Letsgohorseracing

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IF IT AIN’T BROKE DON’T FIX IT – JUST ADD MORE MILLIONS TO THE POT

NO sooner had Racing NSW turned The Everest into a block-buster than moves are afoot to tinker with the concept to boost the already absurd prizemoney and the number of horses that can compete for it.

ADAM PENGILLY reports for FAIRFAX MEDIA that a group of The Everest's slot-holders have warned that the world's richest turf race will ‘lose its glamour’ if more horses are added to the event, insisting Sydney's signature race will reach $20 million in prize money in coming years.

As interest intensifies from overseas and domestic parties wanting a slice of The Everest pie, some of the concept's initial backers want the field capped rather than expanding to 14 runners.

The first 12 investors - a mix of individuals, partnerships and companies who forked out $1.8 million each for a three-year commitment - have all agreed to extend their deals through to the end of 2021.

And there's no sign of them agreeing to another two slot-holders joining The Everest, despite Racing NSW being flooded with more than 20 applications for Damion Flower’s forfeited slot earlier this year.

Flower has been charged for his alleged role in a multimillion-dollar drug importation scheme.

Asked whether they would veto any attempts to expand The Everest field, slot-holder Max Whitby said: “I don't like the idea of expanding it to 14. I'm not a fan. It will lose its glamour at 14 as it will just play to the bigger brands. Stick with it the way it is.”

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys has offered The Everest's first backers a lifetime option for the race, hinting the field will only be expanded with their blessing. And it appears increasingly likely fresh blood won't be added to the race any time soon.

The 2020 edition of the race will carry $15 million in prize money, reducing any potential losses for those with horses which finish in the second half of the field.

Regardless of how successful The Everest in the eyes of the majority of racing followers it will never be within the financial reach of most battling owners to compete.

‘THE MELBOURNE CUP WILL ALWAYS BE THE BIGGEST BETTING RACE’

BOOKIES are predicting the combined pulling power of The Everest in Sydney and the Caulfield Cup in Melbourne will trigger a betting blitz that could soon better the amount wagered on Melbourne Cup day.

CHRIS ROOTS reports for FAIRFAX MEDIA that betting houses are this year reporting a drop in turnover for the first time in a number of years for the spring carnival, but believe the running of The Everest and the Caulfield Cup on Saturday could be a turning point.

While the Melbourne Cup remains the biggest single race for wagering, the bookies say the effect of having big meetings running concurrently in Sydney and Melbourne on the same day will drive turnover in both states. And they are in no doubt that the betting splurge will be driven by The Everest, a race that has been heavily embraced by punters in its short history.

“The exceptional racing in Melbourne and Sydney is good for turnover because more people are watching and wagering on both states than if they’re run apart,” BetEasy chief executive Matt Tripp said. “We expect Saturday will put serious pressure on Melbourne Cup Day for the biggest betting day of the year.”

The flow-on effect of The Everest was evident when the Melbourne Racing Club announced that betting figures for last Saturday's Caulfield Guineas meeting saw turnover down 14 per cent from last year, when The Everest meeting was held on the same day.

That point of view will come as no surprise to Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys, who said earlier this week: “We genuinely believe that both states having really strong meetings puts the focus right around Australia on racing. People know the horses in The Everest and they know what they want to back, which is one of its great strengths.

“We know that people like to bet on The Everest and for the first time on Saturday, we are going to get perfect conditions, which will increase the turnover."

TAB communication and media manager Adam Hamilton said The Everest was already the second biggest betting race in Australia in terms of wagering and generated a boost in turnover around the country.

"The Melbourne Cup is far and away still the biggest race with its tradition but for The Everest to go past races like the Golden Slipper, Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup shows what it means to Australian racing," Hamilton said.

'THE SUCK UP & SURVIVE MENTALITY OF SOME SYDNEY RACING SCRIBES'

THIS wonderfully written column by MATT STEWART, Racing Editor of RSN, says it all. Stewart might be a parochial Victorian but he loves everything racing and unlike some of his colleagues in Sydney, spearheaded by 'Razor' who are regarded by racing followers as little more than 'spin doctors' for Peter V'landys, he says what he thinks.

Here is what Stewart wrote about The Everest and its clash with the Caulfield Cup this Saturday:

NORTH of the Murray a famous horse race that has existed since 1879, capturing imaginations Australasia-wide, has been pretty much been erased.

In Sydney, the Caulfield Cup has been run out of town, ripped from the news, by a rich slot race run at Randwick on the same day.

Sydney-based racing fans not interested in rampant-ego border wars and cashed-up propaganda pushed by sadly compliant media have been force-fed a lie.

The lie is that the Everest has taken over the world and nothing else matters. The consequence of being force-fed one message is that people start believing it.

Of the last 30 racing stories to appear in the Sydney Morning Herald, just one was written by a Sydney-based reporter about the Caulfield Cup, the second most famous and respected race in Australia. Other than preview stories and stories about minor Sydney races, every story bar one penned from Sydney was a promotional piece about the Everest.

The Caulfield Cup has been a melting pot of wonderful stories, where Australasia and beyond has come together in the name of sport and competition – that includes Melbourne and Sydney – for 150 years; a race that represents the essence of Australian racing, the egalitarian handicap.

From Mosman to Moonee Ponds, we are all richer for the Caulfield Cup.

But the Sydney media has put a red texta through it, declared it a late scratching, as it focuses on every itsy-bitsy story about the dazzlingly-displayed Everest.

At 8am today, the Daily Telegraph online featured eight Everest stories on its main page. The first mention of the Caulfield Cup came under a “Victorian racing” sub-section.

In the hard copy, there was an Everest spread on pages six and seven and five racing stories up the back of the “book”; four on the Everest and one on a race now linked to it, the Sydney Stakes.

The lead back page pic was of an Everest horse.

Today’s Australian, the “national” paper, had two Everest stories on page three, two on the inside and one on the back page. Somewhere in there was one Caulfield Cup story.

The relationship between Racing NSW, Sydney’s two major newspapers and one supposed to be truly national, has filtered and force-fed the racing message. It has shoved the Everest down consumer’s throats so relentlessly that sport and racing fans up there cling to Caulfield Cup memories rather than Caulfield Cup stories.

Down here, the Everest has been given ample oxygen because it is an interesting event worthy of coverage. The Caulfield Cup has received more for a simple reason – it’s earned it.

LINDA’S RIDE WAS SUPERB BUT JAMIE COPPED THE RAW PRAWN

LINDA Meech enjoyed the sweet and sour taste of success on the Waterhouse-Bott trained Wolfe when it won the Coongy Handicap and qualified for a start in the Caulfield Cup.

It was another ride that showed Meech can mix it with the best of the male jockeys but sadly she cannot make the 50kg that Wolfe has in Saturday’s Cup and Beau Mertens has snapped up the ride.

Meech learnt from the mistake she made when attacked in front on Wolfe at its previous start when third to Melbourne Cup hope Surprise Baby. Rather than risk the same fate when Nelson, making his OZ debut for Team Williams, put the pressure on early she took a sit.

Form analysts who look closely at replays are struggling to understand how Stewards could reprimand top jockey Jamie Kah for the check that Oceanex copped when attempting a run on the inside of the tiring Nelson at the 200m mark.

Their report read: Oceanex (NZ) Checked near the 200m after attempting a run to the inside of Nelson (IRE) where there was insufficient room. Rider Jamie Kah was reprimanded and notified to exercise more care when attempting runs in similar circumstances in future. The tightening was aggravated by Sin To Win (NZ) shifting in when racing tight on the inside of Top Of The Range (NZ), thereby tightening the running of Nelson (IRE). Rider Jamie Kah was reminded of her obligation to ride all mounts out fully to the end of the race. A post‑race veterinary examination failed to reveal any abnormalities.

Form analysts say Brett Prebble should have been reprimanded for causing the problem to Kah on Oceanex albeit his mount was tightened by two runners on the outside. Kah shouldn’t have been blamed. She was the victim in this incident.

WHATEVER PETE RUNS THE SHOW QLD WILL ALWAYS BE THE LOSER

IT wouldn’t have mattered if Peter Beattie or Peter V’landys were at the helm of the Australian Rugby League Commission, Queensland was never a chance of hosting an NRL Grand Final.

An agreement this week between the NRL and the NSW Government snuffed out Brisbane’s hope of pinching the showpiece event but it was never going to happen.

It’s time the clubs outside NSW retaliated. Why can’t the Storm, the Raiders, the Broncos, North Queensland, Gold Coast and New Zealand join forces with a new Queensland side and perhaps a side from Fiji, Papua-New Guinea, or even Perth in a separate eight-team competition?

How strong or successful would the NRL be without teams like Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane who singularly draw bigger crowds than some of the would-be’s in NSW combined.

Perhaps the new Queensland-based competition, which arguably would be far more popular than the Sydney and their mates fixtures, could then invite the winners of the NRL to compete against the top Rest of Australia team in a Grand Final each year to be rotated from Brisbane to Townsville, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Canberra and New Zealand.

THE MIS-MATCH THAT COULD BACKFIRE ON ANTHONY MUNDINE

THE publisher of LGHR has covered sport for four decades and as a schoolboy growing up in the north stupidly tried his luck at boxing before inheriting a total dislike for being sat on his arse.

As a writer I have watched some terrible things happen in the sport, far too many to even to attempt to relay to you right now.

But I doubt boxing has seen one as bad as the upcoming Anthony Mundine v Muay Thai Nobody fight though.

A year ago at Suncorp Stadium Mundine was knocked out in less than two minutes by RQ Chairman-in-Waiting Graham Quirk's nephew Jeff Horne. Even Horne was surprised at how easy it was. All he did was jab a sharp one into Mundine's kidneys and the former world champ dropped his guard and froze like an Easter Island statue suspended in time. The Hornet simply went straight right straight through Mundine's gloves, swivel and turn and make sure he's not foxing, and then BANG big hook and game over.

Horne did Mundine a huge favour, for if he'd carried him for a few rounds and peppered the defenceless one-time cobra quick mover with punches he very well might have hurt him badly. It was terrible to watch, and even the blind drunk yobbos enraged by the brevity of the much-awaited fight knew that the early stoppage was a blessing rather than a curse.

It was obvious that night that Anthony Mundine was gone. His reflexes were shot, his responses were so slow that a tortoise could have KO'd him, his speech was slurred after the fight, he was punch-drunk and a dementia patient just waiting to happen. In a country with decent boxing medical rules Mundine would never be allowed to fight again. He shouldn't be, no more than the brain-damaged Ali should have been allowed back into the ring to be beaten to a pulp by a nowhere man named Trevor Berbick after his slow-motion bashing by a bemused and reluctant Larry Holmes.

Many believe officialdom will have blood on their hands for letting this fight happen, if not on the night of the bout then certainly in a few years’ time. Someone needs to grab Anthony Mundine by the arm like Joe Frazier's trainer Eddy Futch did after the 14^th round of the Thrilla in Manilla and say "Son you've done great, but it's over".

They won't.

This is boxing.

Fighters are just commodities, and it's all about the dough.

That's why they let a bloke like ''John'' Wayne Parr (the John is merely a nickname) who hadn't fought in a boxing ring for more than 16 years make his return to send a once-great fighter into the never-never of the dementia zone in the great beyond.

Parr could never box, even back then. He was game and he beat the pub fighters his promoters put up against him early to pad his record, but nearly 20 years ago a plucky little Scotsman with a heart the size of Phar Lap but a few length's shy of Big Red's best smashed Parr up and smashed him around all over the place, and after two more fights for a win against a nobody and a brutal beating by super middleweight named Sakio Bika who could fight, it seemed for all money that the lights had been turned out on the kickboxing wannabe Tyson for life.

Perceptions are often wrong, and like strong men do Parr came back and won heaps of Muay Thai fights, and then in 2008 while living and training in Thailand he won the Asian version of the contender, but he never returned to the square ring again.

At least not until now, but here he is again.

People who don't understand the sweet science think that Mundine's a certainty against Parr, but they're sadly deluded. Mundine can't even lift his hands to defend himself any more. That why I fear he is 6-4 and firming to be able to slip a jab, hook, uppercut through the once great man's gloves and knock him straight to the canvas.

The whole thing is just sad, and if you think LGHR is wrong then tell us how Mike Tyson's final fight ended, and who it was he fought, and at the start of which round it was that the Iron Man refused to get up from his stool.

You can't can you?

Anthony Mundine can't either.

And that is the saddest thing of all.

PUNTERS KNOW THE EVEREST FIELD BETTER THAN THE CAULFIELD CUP

WITH The Everest dominating the headlines in the mainstream racing media we had to take a second look to make sure that the Caulfield Cup was being run this Saturday.

It prompted us to ask the question: Can you name several of the runners in each of the big races in Sydney and Melbourne on Saturday?

Most regular punters we spoke to could almost recite the starters for The Everest but struggled to name just a few in the Caulfield Cup.

It’s largely the result of the saturation media coverage that The Everest is now guaranteed. The prizemoney might be farcical but it’s winning the popularity race from one of the traditional lead-ups to the race that stops the nation.

Finche and Mr Quickie are easily recognisable in the Caulfield Cup but internationals high in the market like Mer De Glace, Constantinople and Mirage Dancer are virtual unknowns to your run-of-the-mill punter.

But mention Redzel, Sunlight, Santa Ana Lane, Pierata, Arcadia Queen and Nature Strip and these prime Everest contenders are household names in this country.

Just take a look at the racing headlines in today’s major newspapers and the answer to which race is winning the popularity race is quickly answered. Here’s an example: ‘Everest Can Bask In Sunlight With Right Gate’; ‘Can Fan Favorite (Redzel) Climb Mountain One More Time’; ‘Santa Ana Lane Ready To Put On Everest Speed Show’; ‘The Everest Barrier Draw To Light Up Sydney Harbour Bridge’; ‘Everest Summit In Sight for Les (Bridge with Classique Legend) After Climbing From His Death Bed’ & ‘In Her Time On Schedule For The Everest First-up’.

It was left to the Melbourne racing media to focus on the Caulfield Cup but the coverage was still meagre compared to previous years when the same day clash did not occur with The Everest. It was restricted to headlines like: ‘Kings Will Dream Out of Caulfield Cup’, ‘Trainer Trying To Keep Lid On Import Excitement (Trent Busuttin & Mirage Dancer)’; ‘Top British Stayer (Red Verdon) Back On Track After Lame Scare’.

The decision by the mainstream racing media to focus more on The Everest than the Caulfield Cup has nothing to do with the fact that one is worth $14 million and the other $5 million. Sadly, for the Melbourne feature, the punters are more interested in The Everest and that will reflect in the betting turnover.

SYDNEY RACING ‘SPIN DOCTORS’ SERVE IT UP TO THE VICTORIANS

THE other aspect of the coverage of Saturday’s two block-busters is that the Sydney racing media – known as the ‘Spin Doctor’s’ for Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys – have taken every opportunity to bash the Victorians.

It came as no surprise that V’landys No 1 fan in the racing media, Sydney Telegraph Racing Editor Ray Thomas led the charge with a joint by-line story: ‘Racing Victoria’s Everest ‘blackmail’ exposed.’

This ‘exclusive’ claimed that Racing Victoria had demanded the date of the world’s richest turf race, The Everest in Sydney, be moved and in return Group 1 status would have been bestowed on the event.

NSW Racing chairman Russell Balding told his counterparts south of the border the bargain would be refused because the date the Victorians demanded was unsuitable.

The Age in Victoria responded with: ‘Racing Victoria Boss Refutes ‘Blackmail’ Claims’ which read:

Chief executive Giles Thompson has refuted suggestions that Racing Victoria tried to "blackmail" Sydney race organisers into moving The Everest from Caulfield Cup day by withholding Group 1 status for the $14 million race if they didn't.

"We knew The Everest was going to be on Caulfield Cup day this year. What we were and are concerned about is protecting the pattern of the program, particularly our Group 1 sprint, the Manikato Stakes, at Moonee Valley," Thompson said.

Then there were the stories in FAIRFAX MEDIA headlined:

‘Truly Remarkable: Everest Has Already Scaled Most Wagering Peaks’ which starts: It will be run for just the third time on Saturday but The Everest has already surpassed the Golden Slipper, Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup on betting terms.

And this one: ‘Everest Attracts Jockeys, Owners Over Caulfield’, which reads: Champion jockey Glen Boss says the prizemoney up for grabs in The Everest no doubt played a factor in him choosing to ride at Randwick over Caulfield.

It all makes for interesting fodder in the lead-up to one of the biggest days of racing in Australia but it’s a divided argument whether The Everest is entitled to Group 1 status in its fledgling years.

If it achieves G1, what happens next? Does ‘Genial Gerry’ use that as a precedent to pressure the powers-that-be into granting the Magic Millions Classic G1 status. There is no comparison as the Millions is a sales-related race and despite the prizemoney and publicity it attracts should never be a Black Type Classic.

DOUBTS EMERGE OVER PETER V’LANDYS LONG-TERM ROLE IN RACING

IT is very well known that Racing NSW supremo of the past two decades Peter V'Landys is taking over the reins of the NRL next year.

And it's a past the post certainty that he will improve the horse a dozen lengths on its previous trainer Peter 'What Position Does Number 1 Play?' Beattie.

It’s equally as well known that V'Landys has extended his job for life contract as Racing NSW CEO until sometime next year.

We’re reliably informed that will be it though. The Golden Greek is well and truly on the way out, and won't be seen in racing again after 2020 no matter what happens when he's heading the national north-east coast and small circle Melbourne oval ball game.

V'Landys intention to exit has become apparent by the elevation of Racing NSW Chairman Russell Balding to the role of spokesperson for all things thoroughbred in the castle with the money cup flowing over that his salaried man so brilliantly built.

Balding is a career bureaucrat who has just become eligible for the extended age pension. He hasn't a hope of running out the distance as well as the decade older genius that is slowly handing him the keys to the kingdom, rabbit punching and laughing as he fills his new career footy wait time by strutting backwards as he retreats.

The fact that Balding rather than the Big V is prosecuting the argument for The Everest to become a Group 1 (what a joke - if a race restricted to just a dozen rich slot holders selections can be bestowed G1 status then the Magic Millions two-year-old scamper should become the Cox Plate), then clearly V'Landys has his eyes on the new big prize, and ‘succession plan’ has suddenly become his middle name.

Racing NSW faces a huge challenge now, and that is to keep up the incredible momentum that V'Landys has generated, and to keep the Sydney game on top.

Balding and co might be able to do it, but the truth is that it would only be due to a combination of poor quality opposition and the very best of extraordinarily good luck. If it doesn't fall north of the Murray's way then the VICS will kick, despite their obvious huge handicaps in the shape of folk like Amanda Elliott and the plum bob RV CEO with a smile Giles.

Whichever way the fuzzy dice falls no racing administrator in Australia over the next four decades will ever scale the heights that the bearded dragon with the huge attitude and the work ethic of a Trojan did, or at least that's what most folk say.

They said we'd never see a flying machine like Black Caviar again either – and then just a couple of years later up popped Winx.

Played hard, done well Mr V'Landys.

Remember Wally and the Seagulls though Sir.

Now that you've lost interest, don't tarnish your legacy by hanging around on the stage for a second too long.

GOOD RIDES & BAD RIDES…ONES TO FOLLOW & THOSE TO SACK

UNSER FRITZ, a keen follower of racing especially in Queensland, became such a popular contributor to HAVE YOUR SAY at LETSGOHORSERACING that we gave him a column of his own. Here’s his contribution this week:

RIDES, WIDES, GLIDES

The Good

JAMES Orman on Gem of Scotland: Put it in the right place, took off at the right time, just about picked the filly up and carried her down the straight. After an indifferent couple of weeks the J-Man is back riding in white hot form.

The Very Good

DAMIEN Lane is a wonderful jockey, so good that it’s easy to forget that he’s still only 25 years old. You’d go a long way to see a better ride in a staying race than his on The Chosen One in the Herbert Power, and if the connections of the horse decide to head straight into the Melbourne Cup and they don’t buy Lane a crate of Moet they should be warned off from racecourses around the world.

The Great

ROBBIE Dolan on Colada in the Stan Fox Stakes (why is not called the Stan and Millie Fox Stakes?). He absolutely pulled the senior riders pants down. The young Irishman’s win in the Sydney Apprentices’ Title last year was no fluke.

The Brilliant

RYAN Maloney on Alligator Blood: Queensland’s best jockey gave the State’s best horse a dream run and every possible chance. His ride was an absolute pearler. Who would have thought you could possibly see one better all year, let alone in the same race?

The Simply Superb

MARK Zahra on Super Seth: This bloke is one of the Top 5 jockeys in the nation and would be Top 3 if he didn’t ride so little due to his weight. His strike rate speaks for itself, but this ride speaks even more. It was breathtaking.

AND THEN....

The Unlucky

ROBBIE Fradd couldn't get in from a horror draw on Deep Image, so had no real option but to sit wide without cover. It should have won by panels.

The Victim of Circumstances

BALLISTIC Boy missed the kick in the race in which James Orman rode a gem on Gem of Scotland. After that there was nothing much that Mark Du Plessis could do, and everything he did was right. You just can't come out slower than you should against good horses. There's really not much more you can say than that.

The Not Much Chop

DAMIEN Oliver thought he had far more horse than he did under him on Gailo Chop in the Caulfield Stakes. The lovely looking free-going gelding had never run faster final sectionals when he was young and injury-free, so what made Ollie think he could do it now? Poor Ben Melham: Oliver took Homesman down with him went he went at the 600, and there was not a thing in the world that Melham could do about it.

The Average

STEPHANIE Thornton on Speaking Bad at Eagle Farm: She has been in sparkling form since moving north but stuffed this one up big time. It’s a long, long straight at headquarters Steph. You can’t go for home on the point of the turn. Your ride cost connections and punters the race.

The Awful

WHAT was Kerrin McEvoy thinking getting so far back on Avilius in the same race as Homesman and Gailo Chop? We all know that the horse’s racing pattern is coming from behind, but the high-class former French galloper didn’t need to be that far back, particularly at Caulfield, and the heavily backed favorite was never going to win once he was. This was a very poor ride by a normally great rider. McEvoy redeemed himself in part by his beauty on Trekking in the last, but it just goes to show that sometimes even the best of us can get it all wrong.

TIME TO BACK

SUBEDAR

ENORMOUS run in the Guineas: Made up just as much ground as Super Seth, maybe even more. Just get on this Godolphin galloper wherever he next starts.

CALIFORNIA ZIMBOL

DID it from the front in good time, kept rolling out quick sectionals, won with its head on its chest: Will be mighty hard to beat in the Group 1 1200m three-year-old race on Derby Day.

EMANUELA

HAS looked enormous in his pair of wins at home track Scone in the first two starts of his second prep, and proved it again by murdering the opposition in the Highway. In my opinion Paul Messara is such a great trainer that he could be Chris Waller if he didn’t have the family business to run. This mare will go on to black type, as sure as night follows day.

LYS GRACIEUX

THIS high-class Japanese galloper didn’t run on Saturday, but the countryman that it has a dozen lengths on in Suzuka Devious did. And after coming home faster than a train in a low 11 second something final 200m that horse made its much superior compatriot look a near certainty in the Cox Plate. Take a look at Lys Graciuex’s last run on a replay, then look back at the quality of its form, and you can see why the smarties have backed it from 8’s into 7-2, and realize quickly that at anything better than 6-4 is still a good price. How did so many of us miss it?

TIME TO SACK

AMPHITRITE

I told you this after her last run, but because I was wrong about her one-time stablemate Veery Elleegant I will say it again. Hayes/Hayes/Dabernig can’t get the former Weir-trained mare going, which is no surprise to anyone familiar with the stable’s metropolitan strike rate. If anyone kept records of sales purchases prices v wins and prize money these jokers would be in the bottom 50. Amphitrite is finished. The Waller or Hawkes yards, the breeding barn or Bairnsdale are the only options for her now.

SESAR

NOT on a good track anyway. The colt that was purchased by Aquis for a packet, ripped away from trainer Steve O’Dea and sent to Sydney and the Hawkes stable only seems to perform well on wet tracks these days. Some might say it was karma. Give up on him until it has rained for a few days in future.

THE ODYSSEY

KELLY Schweida’s colt looked like being a world-beater midway through its two-year-old season. Now it just looks like any other restricted grade horse. It will win a few in the right class, but black type looks beyond it and even open company might now be a distant dream. Orman gave the horse every chance, but once again it proved just not good enough. Heartbreaker!

FRANCISCA

STEVE O’DEA’S galloper is always in the market but never wins. Until you see it run in a lowly Sunday event at the Sunshine Coast just keep looking the other way.

CONTROVERSY CORNER

Scraping, Scratching and Starting

THE well-backed Jagged Edge was examined at the barriers by the vet in Brisbane, was found to have a problem in the form of an abrasion on the inside near fore fetlock but still allowed to start. It laid out the whole race, which is no surprise seeing that that it had a bad scrap on the equivalent of what is the ball of your foot. Step on a big stone while running across a park racing your nephew to the car and see if you keep running straight or start wobbling. There needs to be more consistent rules about when a horse can start and when it can’t, so that we can all cease blaming the vets.

Darren Weir and Co

IF the claimed vision of Darren Weir and Jarrod Mclean jolting a horse on the neck with a jigger really does exist, then the pair should be warned off racecourses forever and stripped of every title they have ever won. You can’t make any judgement until the gavel falls, but from a racing code welfare point of view this puts live baiting in the shade. The dastardly greyhound cheats were hurting other animals; the thoroughbred cheats if guilty were hurting their own.

This whole affair has to raise questions about why Racing Victoria and the RAD Board were so swift and – with certain exceptions – seemingly so eager to strike a deal with Weir that might make it a whole lot easier for the former trainer to the stars to avoid uncomfortable examination on the public stage. Aquanita, Weir and a whole lot more really make you wonder what has going on in Victoria, and why the crusading Terry Bailey was so cruelly forced to leave.

Sydney’s Silence on Snow May Soon Melt

THE smart money says that Victorian racing is not alone in being shrouded in stench, and that when (if?) the full story behind Sally Snow’s ex-communication finally becomes public there may well be a lot of red faces among the top echelon of the racing hierarchy in NSW. There is not much more than can be offered at this stage, but they say there will be, and the mail is that some shocking allegations might soon emerge, but not until after the Eagles and Everests dominate the headlines.

Peter V’Landys

LINGARD had a go at the Golden Greek last week, and quite rightly so given the wild Racing NSW claim about changing the date of the Melbourne Cup. He (V’Landys) has been rather quiet ever since. Is anyone really surprised?

Amanda Elliott

The Queen of Chic and Failing to Remember Your Age VRC Chairman refused to dignify Peter V’Landys’ Melbourne Cup claims with a comment. That’s a first. It must have hurt the Golden Greek’s ego worse than any ‘little man’ comment ever could. Amanda must have changed PR companies, or, if not, at least started listening.

A LITTLE BIT OF THIS AND A LITTLE BIT OF THAT

A Star For the Late-Comer

HOW often does a horse have 76 starts over five seasons for just two miserable wins and then pop up at the bright old age of seven and win two from its next five starts, both back to back, in the process doubling its career tally? The Dan Russell-trained and driven Moonlight Butcher has by winning its past two starts at Marburg in a hand canter. Good things come to those who wait, and they are coming for the Russell family now. Good on them too.

Dreaming of Climbing Mountains

IF Trekking wins The Everest LGHR will shout free beers at the North Lakes Tavern from dawn til sunset. Tell the Sheik and young James Cummings that they're dreaming.

The Epsom Form

THE form out of the Epsom has been well and truly franked by Fierce Impact's massacre of its rivals in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield on the weekend.

Kolding well and truly had the former Japanese miler's measure in the Bill Ritchie two starts back, and came out to kick back and beat Te Akau Shark. It will just keep winning everything it contests.

So too will the Shark, as long as they don't set it for the Cox Plate. It would be madness to stick the lightly race five-year-old up against the big boys and girls at weight-for-age. Being Kiwis though, the Richards stable will probably do it. Best of luck to them if they do, for it would be a wanton folly just gone mad.

Crazy Little Pony Called Pinatubo

HOW good is this Charlie Appleby-trained, Godolphin-owned 2YO colt by Shamardal?

Fantastic is the answer.

Pinatubo closed out his juvenile year with a perfect six from six record and never for a moment looked like being beaten in any of them either. He's won two Group 1's and a Group 2 without even really trying, and has landed a Timeform rating even better that earned by a young Frankel, although there is little chance that the Sheik's boy will ever be anywhere near as good. No horse could be, because Frankel was Phar Lap. Pinatubo's pretty damn good though, make no mistake about that.

The Big Race - No, Not The Everest

WITH Everests and Cox Plates and Caulfield Cups to be run over the next couple of weeks no-one is paying much attention to the race that used to stop a nation before it became the equine equivalent of the United Nations.

It’s nice to know we have a legitimate local hope in Surprise Baby that could actually win the big one. And it would certainly raise a few eye-brows among those who remember the skeletons in the closet of the battling trainer if he was drinking from the famous Cup after what happened in the past.

Just another scallywag some might say in the absence of disgraced Cup winning trainer Darren Weir and akin to Ben Currie strapping the horse and Jimmy the Jockey Tapes Pumper Cassidy making a comeback to ride it.

That won't happen though. The internationals will win it once again, and the stayer with its number in the frame will be placed perfectly at the weights by its world-class trainer and ridden by a jockey who just knows how to win and can clock a clocktower when they spot one.

That rules out Frankie unfortunately, but in his middle to old age the Italian Stallion is too heavy to ride Aiden O'Brien's good thing Il Paradiso at 52.5kg anyway. The trainer's hugely gifted jockey son Donnacha is too, so either Willie Lordan or a lightweight local like Kerrin McEvoy or even the evergreen and irrepressible Bossy will land the mount, and a lucky little devil they will be too. Twenty dollars is currently on offer about the best of good things. Don't dither, for those who hesitates cops eights.

Constantinople would be a rough hope if it wasn't trainer by David Hayes, but it is so it isn't, and Steel Prince would be too if he can somehow get to the post with enough gas in his tank after missing a vital run when scratched at the barrier on the weekend. Marmelo has been very kindly treated by the handicapper, and is in the big one up to his seven-year-old ears.

The Everest

This is starting to sound like a broken record.

Sunlight, Sunlight, Sunlight.

I'm not going to bother saying it again.

The Trots

KEVIN Seymour took two horses down to Melbourne for the big races and Grant Dixon slaughtered them both again.

Conservatives gain comfort in things that don't change, so I'm sure Mr Queensland Trots will be grinning from ear to ear.

Punters who backed the Group 1 Victorian Cup runner-up Colt Thirty One when he ran second to his claimer grade stablemate and $60 shot Leo's Best won't be however, not unless they are the former well-known racing writer who threw enough on old Leo to buy himself a mansion by the sea, and a couple of greyhounds to keep him in a lifestyle that he enjoys. Does anyone know where the local pub in Muckadilla Siding Bay is?

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WHERE IS THE TRANSPARENCY IF THESE INQUIRIES ARE CLOSED TO HE MEDIA?

WHERE is the transparency in racing in Victoria if some of the most controversial inquiries in history are being heard behind closed doors?

The racing public – and punters in general – are entitled to know why these hearings have been closed to the media.

If it is felt that publicity surrounding them will jeopardize charges that have been laid by police then why not simply say that.

It’s not a good look when it took just 46 seconds for the media to be booted out as trainer Jarrod McLean faced a stewards' hearing at Racing Victoria headquarters on Thursday afternoon.

Police have laid 16 charges against McLean as part of the case involving disgraced trainer Weir, stablehand Tyson Kermond and former jockey Willie Hernan.

Weir has been charged by the Victoria Police Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit with nine offences. Kermond is facing seven police charges and Hernan has beens issued one charge. All four are due to face Melbourne Magistrates court on October 23.

STEWARDS’ REPORT REGARDING SHOW CAUSE NOTICES

FOLLOWING is an RV Stewards’ Report issued late Thursday:

RACING Victoria Stewards this afternoon opened inquiries in relation to charges issued on 9 October 2019 against four persons by Victoria Police’s Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit.

The charges emanate from an investigation that was commenced by RV’s Integrity Services team into the activities of licensed persons in the Warrnambool and Ballarat areas.

During the course of its investigation, the RV Integrity Services team sought the support of Victoria Police on the matter, thus instigating the Unit’s investigation.

Victoria Police issued charges yesterday as a result of the Unit’s investigation which included the execution of warrants at properties in the Warrnambool and Ballarat areas on 30 January 2019.

Licensed trainer Jarrod McLean, registered stable employee Tyson Kermond and licensed rider agent and registered stable employee William Hernan were directed to attend the inquiries to answer questions in relation to the charges.

Mr McLean and Mr Hernan attended their inquiry, whilst the Stewards consented to a request from Mr Kermond to be represented at his inquiry by his legal representatives.

The Stewards issued one charge each against Mr McLean, Mr Hernan and Mr Kermond for a breach of Australian Rule of Racing 232(h) which states:

“A person must not refuse or fail to attend or give evidence at an interview, investigation, inquiry, hearing or appeal when directed or requested to do so by a PRA, the Stewards or a person authorised by a PRA or the Stewards”.

A summary of the particulars being that, during the course of the inquiries, Mr McLean, Mr Hernan, and Mr Kermond, via his legal representatives, each refused and/or failed to give evidence as directed and/or requested by the Stewards.

Each of the charges will be referred to the Victorian Racing Tribunal (VRT) to be heard on a date to be fixed.

Show Cause Notice – Jarrod McLean

The Stewards subsequently requested Mr McLean to show cause why the Stewards ought not exercise their powers under AR 23, and specifically their powers:

a) pursuant to AR 23(a), to suspend Mr McLean’s licence to train; and
b) pursuant to AR 23(b), to prevent any horse owned or part-owned by Mr McLean from participating in any race or official trial.

The Stewards then received submissions on behalf of Mr McLean by his legal representatives.

Following careful consideration, the Stewards ordered, with immediate effect, and until the indictable criminal charges issued against Mr McLean by Victoria Police on 9 October 2019 have been heard and determined (including any appeals):

a) that Mr McLean’s licence to train is suspended pursuant to AR 23(a);
b) that any horse owned (or part-owned) or leased by Mr McLean is not permitted from participating in any race or official trial pursuant to AR 23(b); and
c) that the horses in the care of Mr McLean accepted for tomorrow (11 October 2019) at Ballarat – Wish I Might (Race 2), Lucy Mac (Race 4), Pour Vous (Race 7) – have been withdrawn by order of the Stewards.

Show Cause Notice – Tyson Kermond

The Stewards also requested Mr Kermond, via his legal representatives, to show cause why the Stewards ought not exercise their powers under AR 23, and specifically their powers under AR 23(a) to suspend Mr Kermond’s registration as a stable employee.

The Stewards then received submissions on behalf of Mr Kermond by his legal representatives.

Following careful consideration, the Stewards ordered, with immediate effect, and until the indictable criminal charges issued against Mr Kermond by Victoria Police on 9 October 2019 have been heard and determined (including any appeals):

a) that Mr Kermond’s registration as a stablehand is suspended pursuant to AR 23(a); and
b) that any horse owned (or part-owned) or leased by Mr Kermond is not permitted from participating in any race or official trial pursuant to AR 23(b).

Show Cause Notice – William Hernan

The Stewards also requested Mr Hernan, via his legal representatives, to show cause why the Stewards ought not exercise their powers under AR 23, and specifically their powers AR 23(a) to suspend Mr Hernan’s licence as a rider agent and his registration as a stable employee.

The Stewards then received submissions on behalf of Mr Hernan by his legal representatives.

Following careful consideration, the Stewards ordered, with immediate effect, and until the charge issued against Mr Hernan by the Stewards under the Rules of Racing has been heard and determined (including any appeals):

a) that Mr Hernan’s licence as a rider’s agent and registration as a stablehand are suspended pursuant to AR 23(a); and
b) that any horse owned (or part-owned) or leased by Mr Hernan is not permitted from participating in any race or official trial pursuant to AR 23(b).

Darren Weir

Former licensed trainer, Darren Weir, who was named in the media on Wednesday, 9 October in connection with the charges laid by Victoria Police, is currently a disqualified person serving a four-year ban over charges laid earlier this year by RV Stewards under the Rules of Racing.

Mr Weir will be directed to attend an inquiry on a date to be fixed.

JIGGER VIDEO LINKS WEIR SCANDAL TO THE MELBOURNE CUP

FAIRFAX MEDIA reports today that distressing vision of one of Darren Weir's prized horses being tormented with an electric prod in preparation for last year's Melbourne Cup may be a crucial piece of evidence in the case against the disgraced trainer and two of his associates.

The emergence of the video at the start of a new spring carnival directly links the Weir scandal to Australia's greatest horse race.

Video footage obtained by Victoria Police detectives and shown to racing authorities shows Red Cardinal being "jiggered" in the neck by stablehand Tyson Kermond as it "jog trots" on a treadmill inside Weir's Warrnambool stables, sources have told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.

The footage, which runs for about 20 seconds, allegedly shows Weir and stable foreman Jarrod McLean looking on as the horse is repeatedly subjected to the painful ordeal on the weekend before the running of the Cup.

A source who has watched the footage described it as "terrible" and "shocking". Two further sources confirmed that Red Cardinal's run in the Cup was material to the case against Weir.

Weir, McLean and Kermond are each facing criminal charges under Victoria's animal cruelty laws including torturing, abusing, overworking and terrifying a thoroughbred horse and causing unreasonable pain or suffering to a horse.

The trio are also charged with conspiring to defraud stewards and other offences in one of the most damaging scandals to hit Australian racing.

A fourth man, 31-year old retired jockey William Hernan, is charged with using corrupt information. Sources familiar with the investigation said this related to a $50 bet on a horse suspected of being jiggered.

Red Cardinal began the Melbourne Cup as a $31 chance and laboured badly over the two miles to finish last.

The jockey who rode the horse in the Cup, Damien Oliver, said after the race that Red Cardinal "didn't have enough air" to finish the two-mile classic. The owner of Red Cardinal, Australian Bloodstock director Jamie Lovett, told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald he believed the horse choked on the bit.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Oliver or Lovett.

The alleged use of an illegal jigger on Red Cardinal has tainted the event that made Weir a household name three years earlier, when Michelle Payne rode home on Prince of Penzance, a 100-1 longshot trained by Weir, to win the Melbourne Cup.

Detectives from the police Sporting Integrity Unit, who were last August invited by racing integrity officials to investigate allegations of animal cruelty and corruption against Weir and his associates, scrutinised the famed 2015 Cup and found no evidence of corruption, and there is no suggestion Payne was involved in any wrongdoing.

Another feature race of last year's Flemington carnival, the Mackinnon Stakes, and the Grand National event run at Sandown earlier in the year were also closely examined by police. It is believed that these races, although under investigation, do not form part of the charges against Weir and his co-accused currently before the Melbourne Magistrates Court.

Police in January raided Weir's properties in Warrnambool and Miners Rest, near Ballarat. At his racing headquarters at Miners Rest, police seized three jiggers from Weir's bedroom.

Weir is serving a four-year ban from racing after pleading no contest at a Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board hearing to possessing the jiggers and conduct prejudicial to racing. The board made no finding that he used the jiggers on any of his horses. Possessing jiggers is not a crime, but is a breach of the rules of racing.

‘BOBBSIE TWINS’ TO COP SLAP ON WRIST OVER ‘SAND DUNES’ COMMENT

IF stewards are satisfied there is nothing to investigate in the ‘magical sand dunes story’ then why have they not questioned the ‘Bobbsey Twins’ of Australian horse racing over what they had to say.

Racing Victoria Chief Steward Robert Cram has indicated that he will speak to trainers Wayne Hawkes and Lindsey Smith – and possibly James Cummings – and remind them to respect one another.

“None of the material we’ve seen suggests we need to launch an investigation,” Cram said. “But I will be contacting certain trainers to remind them of certain things regarding what is appropriate and what might not be.”

Both Hawkes and Smith have said they want to move on from a potential spat sparked by ambiguous comments made by Hawkes on racing.com. Cummings later made a quip in reference to Hawkes’ comments.

During a broad discussion about the spring carnival on the After the Last program, Hawkes said “the old Warrnambool sand dunes are back in action”, a comment Smith believed was a slur directed at him.

Smith said he was not a cheat and perceived gibes against him jeopardised his stable. He said he’d hoped his unblemished record has earned him “more respect than that.”

Smith has enjoyed great success in just a handful of months since opening a satellite stable at Warrnambool, in stables formerly owned by disqualified Darren Weir., a close mate of Smith’s.

If stewards believe there is nothing to investigate should they be looking at asking Hawkes for an explanation and warning him of the rule that involves bringing the industry into disrepute?

SURPRISE QRIC REFUSAL OF STABLEHAND LICENCE TO DARREL GRAHAM

HARNESS followers and fans of top Queensland horseman Darrel Graham have questioned why he has been denied a stablehand license.

Graham, who received a 15 month disqualification on a cobalt-related charge, had it reduced to a 12 month suspension of his trainer’s and driver’s licence on appeal to QCAT.

After having his application for a stablehand license refused by the QRIC Licensing and Registration Department in August, Graham sought an Internal Review but Adjudicator Kane Ashby recently confirmed the original decision.

Although there appears to be nothing in the Harness Racing Rules that prevents a suspended trainer being licensed as a stablehand it is obviously discretionary and in this case no reasons were provided for the decision. In the gallops in Queensland it is our understanding that a suspended trainer cannot be licensed as a stablehand.

The latest decision is a surprise and body blow for Graham, who has served his time and is a popular and successful harness racing identity in Queensland.

WHINGERS TARGET WALLER, THE ‘RED HOTS’ & SQUEAKY CLEAN TRAIENRS

HERE are some of the contributions that we have received in the LGHR HAVE YOUR SAY mail box in the past week:

‘WILL there be a retrospective inquiry into a race in Queensland if a high profile pacer wins in much stronger company in Victoria at his next start or can we expect the fearless Albion Park stipes to simply treat punters like crap again?’

‘WHATEVER happened to those behind-the-scenes investigations involving treatment of horses that were going to net some big fish in Queensland? It seems that some stables were out of form while the situation hotted up and now that it has died down a couple in particular are flying which has been the subject of some less than favourable comments doing the rounds.’

‘PLENTY was made, especially by the Sydney racing media, about the FAB day that Chris Waller enjoyed in Sydney and Melbourne last Saturday. The champion trainer won all four Group Ones on offer at the weekend and eight races across the two States. It silenced those who suggested he would not enjoy as much big race success once Winx was retired. What wasn’t mentioned was that of those big race winners – King Will Dream (Turnbull), Come Play With Me (Metropolitan) and Verry Elleegant (Hill Stakes) – were all inherited from other stables. Another area the Sydney racing media steered clear of was how Come Play With Me arguably turned in a form reversal to win The Metrop – a G1 race – after looking a shade plain when favorite and sixth to stablemate Finche in the lesser G3 Kingston Town at his previous start. And before someone suggests the step up in trip made all the difference, the former West Australian had failed at his only try over it before the Metrop. Of the five Waller runners the favorite Brimham Rocks, which blew punters out of the water winning the G3 Naturalism at Caulfield at his previous start, simply never got sighted. But let’s focus on the success of Waller not how many second string runners beat their more favoured stablemates or how hard it is to follow the form of his horses. Standby for more spin doctoring from his media mates with Finche looking a genuine chance of giving the former Kiwi his first Melbourne Cup winners.’

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Stewards’ Report says Brimham Rocks was slow to begin, got crowded in the straight and proved difficult to get to the outside of Gallic Chieftain so standby for that to be used as an excuse if he wins at his next start.