TRY as they might, it was difficult for racing’s cheerleaders to conjure up a carnival mood at Flemington racecourse on Monday.
RON REED reports for the HERALD SUN that this was the official launch of the most enjoyable two weeks Melbourne celebrates in just about any given year, but a chill wind blew in more ways than one _ and the proffered champagne was left mostly undrunk _ as Racing Minister Martin Pakula was obliged to begin proceedings with a media update on the unthinkable news from overnight.
AUSTRALIAN racing lost its innocence late on Sunday night when an unknown person fired six bullets into the front door of Victorian chief steward Terry Bailey's home.
PATRICK BARTLEY reports for FAIRFAX MEDIA that it was a message sent with anger and intent to challenge the authority of horse racing's head integrity officer.
WITH apologies to Shakespeare, it's hard not to look at all the headlines over the past year or two and not wonder whether there is indeed something rotten in the state of racing.
MICHAEL LYNCH reports for FAIRFAX MEDIA that the latest shocking news, that gunshots were fired at the home of Racing Victoria's chief steward Terry Bailey will have reverberations well beyond the sports pages.
Read more: SOMETHING ROTTEN IN THE STATE OF AUSTRALIAN RACING
RACING Victoria stewards will seek leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal against the finding of the Supreme Court that overturned a three-year disqualification last month on trainer Mark Riley.
PATRICK BARTLEY reports for FAIRFAX MEDIA that the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary (RAD) Board and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal had disqualified Riley for the alleged administration of a prohibited substance to the horse Gold For Kev in July 2014.
RACING Victoria stewards told champion Hong Kong-based Zac Purton that they had "grave concerns" over his ride on Fame Game in Saturday's $ 3.1million Caulfield Cup.
PATRICK BARTLEY reports for THE AGE that stewards grilled Purton at length about why he didn't hook to the outside when the field was nearing the 600 metres. At least three stewards said they were worried why, in a Caulfield Cup, a horse was "ridden for luck".
Fame Game finished fourth and his was clearly the run of the race.
ONE-TIME leading jockey Danny Nikolic will be allowed to attend Victorian race meetings after a Supreme Court judge put a stay on the order banning him from entry.
PATRICK BARTLEY reports for FAIRFAX MEDIA that Victoria Police gave notice that they would withdraw an order banning Nikolic from racecourses after Justice John Dixon asked both legal teams to work to resolve the matter by next Wednesday.
TOP trainer Peter Moody has signalled through his lawyer Matthew Stirling that he will fight the cobalt charges relating to his horse Lidari and challenge the science surrounding the use of cobalt.
PATRICK BARTLEY reports for FAIRFAX MEDIA that Moody joins fellow trainers Danny O'Brien, Mark Kavanagh and Lee and Shannon Hope in fighting the cobalt science.
RACING Victoria will soon be able to test for formaldehyde — an embalming fluid — which stewards suspect is being injected into horses with a history of bleeding from the lungs.
“It is something that is very much on our radar at the moment,” chief steward Terry Bailey told DARYL TIMMS of the HERALD SUN.
“And it will be very soon that we’ll be able to test for it.”
MEDIA personality Brent Zerafa has been disqualified for three months for conduct prejudicial to the interests of racing while working as a mounting yard expert for TVN in January.
CHRIS ROOTS reports for FAIRFAX MEDIA that colourful identity John Camilleri, who has been found guilty of six charges in the ongoing Sam Kavanagh-Midsummer Sun cobalt and raceday treatments inquiry, had texted Zerafa a tip for Palazzo Pubblico early in the day before it won on January 17 when heavily supported in betting.
Read more: MEDIA PERSONALITY OUT FOR 3 MONTHS OVER TIPS 'SCAM'
THE most precious commodity horse racing has is its integrity, once that is lost, racing is lost. The public demand confidence that horses are competing on a transparent level playing field, allowing those wishing to have a bet to do so with confidence.
PATRICK BARTLEY, in a refreshingly objective comment piece for FAIRFAX MEDIA, suggests that cobalt cases in Victoria have already damaged the image of racing in that state and there is the risk of it doing more damage.
