come to a close.

Perhaps that might change now that Preferment has won two important lead-up races and is one of the early favorites for the big Cups double in the spring.

It’s a funny game racing!’

EDITOR’S NOTE: AS is always the case with the Wednesday Whinge, if those involved wish to comment on this email they are welcome to right of reply.

LITTLE MADE IN MEDIA DELIRIUM OF THE SUPER SATURDAY DOMINATION

ARCH ANDERSON of MELBOURNE sent this email:

‘THE blinkered Sydney racing media degenerated into delirium over Super Saturday at Randwick and if you read the ravings of ‘Mad Max’ it was probably better than anything Melbourne can hope to deliver in the spring – past or present.

Little, of course, was made of the sad aspect of the occasion – that only one trainer outside of the big three was able to register a win on the day and that was Joe Pride with Terravista.

John O’Shea dominated with his five wins. Chris Waller took out the Epsom and Gai Waterhouse the Flight Stakes.

It raises the question: Is this domination in Sydney good for racing?

That’s why some of us find it refreshing to see a battler turned millionaire in Buffering steal some of the spotlight.

Who knows what the Victorian spring has in store. Here’s hoping it’s not more ‘Waller World’ like happened with his quinella in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington on Sunday.

But I guess hoping on one of the lesser lights winning the Melbourne Cup is a mission impossible. I would even cheer home one for the big stables in OZ before our Holy Grail went to an international.

Perhaps I’m a racing dinosaur, living in the past!’   

MANY OF US BLOWN AWAY BY RECENT DECISIONS IN VICTORIAN RACING 

JAMES BAGLEY, of MELBOURNE, sent this interesting observation on what is happening behind the scenes at racing in Victoria:

‘WHAT is going on behind the scenes of racing in Victoria?

Firstly, I was blown away by the Victorian Police Commissioner’s back-flip on Dan the Man Nikolic and then I was equally as surprised by the Mark Riley swab case decision.

I won’t comment on Nikolic or I might face legal action but I will express my opinion on the Riley case, if your website would be good enough to indulge and provide a platform for my whinge please.

Here we have two ‘independent judges’ ruling in favor of RVL and ONE judge saying that his first two colleagues ‘didn’t know THE LAW’.

To add salt to the wounds, the learned Judge then reportedly ordered RVL to pay for the mistakes of his two supposedly ‘legally uneducated’ mates.

I am further intrigued by the comments of Shane Anderson (media man for everything these days) in his covering of the Supreme Court Judge’s summing up.

When I analyzed what I regard as ‘cryptic messages’ written between the lines in his article for racing.com on 2/10/15, I would like to make two observations, with all due respects to Mr Anderson.

Sadly, it is the opinion of many in racing in Victoria and some in the racing media in this state that Shane is conveying the wishes of two or three highly placed industry officials who are closely connected with at least one trainer at the forefront of the current cobalt saga?

Many of us like the idea that (Integrity Commission) Sal Perna should step in and take control of an Industry that was quite foreign to him until three or four years ago.

Obviously his Police background makes him better, and more legally qualified, than a couple of Judges and Queen’s Counsel used by RVL.

Unfortunately, to a lot of observers, Mr Andersen’s blind trust in Mr Paul Bittar (now a key figure in RV Integrity) sums up what many are calling a ‘one-eyed’ coverage of this issue.’

IS IT A COINCIDENCE THAT FORMALDEHYDE CONTROLS BLEEDING?

PERCIVAL SMITH, a regular contributor on all things racing in Victoria, sent this email:

‘IT was interesting to read the article in The Herald Sun on the subject of Formaldehyde being a drug of interest to Racing Victoria.

I can recall reading an overseas article on the affects COBALT has on horse. It was the opinion of an American Veterinarian that COBALT could cause internal bleeding in a horse.

On the other hand Formaldehyde apparently CONTROLS bleeding.

Is this a coincidence – who knows?

As a footnote to the Formaldehyde saga, I am told on reasonable authority that this substance is used by some third world beer brewing companies to clean their equipment before it is re-used. 

Who knows the ‘lads’ may be applying the same method to clean the containers of their home brew?’

A HUMBLE AND HONEST ROB HEATHCOTE WINS PLENTY OF RACING FANS

BARRY GOON CHEW of the GOLD COAST writes:

‘ROB Heathcote continues to rise in my estimation as a trainer.

He is humble, honest and has no airs and graces when it comes to winning races – big and small.

Going into another Group 1 with stable star Buffering at the Valley last Friday night it was obvious that Heathcote was not brimming with confidence.

He had no doubt the star Queenslander would turn up on the night but you could tell he was more hoping than confident.

Back to business in Brisbane on Saturday and Heathcote came back to earth with a thud – but was the first to take the blame for making a mistake.     

“I got it wrong and it was a costly error,” he told Brad Davidson of the Gold Coast Bulletin, admitting that he had not fitted the saddle properly to heavily-backed Lauderbrunnen at Doomben.

“That’s why Glen (Colless) had to go for home coming to the home turn and once he was in the straight he couldn’t extend because the saddle was around his guts.

“It was a $40,000 mistake and for whatever reason we get it wrong and I got it wrong and It was a costly error,” said Heathcote, insisting Lauderbrunnen shold have won.’

OUR SPIES IN THE DEAGON BUNKER MAKE THEIR WEEKLY CONTRIBUTION

WHAT DID THE CCTV FOOTAGE SHOW FROM THE GYM IN THE DEAGON BUNKER?  

THE best gossip emanating from the Bunker this week concerns the gymnasium at RQ Headquarters.

That’s the one that was funded by the Bentley Board largely to help jockeys. But it gets plenty of use from staff working at Deagon as well.

Unfortunately, some of the use it gets has been caught on CCTV footage and involves two current staff who are really making the most of their daily workout.

The laws of libel forbid me from telling more but if that footage were to do the rounds of the industry it would be a best-seller.

CAN THEY FIND SEVEN SUITABLE BOARD MEMBERS FROM 200 APPLICANTS? 

PLENTY of comment in the Bunker this week after it was revealed that over 200 have applied for positions on the new Racing Queensland Board.

Surely they can find seven applicants in that list who can set the good ship Racing Queensland back on course – or can they?

The general consensus of opinion in the Bunker is that the first thing that needs to be done is to throw all jobs open and require everyone in a position of responsibility at RQ to reapply for their roles.

Here’s hoping the current crew don’t do much more damage before the new Board takes over in the New Year and shows ‘Short Haul’ the door.

Such is the lack of talent at RQ at present that a former high profile racing media identity seems to be calling the shots for a revamped carnival program next year.

Story goes he wants to return to the long, drawn out carnival that was replaced with a refined and successful event this year and has the support of those that count.

One has to ask what the hell is happening at RQ when this bloke – a renowned and long-time LNP Government supporter and Labor ‘basher’ – is being allowed to call the tune on many things in racing, especially the carnival.

Is anyone home – or do they care – in Racing Minister Bill Byrne’s office. Or for that matter does the man in charge have any say or control of the ship anymore? Story goes he doesn’t!      

CAIRNS TRACK PROBLEMS JUST ANOTHER FUNDING ISSUE BEING CONSIDERED BY RQ  

FROM a TRAINER in FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND who, for obvious reasons, prefers to remain anonymous:

‘HAVE you seen the Media Release fired back from RQ at controversy involving the Cairns Jockey Club?

It was a waste of space and says next to nothing. Ian Hall, the Interim CEO, tells us that proposed repairs to the Cannon Park track are BEING CONSIDERED as part of the RQ infrastructure program.

That hardly builds the confidence of stakeholders in the area who know the work needs to be done urgently and desperately. Now it seems we are on a list with other clubs wanting funding as well.

He has also denied media reports connecting resignations at the CJC to inaction on track repairs. Like everything else at RQ, time will tell, just how long it will take nobody knows and it seems no-one from those in charge at RQ to the Minister’s Office could care less.’

EDITOR’S NOTE: HERE is the Media Release from RQ that the above email refers to:

RACING Queensland confirmed today that proposed repairs to the Cannon Park Racecourse were being considered as part of its infrastructure program.

At a meeting conducted between Racing Queensland (RQ) officials and representative of the Cairns Jockey Club in Cairns on Tuesday 25 August, the club advised Racing Queensland of some track issues at Cannon Park and an inspection was undertaken.  Subsequent to those discussions RQ received a communication requesting an allocation of infrastructure funding to make repairs to the track.

Ian Hall Acting CEO Racing Queensland said today that Racing Queensland had not rejected any proposals for funding the repair of the Cannon Park racing surface.

“The Cairns proposal along with several other applications for funding will be considered as part of Racing Queensland’s state-wide infrastructure program and the Cairns Jockey Club has been advised of this position”.” said Ian Hall.  “

Mr Hall went on to say “Media reports at the weekend connecting the resignation of the Cairns Jockey Club CEO and Chairman to issues surrounding the track are matters for the Cairns Jockey Club”

NOTICE TO MEMBERS OUTLINING SITUATION BY PRESIDENT JOHN PICCONE

IN another development CJC President JOHN PICCONE has forwarded this notice to MEMBERS:

THE Committee would like to address the stories in the media today in relation to the Administration team of Christina Buddle and Graham Thornton stepping down from the club after the past six years. It is also with a heavy heart that I inform the club that I will not be standing for President at the clubs AGM in November.

As we addressed the media this morning at a press conference there was no malice or ill wishes against the club, but in fact a few heavy hearts showing a genuine respect for the club and its achievements over the past six years.

The Achievements of the current team have been vast and full of positive outcomes for the club and industry stakeholders as a whole. Some of the achievements are as follows:

• Reduction in debt by over $700,000 to being completely Debt Free
• Balance Sheet improvement of $3.2million to $5.9million in assets
• Increase in Prize Money of $750,000 to Industry Stakeholders
• 5 years of the best ever Brothers Cairns Cup
• 6 years of consistent improvement of The Cairns Amateurs to one of the state’s Major Events
• Multiple Tourism Awards for the Cairns Cup and the Cairns Amateurs

I wish to pass on my sincere thanks to both Graham and Christina and our many sponsors who have supported the clubs to the value of over half a million dollars annually.

The Club will continue its efforts with your support to have the drainage fixed at Cannon Park and lobby Racing Queensland and the State Government to provide funding to get the track right.

Many Stakeholders within the Industry have voiced their opinion that a new CEO should have a racing background and be more sympathetic towards the interests of racing, I encourage those involved to step up and be prepared to fill some big shoes now vacant in the industry.

I will always have the time for the Cairns Jockey Club and will work with whoever fills the positions at the club to ensure the continued success trajectory that the club is on.

John Piccone
President Cairns Jockey Club

OUR NEW WHINGE FEATURE – A POSITIVE THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

FOR those who criticize the negativity of the Wednesday Whinge (it’s an opportunity for people to have their say you dipsticks) we have decided to introduce a new section which will be titled – A POSITIVE THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK.

IT’S not too often letsgohorseracing agrees with Nathan Exelby, Racing Editor of The Courier-Mail, but we are delighted to endorse his suggestion that Buffering should be fast-tracked into the Racing Queensland Hall of Fame.

On a weekend when sport in Queensland was on the front pages for all the right reasons – courtesy of two great rugby league sides – Buffering started the ball rolling last Friday night with another giant-killing Group 1 win at the Valley.

Buffering is admired as much interstate as he is in Queensland. He has won Stakes races over six seasons and Group Ones the past three. As Exelby said: He is no ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ champion.

He matched motors with the sprinting greats of recent years, spearheaded by Black Caviar and Hay List; has won an incredible $5 million in stakes and is the leading prizemoney earner currently in training; has cheated retirement and returned to racing better than ever; and is destined to win the Queensland Horse of the Year crown for the fourth time.

If any horse is worthy of elevation to the Queensland Racing Hall of Fame – it has to be Buffering. No-one can argue with that!

A STORY YOU MAY HAVE MISSED IN THEMAINSTREAM RACING MEDIA

TVN IDENTITIES INVOLVED IN NEW DIGITAL HORSE RACING MEDIA BUSINESS

JOHN STENSHOLT reports in the FINANCIAL REVIEW that entrepreneur John Wall will this week launch a new digital horse racing media business, employing several racing identities formerly employed by the now defunct ThoroughVision Network (TVN).

Wall, the group managing director and majority owner of fast-growing education and job network business Acquire Learning, has ploughed several million dollars into the G1X.com.au digital media venture that will launch this week.

The free website and video content service will feature racing media identities Bruce Clark, Mick Sharkie, Richie Callander and Adrian Dunn, who have all either appeared on racing television or radio networks in the past or written for mainstream media organizations.

G1X will also compete with established racing media, including the Racing Victoria and Seven West Media joint venture racing.com and Tabcorp's Sky Racing network and Sky Sports Radio.

Wall said he believes he has spotted a gap in the market to provide coverage across all racing jurisdictions after the TVN network joint venture between racing authorities in Victoria and NSW was abandoned earlier this year.

"I'm passionate about racing and I race horses in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney and there isn't a one-stop shop for information about all of those. So what we want to do is help promote racing to digital audiences. We've had a look at what the likes of Vice are doing online and we want to appeal to millennials and women as well as racing fans."

The site will be a mixture of video content and written articles, according to Wall. There will be longer-form video content on Monday, Thursday and Friday, which will include a mixture of analysis, entertainment and racing tips. "It will be an online TV station in effect, with TV quality content for people to enjoy," said Wall.