LINDA Meech jets off home to New Zealand on Friday to take a well-earned break.
LAURA BANKS reports in THE AGE that Meech promised her mother that if she clocked up 100 winners nationally this season she would head across the Tasman for her birthday, and she hit the century mark on June 28 at Flemington.
Meech is understated and underrated. She is ranked fourth in the Victorian premiership on 96 winners, behind Brad Rawiller (142), Dean Yendall (131) and Damian Lane (96). But she remains humble, despite hitting the ton for the fourth time in her career and riding her 1000th career winner at Mortlake in November, and she believes she can do better.
WARWICK FARM trainer Guy Walter has died of a heart attack at his home on Thursday morning.
CHRIS ROOTS reports for FAIRFAX MEDIA that Walter, a master horseman, learned his trade under Kevin Robinson at Berry on the NSW south coast before moving to Sydney and forging a successful career. Walter’s final Group 1 success came on Saturday when Streama won the Doomben Cup.
"Like everyone in the racing industry, we are shaken by the tragic news of Guy’s passing," Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys said. “Guy was one of the most popular and humble trainers I have ever met. I guarantee you would not find one person with a bad word for Guy; he was a very genuine, kind and respectful person."
RACING Victoria (RV) has today announced revised race fields fees will be applied to all wagering service providers for the publication and use of Victorian thoroughbred race fields from 1 July 2014.
Following a review of its Race Fields Policy, RV has determined that an enhanced model will be adopted which differentiates between traditional pari-mutuel (tote) betting and non pari-mutuel betting, such as fixed odds, exchange and derivative betting.
Racing Victoria Chief Executive Officer, Bernard Saundry, said the enhanced model is designed to ensure the funding of thoroughbred racing in Victoria grows with increasingly popular forms of non pari-mutuel bet types such as fixed odds and derivative betting.
SENIOR racing officials are confident that improved quarantine arrangements will bring a return of Japanese horses not only to participate in this year’s spring carnival in Melbourne, but also in the rich Championships series in Sydney next year.
PATRICK BARTLEY reports in THE AGE that talks this week with Japanese officials and Australian scout Leigh Jordon in Tokyo were so successful, both parties say, that it looks likely Japanese horses could again become regular visitors here.
TWENTY years after retiring from race riding, Jamie Bayliss says his comeback this week has proved he was ‘‘born to be a jockey’’.
LAURA BANKS reports in THE AGE that the 44-year-old father of Victorian apprentices Jake and Regan, returned to race riding on Sunday at Geelong after a two decade hiatus and saddled up again for three rides on Monday at Moe. He is yet to return to the winner’s list but heads to Mornington on Tuesday hoping for better luck.
STEWARDS' REPORTS for SANDOWN, ROSEHILL and EAGLE FARM on SATURDAY:
STEWARDS’ REPORTS for SATURDAY RACING at RANDWICK, CAULFIELD and EAGLE FARM:
RACING NSW chief executive Peter V’landys is confident the $10 million funding for The Championships is secure, despite losing its biggest supporter when Premier Barry O’Farrell resigned on Wednesday.
CHRIS ROOTS reports for FAIRFAX MEDIA that the first day of the rich, government-backed, meeting last Saturday attracted almost 25,000 patrons in dreadful conditions and expectations are the crowd will be closer to 30,000 this Saturday.
V'landys worked closely with the former premier to secure funding for a flagship event for racing.
STEWARDS reports for Randwick, Caulfield and Doomben on Saturday:
JOHN Nikolic, the trainer licensed by Racing Queensland, has been disqualified for a year by stewards in NSW afteer one of his horses tested positive to a banned substance.
Nikolic, the brother of disqualified Victorian jockey Dan Nikolic, landed a plunge with the horse in question, Wonderful Jester, when it was successful at Murwillumbah in January.
Racing NSW betting steward Terry Griffin told an inquiry that his investigations had revealed ‘strong stable support’ Wonderful Jester when it was backed from $8 to $2.4 and won then returned a positive swab to gapapentin.