THIS website continues to listen to what our readers have to say and has introduced a ‘Wednesday Whinge’ where you can express your feelings on racing industry issues of the past week. Try to keep them objective. Just e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
THE e-mail bag covers a wide range of topics this week from the financial problems confronting the Australian Turf Club in New South Wales to the appointment of a new CEO for Racing Queensland and the integrity issues that continue to create headlines in Victoria. There are a wide range of issues (especially controversy over the Steve Hogno appeal ruling) that make good reading regardless of what state you follow and as usual provide plenty of food for our focus theme of THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY news of the past week.
THE SITUATION IN RACING IN NSW QUITE BIAZARRE FROM THE CONTROL BODY PERSPECTIVE
THE situation in NSW racing seems quite bizarre as highlighted by several e-mailers who were critical of the control body stance on the financial problems confronting the ATC that are being passed on to stake-holders.
Prizemoney continues to be boosted while Sydney racing is in crisis created by the massive debts confronting the Australian Turf Club.
Costs are being increased and staff is being cut in an effort to off-set the ATC financial woes but trainers are threatening strike action and warning that owners will walk away.
The $60 million debt confronting the ATC has been compounded by a poor autumn carnival in Sydney (not helped by wet weather), a cost blow-out on the Rosehill upgrade and Randwick being out of action for 18 months during its redevelopment.
This has forced the ATC into an $8 million cost-saving restructure that has seen 25 of the 225 full-time staff lose their jobs and suggestions that trainers (and eventually owners) will be slugged up to 25 per cent extra in stabling fees at Randwick, Rosehill and Warwick Farm.
SYDNEY TRAINERS REACT ANGRILY TO STABLE RENT HIKES AND PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
SYDNEY trainers have reacted angrily by threatening strike action over not only the stable rent hikes but the introduction of performance indicators that demand minimum success levels.
While all this is going on Racing NSW continues to increase prizemoney – the latest injection of $1.5 million for Sydney racing next season announced last week by CEO Peter V’landys. Some say the control body should be helping to offset cost increases instead.
But V’landys told the Daily Telegraph: “Racing NSW believe the fairest way to provide returns to owners and industry is through increasing prizemoney and providing prizemoney payments down to 10th place.
“This fairly rewards those who get horses to the track to compete in NSW races where the industry can generate a return from the wagering dollars invested on them.
“Subsidizing costs is not currently supported by Racing NSW as it can lead to inefficiencies and worse, can inadvertently reward those not contributing to NSW racing.
“For example it is not appropriate that the NSW industry further subsidize racing and training facilities that are used to educate horses for sale or export to Asian markets and who do not start in NSW races.”
Sydney trainers are angered by ATC moves to increase stable fees and by new requirements to have a certain number of runners at city meetings and to prepare their share of winners.
Those trainers who do not have a certain number of runners at city meetings and prepare their share of winners may be asked to move their stable bases to provincial or country racetracks prompting suggests the ATC only wants the likes of the Waterhouses, the Wallers and the Snowdens to train in Sydney.
ATC chief executive Darren Pearce said the club's key performance index would be achievable for the majority of Sydney trainers but this hasn't lightened the mood of the majority.
The NSWTA believe Racing NSW needs to do more to cut the costs of owning a race horse. It says that prizemoney increases are nice but they only benefit those who win or place and point out that when prizemoney goes up only a few benefit. When costs go down, everyone benefits.
It makes good sense while the Racing NSW attitude smacks more of wanting to win the battle to be the leading state ahead of Victoria at the expense of the battlers in the game.
HAVE ADMINISTRATORS FORGOTTEN THAT PEOPLE – NOT HORSES – BRING MONEY INTO RACING?
OF all the e-mails we received on the problems confronting Sydney racing this one made more sense than any and paints a timely warning for all codes of racing throughout the country:
‘THE uproar over the Australian Turf Club's decision to apply performance benchmarks to trainers who wish to rent/lease stabling and facilities at Randwick is easily understood and justified.
Several factors which were not evident in this country's resume some sixty years back, when racing enjoyed a high position on the list of things to do. The first of these is the persistent referral to racing as an industry.
A reasonable layman's definition of ‘an industry’ might be ‘any activity which provides and or manufactures goods or services and which having required an investment of time, energy and capital on the part of the owner(s) can be expected to return a reasonable profit over a considerable time’.
If you can define ‘The Racing Industry’ as a whole in those terms please do so. If you wish to dissect it into its several parts, you will be able to identify individual studs and trainers, which have operated in highly successful fashion for a long time and possibly may continue to do so.
The rest of racing, if viewed without the rose colored glasses, has two significant sources of income, punters and owners. Both these sectors should have little expectation of ‘a reasonable profit over a considerable time’, and history confirms this.
Therefore, while it comforts administrators to refer to racing as an industry, it is most certainly a sport, and a high risk one (in dollar terms) at that.
In summary, when trying to ‘sell’ racing, it might be prudent to delete any mention of ‘industry’. After all, would you really want to spend good money to watch someone work? In the back of a lot of minds that is the perception!
The second factor, and more relevant to the matter at hand, is the ‘get big or get out’ syndrome. The outcome of that particular practice can be monopoly.
The people who wish to limit stabling at Randwick to those trainers who dominate our premierships and produce the great bulk of our black type winners are short sighted to a degree.
‘The Sport Of Kings,’ as Ken Howard used to say, ‘is a chancy business’.
How do you justify a decision to declare a trainer persona non grata if he loses wealthy patronage or his yearling choices prove legless for a couple of seasons.
If you reduce the number of trainers at a venue and encourage them to extend their horse numbers you are putting more eggs into less baskets. If existing trainers are of good character, (and no doubt they would not be at Randwick if this were not the case) and can pay their rent then they must stay.
Administrators appear to have forgotten that people, not horses, bring the money into racing. Any move which upsets a whole lot of racing folk is bound to have serious outcomes with the passage of time.
The following paragraph, while not entirely relevant the above, will be the end result for the gallops folk if they do not address ALL the issues which are basic to survival. You may remember that 35 years ago the trots raced from Gold Coast to Cairns on a weekly basis. That means 50 meetings per Club per year, minimum.
Last Wednesday night's meeting scheduled for Redcliffe was abandoned due to safety issues and the state of the track. Considering that we are rushing headlong towards the closure of what is still Australia's best track on September 30th, i.e. Gold Coast, surely it is time that Redcliffe was seen as pivotal to the survival of trotting in Queensland.
Anyone who supports the ‘Albion Park is all we need’ theory, and there appears to be plenty of that opinion, is playing with fire.
It has taken a mere 35 years to reduce the number of trot Race Clubs from 14 in 1978 to what for all practical purposes will be two and a bit from October 1st 2013.
You may form your own opinions as to how this appalling situation has come to pass, but, if we don't get off our backsides and carry the sport forward with our board, two and a bit racing venues will become one overworked facility and, the situation of a State as large and as wealthy as Queensland supporting an almost non-existent sport will become ludicrous.
The next step will be the bin! Obviously, OUR next step is to ensure the ability of Redcliffe to function as an all-weather track!’ - Denis Smith, Ipswich.
EDITOR’S NOTE: An extremely thought-provoking e-mail – thanks for the contribution Denis. One would hope that Brad Steele, the new chairman of Harness Racing Queensland, would be keen to see the problems rectified quickly that involve the venue that he was once in charge of at Redcliffe. Townsville-based Brad was a popular choice for chair of HRQ and the code is fortunate to have a person with his passion for the sport protecting its interests.
SOME ARE SUGGESTING THEY SHOULD MOVE RQ FROM DEAGON TO EAGLE FARM
AW of REDCLIFFE writes: THE more things change, the more they stay the same.
What we are watching at Racing Queensland at present is the reinvention of the old Queensland Turf Club as the principal control structure.
The ‘old boys’ network would be overjoyed at what has happened since Kevin Dixon took over as chairman of everything important in racing in Queensland.
The BRC, just a new name for the QTC after the merger which basically dismantled Doomben as a racing entity, was orchestrated by Dixon and he was anointed by the LNP Government to lead the industry out of the Bentley mire.
If Bob the Builder or the Labor Party had done what we are watching unfold at the new RQ they would have called it political. But not now and in the eyes of many in racing it is just the same thing in reverse.
We have good old Bill Carter, the protector of all things QTC, in a key Appeals Board role; Jim O’Sullivan the Integrity Commission, legitimized by the fact he was the former Police Commissioner not to mention a director of the QTC; and now it seems that Darren Condon will move from Hendra to Racing HQ at Deagon as CEO – with some asking will he be the loyal servant of his former bosses from the BRC.
It’s all too QTC/BRC top heavy at RQ and the general perception is Heaven help those in the country. Expect more millions to be poured into the south-east corner and will we hear a yelp from the country delegates – not likely it seems?
As I said at the start the more things change, the more they stay the same. The only difference is they should move RQ from Deagon to Eagle Farm because that will be the centre of all the major industry decisions that are made in the future.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: Things aren’t anywhere near as bad as the picture painted above but I have to agree that the new RQ is certainly looking BRC top heavy. I can remember Kevin Dixon telling me once the last thing that would happen if he became chairman would be a return to the days of QTC control or domination and I am prepared to accept his word. Let’s sit back and see what happens over the next few months with all things from administration to integrity and appeals before jumping to any conclusions.
APPOINTMENT PROCESS FOR THE RQ CEO HAS CONFUSED MANY IN THE INDUSTRY
GH of the GOLD COAST writes: ‘A lot of racing people are more than a shade confused about this whole appointment process for the role of Chief Executive Officer at Racing Queensland.
We are not suggesting that there is a lack of transparency in the process but on a couple of issues it would help if the industry was made aware of just what has happened behind the scenes.
Firstly we are hearing of some good candidates either withdrawing from the race or refusing to apply because they were told that the appointment of Stephen Ferguson from the BRC was a foregone conclusion.
If that was in fact the case why then did Darren Condon, an underling (I use that term in no derogatory sense) to Ferguson even apply. One would have thought that if the boss was certain to get the RQ job he wouldn’t have wasted his time.
The other aspect – and this couldn’t possibly be an option – is that Condon was a late nomination, got a run and produced a barnstorming finish to win the race to ensure it went to someone else from the BRC when it was decided that Ferguson wasn’t the man for the job.
There are a few things that need to be cleared up. It would be nice to know what the salary package is and if the national and international advertising attracted a high profile field from near and far.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: PERHAPS someone should request that the Racing Minister provide some clarification on the situation. One thing that Steve Dickson has promised is transparency in racing in Queensland. It is certainly hard to imagine how Darren Condon would apply for a job that some very high profile interstate executives walked away from because they were told Stephen Ferguson was a certainty to be appointed to. I know if I knew my boss was going for a job that looked to be his I would not apply for two reasons: (a) It might upset him and affect our working relationship in future; and (b) If he got the job I would be a chance of replacing him where I am in a position that pays more and arguably has less stress.
IS THERE A LESSON TO BE LEARNT THAT FORMER STEWARDS DON’T MAKE GOOD CEOS?
BJ of BRISBANE sent this e-mail: ‘SOME of us who have been around racing for longer than we care to remember have seen plenty of faces come and go in CEO positions but there is one lesson to be learnt from past mistakes.
For some reason former stewards don’t seem to make good CEOs. With all due respects to Malcolm Tuttle and Stephen Ferguson that is the general opinion of many involved in racing in Queensland.
I remember when Darren Condon came to the QTC and worked in the office there. I think he was a relation of the former CEO David Laing. He ended up transferring, if I recall rightly, to Queensland Racing in its early days as a handicapper.
For some reason he left QR and went to the movies working for a major cinema company in Brisbane for many years. Then he returned to the BRC where the general opinion has been that ‘if you want something done you go to Darren.’
Rather than bag his appointment simply because of his QTC and BRC background why not give the guy a go at RQ. He could hardly do a worse job than his predecessor who was universally disliked within the industry and after the ‘golden handshake’ that he copped is now even less popular in racing in Queensland.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: I don’t believe that stewards make good CEOs but it’s not wise to make a blanket declaration as there is always the exception. Having said that, let’s give Darren Condon a go if he gets the job rather than adopting the normal reaction of some in racing of bagging the crap out of a new appointment just for the sake of it. I know this – and I haven’t discussed the matter with Barry Taylor, deputy chairman of the All Codes Board – but if he supported Condon for the job that’s good enough for me. I also understand, through contacts far removed from the Board, that it was Taylor and not Kevin Dixon who led the push for Condon to get the CEO role which blows the BRC ‘jobs for the boys’ theory out of the water.
THE STORY GOES THAT THE MELBOURNE RAIDS FOLLOWING A TIP-OFF TO THE AGE
AMcD of MELBOURNE writes: ‘FIRST we had racing in Western Australia going into damage control when there were suggestions that up to 10 jockeys were rigging races for a betting syndicate on the east coast.
Then we had police and stewards raiding the homes of three high profile jockeys in Victoria later last week in a joint investigation into alleged illegal betting activities.
In both cases it seems the informants were anonymous. Is this a good thing for racing to be acting so strongly simply on anonymous tip-offs?
The authorities in the west investigated and dismissed the serious allegations. It seems the information received in Victoria was just as baseless.
These sorts of actions and this type of publicity are doing little to improve the image of racing.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: WHILST the WA allegations were based on an anonymous letter I understand that a well-known racing and harness racing identity went to The Age newspaper and made certain serious allegations (and produced phone texts) about several licensed people that was to be the subject of a Page One story. The raids, described by some as Hawaii Five O style, might have been embarrassing for some of the jockeys involved but at least proved that there was no substance to the allegations that were to be aired in a big way and would have been far more damaging to the industry.
HERE’S a story on the Victorian situation from THE AUSTRALIAN written jointly by ADAM SHAND and BRENDAN CORMICK:
POLICE conducted a series of raids (last Friday) morning on the Melbourne properties of several licensed people in the Victorian racing industry.
It is understood that the people whose addresses were raided, with the assistance of racing stewards, included at least three high-profile jockeys. The raids were part of a joint investigation with stewards into betting activities, police said.
It is understood that the raids were in response to information obtained by stewards that had proved to be baseless.
The raids were not part of long-running probes into allegations of jockey betting and race-fixing. Police have been investigating a network of jockeys, trainers, owners and punters for betting irregularities and have been trying to establish links with the murder of high-profile trainer Les Samba.
Victorian Racing Integrity Commissioner Sal Perna said he had been briefed on the raids and that jockeys had been interviewed by stewards about the betting claims. “The allegations were totally disproven. It’s a win for the good guys,” he said.
Mr Perna said racing’s image had suffered as investigations into race-fixing had dragged on for the past 18 months without charges or the cases resolved.
Victoria Police confirmed in a statement that officers had “executed two search warrants” but would not comment further.
The integrity unit at Racing Victoria confirmed the raids, without disclosing names or the number of people interviewed.
RV Integrity manager Dayle Brown said there was no evidence of any wrongdoing or transgression of racing rules.
VICTORIAN RACING COMMISSIONER COPS A BLAST OVER HIS SMOKING ACES COMMENTS
TM of the GOLD COAST e-mailed: ‘I was a fan of Victorian Racing Commissioner Sal Perna until I read the load of tripe he told The Australian during the week concerning the Smoking Aces race.
Perna said alleged links between the Les Samba murder and race fixing in Victoria had not been substantiated by police investigations.
He also called for an end to the inquiry into suggestions that the Smoking Aces race at Cranbourne in 2011 was ‘fixed.’ Many in the racing industry – who are too afraid to come forward – would strongly disagree with his suggestion.
It came as no surprise that a News Limited newspaper would be keen to bag Fairfax and Four Corners whose investigative coverage into certain aspects of the racing industry in Victoria made their publications look second rate.
They were quick to quote John Nikolic – hardly a convincing source in the eyes of many in racing – and of course the old fall back in Des O’Keefe from the Jockeys’ Association had to put in his two bob’s worth about damaging allegations not being substantiated.
Come on Des you know as well as the rest of us that racing in Victoria would be a good deal better if some of your mates in the judiciary had stopped short of slaps on the wrist for rascal identities, including jockeys, over recent years.
As for The Australian breaking the news from Perna, well that’s the positive for those of us who believe what he had to say was a load of rubbish. Of all the major newspapers in the land might I suggest that it’s the one that fewer people read?’
EDITOR’S NOTE: I cannot agree with your criticism of Sal Perna. I think he’s done a terrific job as Racing Integrity Commissioner in Victoria. My interpretation of what he told The Australian was that the police investigation had been going long enough to get results. As for your criticism of The Australian, its racing coverage has always been up there with the best in the country and Brendan Cormick especially is a highly respected turf writer. Here is the story that the above e-mail refers to which was jointly written by Adam Shand and Brendan Cormick that was forwarded to us by a valued contributor:
VICTORIAN Racing Integrity Commissioner Sal Perna says police investigations into race fixing that have been linked to the murder of horse trainer Les Samba have damaged the racing industry without producing any evidence that the sport faces widespread corruption.
Mr Perna, a former policeman, says the 18-month probe into the Smoking Aces controversy, dealing with allegations a 2011 race at Cranbourne was fixed, has produced “nothing more than conjecture” and should be abandoned.
The investigation, accompanied by leaks of highly prejudicial information to The Age and ABC’s Four Corners, was heralded as “the biggest corruption scandal to hit the sport in decades”.
Senior Victorian police told The Age and Four Corners in exclusive interviews that if they could solve the race-fixing allegations, they would “certainly solve the murder of Les Samba”. However, not a single charge has been laid or even a breach of the rules of racing revealed.
Samba, shot dead in Melbourne’s bayside Middle Park in February 2011, reportedly had underworld connections in Australia, Asia and the US. During the investigation, jockey Danny Nikolic and his brother John were barred from Melbourne’s Crown casino, Sydney’s The Star casino and all Victorian race tracks by order of Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay. To this day they have not faced any racing or legal sanctions, nor been given a reason for the barring orders.
Police passed the Smoking Aces investigation brief to the Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions late last year but no charges have been laid.
“We haven’t heard from the police for more than six months now,” John Nikolic said. “It’s over as far we are concerned because there was nothing in this.”
The Age accused Danny Nikolic of orchestrating the fix and said jockey Mark Zahra was paid to co-operate. The jockeys have denied any wrongdoing.
Senior Victoria police said they would ensure that “the integrity in racing here in Victoria and nationally is squeaky clean”.
Victorian Jockeys Association chief executive Des O’Keeffe said that apart from matters involving Damien Nikolic and Damien Oliver (who admitted to betting against his mount in a race), there had been allegations and damaging headlines that had been unsubstantiated.
WAS THEIR SOME DISCRIMINATION IN THE BOBBY EL-ISSA CASE THAT SAW HIM ‘BUSHED’?
AD of BRISBANE asks: ‘CAN someone explain why it took Bobby El-Issa so long to get his metropolitan license back when John Nikolic seems to have virtually walked straight back into the training business?
Both are controversial characters but from what I can fathom Nikolic was given his license back without too many hassles or delays – I note he had a runner at Murwillumbah on Sunday – while El-Issa has been to hell and back (at least trying to regain his metropolitan riding licence).
Bobby has been forced to ride at a lot of bush tracks before the matter seems to have been taken out of the hands of the stewards and decided upon by the All Codes Board who have given him the right to return to riding on city tracks from July 1.
Can you imagine the situation in Victoria if Damien Oliver or even Dan Nikolic for that matter were told they had to ride for several months on tracks outside Melbourne before returning to the big smoke when they returned from serving time on the sideline?
Cripes Des O’Keefe would have a coronary.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: I don’t think you can compare the Damien Oliver situation with that of Bobby El-Issa. One was outed for betting and the other over his handling of a horse. The two situations are poles apart. Having said that El-Issa served his time and it did seem strange that a jockey of his ability was made to do some probation at country tracks before returning to city riding. One thing’s for sure with Glen ‘Bluey’ Davis, former the AAP Racing Editor in Brisbane, now in his corner in a managerial role, no stone will be left unturned getting Bobby the best rides available in town. Here’s a story by BEN DORRIES of THE COURIER-MAIL on the El-Issa situation:
CONTROVERSIAL Brisbane jockey Bobby El-Issa has been allowed to resume riding on metropolitan tracks from July 1.
El-Issa, suspended for 18 months for his ride on Bold Glance in 2011, was last year granted a conditional lifeline by stewards to ride at country meetings but had always been desperate to return to the big smoke.
This afternoon the over-arching Queensland All Codes Racing Industry Board granted El-Issa permission to ride on city tracks from July 1.
"I'm really happy to be back ... it has been a hard couple of years,'' El-Issa told The Courier-Mail.
"There are plenty of trainers and owners who are keen for me to ride for them when I resume in the city.''
During his penance on bush tracks, El-Issa rode at regional tracks including Chinchilla, Gatton, Beaudesert, Kilcoy and Emerald.
El-Issa was disqualified for 18 months for the Bold Glance ride, with stewards alleging he did not show his usual vigour in the final 200m of the race when challenged by favourite Essington, who went on to win.
He steadfastly maintains his only crime on Bold Glance was just "a badly calculated'' ride.
GREATEST SIDESHOW TO THE STRADBROKE OCCURS ON EVE OF BIG RACE
THEY are calling it ‘the greatest sideshow to the Stradbroke.’
On the eve of the big race the Nathan Tinkler – Patinack team will go under the hammer at the Gold Coast on Friday.
Instead of heading to Stradbroke-eve functions in Brisbane many interested stakeholders and industry personnel will be travelling to the Magic Millions Complex to watch the sales action unfold.
Here is a story by CHRIS ROOTS of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD that suggests one-time billionaire Tinkler might be vying to buy back some of his own horses:
IT looks like Nathan Tinkler won't be walking away from the racing industry after all. Tinkler is set to compete with buyers from around the world when his Patinack Farm racing stock goes under the hammer as part of the reduction sale at Magic Millions on Friday.
Industry insiders are predicting ''fireworks'' as some quality stock, highlighted by Peron, who has won five of her six starts, stayer Tremec and a number of stakes performers are sold.
The reduction sale has so far netted Patinack Farm more than $10 million and while Tinkler is scaling back his racing interests, he is expected keep up to 30 horses in work. It is believed Tinkler would buy through his trainer John Thompson, father Les or an agent.
''There are some quality horses in the national racehorse sale, not only from Patinack but Darley as well, and we have had interest from around the world,'' Magic Millions managing director Vin Cox said.
''I think Nathan is interested in some horses and I'm sure he wants to retain some.''
There could be up to 10 lots that bring more than $500,000 and a number of the Patinack horses are still in training, offering buyers the chance of an immediate return on the track.
Fillies will be in demand with a number of buyers looking for broodmare prospects after taking out shares in high-profile stallions recently. It made a strong market at last week's broodmare sale, which should continue on to Friday.
Casino Prince two-year-old Hooked remains in the weights for Saturday's JJ Atkins at Eagle Farm and Queensland chief steward Wade Birch said he had not received an application for him to run in the group 1.
''With the sale on Friday we would look at those matters in a case by case when once application is made for them to accept in races,'' Birch said.
Meanwhile, former Patinack filly Nechita, which brought $1.55 million at the broodmare sale last week, will head to England on Wednesday.
The Fastnet Rock filly is now owned by Coolmore and will join Royal Ascot-bound Sea Siren on the plane.
PLENTY WANT STEWARDS TO PURSUE GAI WATERHOUSE OVER MORE JOYOUS
WE received several e-mails calling on Racing NSW stewards to continue to pursue trainer Gai Waterhouse over previous problems with More Joyous as plans have been announced to retire the great mare.
For those who have been critical of RAY THOMAS of the SYDNEY TELEGRAPH, claiming he has been too sympathetic to the Waterhouse cause, the story he wrote below should be a timely reminder of his objectiveness on the issue.
STEWARDS have every right to open a new inquiry into the revelation More Joyous had a fitness issue before the Queen Of The Turf Stakes - but how far can they take the matter?
During an inquiry last week, stewards found evidence More Joyuous was showing signs of "lameness" on the Tuesday before the race but those issues were resolved 24 hours later.
More Joyous started $1.65 favourite for the Queen Of The Turf Stakes and was considered a certainty beaten after being blocked for a run before finishing fifth behind Appearance.
Under the rules of racing, trainer Gai Waterhouse has an obligation to inform stewards of any issue that may affect a horse's performance in a race.
The trainer will argue in this case that there was no need to report anything to stewards as More Joyous was fit to run and was obviously very unlucky not to have won the race.
MATHEW CAHILL APPEAL AGAINST YEAR DISQUALIFICATION HEARD THIS THURSDAY
WE have had plenty of e-mails asking whatever happened with the case involving the 12 month disqualification imposed on jockey Mathew Cahill in NSW. Here is an update:
THE long-running The Astronomer case goes to the Racing Appeals Tribunal tomorrow (Thursday).
Jockey Mathew Cahill is appealing against a 12-month disqualification after stewards charged him with not allowing the $3.10 favorite to run on its merits at Goulburn in June last year.
But stewards have launched their own appeal against the disqualifications being overturned for part-owner Guy Orbell and bookmaker Richard Knight in relation to The Astonomer affair.
CALL ON GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE MONEY FOR EAGLE FARM IMPROVEMENTS
PS of ORANGE writes: LAST week I had the opportunity to attend Eagle Farm for the first time in some years as guest of a member.
I have to say that it was a revelation to see the extensive improvements that have been made since the merging of the two clubs. BRC should be proud of the ‘new look’.
I recall that the area under the grandstand was rather dull and nothing more than a bookmakers’ ring. Now it is bright with seating and food and beverage services.
I particularly liked the area out front beside the track. Although the parade ring is now a bit more difficult to get to, I can see a lot of positives from the change.
My whinge comes from the fact that I was told by staff that there has been no money made available for track improvements from the recent grants from Government.
I don’t know the local politics, but if this is true I am astounded. Get to it Mr Newman!
Eagle Farm is one of the best racecourses in Australia.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: IT is my understanding that the current track is to be replaced later this year which will involve the closure of Eagle Farm for several months. That money will no doubt be coming from Racing Queensland via the Government, so there is some action at the station.
CARNIVAL PRIZEMONEY INJECTION FOR QUEENSLAND GREYHOUNDS IN JUNE
SN of the SUNSHINE COAST sent this e-mail: ‘How can stakes be boosted for the greyhound code (in Queensland) when the gallops have been waiting so long for an across-the-board rise?
Without the success of the thoroughbreds the minor codes will not survive, having to bludge off the back of the gallops, especially the trots.
I continue to be amazed at the amount of money being pumped into the minor codes while the gallops have been crying out for an increase for so long.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: Every code is entitled to their share. There has been a number of stakes increases announced for the gallops sector since the LNP Government came to power and Steve Dickson took over as Racing Minister. But there is only so much to go around and the needs of all three codes have to be accommodated as best as possible. Here is a Media Release on the greyhound boost for their winter carnival:
RACING Queensland has announced a prizemoney increase for the greyhound racing code over the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.
Racing Minister Steve Dickson said the extra $269,690 boost from 1 June through to 30 June would attract quality fields and increase turnover.
“The Newman Government has delivered upon our election promise to rebuild a solid, accountable governance structure for racing from the ground up, and this announcement is one of the first outcomes of the new arrangement,” Mr Dickson said.
“The 30,000 strong sector is now being led by its best and brightest, with the return to a code-specific control board model ensuring grassroots industry participants are directly involved in decisions which will build their livelihoods.”
RQ Greyhound Manager Jim Torpey said the prizemoney increase had been an immediate priority for the Queensland Greyhound Racing Board at its first official meeting with industry associations on 21 May.
“It was essential that greyhound racing received a prizemoney increase, and this extra $269,690 is the unused prizemoney from the 2012-2013 financial year,” Mr Torpey said.
“Therefore, it only made sense to utilise that available money and inject it into the prizemoney on offer over the Winter Carnival.
“We hope the injection will attract better fields, which will hopefully then attract higher wagering turnover.”
Mr Torpey said the QGRB decided the Rockhampton Greyhound Racing Club was the main priority to receive additional prizemoney in June.
“Local industry participants were on their knees after the floods which devastated the Rockhampton track earlier this year,” he said.
“They lost seven weeks of racing and countless dollars in prizemoney, so it was only fair to double their prizemoney in June to help the club and its participants get back on their feet.”
PLENTY OF SYMPATHY FOR STEVE HOGNO – A VICTIM OF INJUSTICE IN RACING
WE received several e-mails bagging the latest court decision in the Steve Hogno case. Some, unfortunately, were bordering on defamation of the judiciary. We have run these three in the hope that it gets the general message across.
GA of TOOWOOMBA writes: ‘WHAT a terrific story by Terry Butts (Silks & Saddles column) on the plight confronting Steve Hogno and his partner. It is a true injustice of racing and something that the mainstream media should be covering but that might rock the wrong boats.
I cannot understand how the courts can deem Hogno to be in the wrong when not only the Government but also the Police Commissioner of the day approved the running of the race day at Kooralbyn which was nothing more than a ‘fun’ or ‘picnic meeting.’
It looks to me as though someone back when that occurred had it in for Hogno. We all know how bad things were in that era but to think that even the courts of the day agreed with the decision is quite astonishing.
One wonders what the new Integrity Commissioner for Racing, Mr O’Sullivan, thinks about the situation when he was the Police Commissioner at the time who had no problem with this event that has caused so much financial angst and despair for Steve Hogno.’
And this one:
OC of GOLD COAST asks: ‘CAN someone tell me the difference between the Kooralbyn ‘fun day’ race meeting held over a decade ago and the increasingly popular beach racing event held in Mackay on an annual basis?
It seems incredible that Steve Hogno could be banned for life for starting a horse at the Kooralbyn race day yet can come out last year with another runner and win at the beach meeting in Mackay without any action being taken.
There’s something horribly wrong in racing in Queensland that needs to be corrected. Perhaps the new RQ Board should take a hard look at happened way back then to Hogno and consider pushing for that wrong to be righted, rather than just sweep it under the carpet.
It seems there is not much point Hogno trying to raise his perceived unjust treatment at the upcoming Commission of Inquiry into Racing. Firstly, it wouldn’t fall under the terms of reference and secondly the judge running that Inquiry was one of three who handed down the latest Appeal decision against him in the Kooralbyn case.’
AND finally this one from our old mate Jim Carlton of Greenbank, whose contributions are always extremely popular with readers:
‘CRY ‘Havoc!’ and let slip the dogs of war that this foul deed shall smell above the earth, with carrion men, groaning for burial.
For an inadvertent act Steve Hogno was given a life disqualification for entering a starter into an event whilst being a registered owner.
The ramifications have been most severe; you’d think he’d done a Ronnie Biggs; robbed the churches’ poor box; or was flogging re-roofing to dear old ladies.
The authorities have acted stronger than the beheading sentiments expressed in the French Revolution or akin to shooting deserters and out playing the NKVD which massacred their own troops who’d been captured by the Germans in World War 2 or copying Mexican Antonio López de Santa Anna who decreed no quarter.
There is no conflict resolution, no conciliation and no mediation but it appears as two mating animals locking horns in a death struggle. One ponders the sayings “To err is human, to forgive divine; forgotten is the parable of the lost sheep or Father forgive them for they do not know what they do”.
Our justice does not operate on the racing model – just as well or we’d be back to the chain shackled convict laden hulks that washed upon our shores.
Such purity should be absolute by those appointed to enforcing the rules which should not have any carrion smell by those selected to judgmental positions.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: The law – not only in horse racing – can be hard to follow at times and that is certainly the case with Steve Hogno and so cleverly described by Jim Carlton. What has happened to Steve seems not only unjust but extremely hard to understand. What I can report from my colleague Terry Butts is that Hogno has decided to take the matter further – to the High Court – where he faces the enormous task of having the unanimous decision of three judges overturned. We wish him well and it seems so do a lot of others in racing in Queensland after reading of his plight.
HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT JUSTIFY THIS GRANT TO BEACH HORSE RACING AT MACKAY?
GM of TOWNSVILLE writes: WE are continually told that Racing Queensland cannot go cap in hand to the Government seeking more financial assistance to boost much needed prizemoney increases at the gallops.
That would be much easier to accept if we didn’t hear of this latest gem where the Government is providing $55,000 to the Mackay Beach Horse Racing Festival.
Give us a break this event is a tourism gimmick and the race meeting is not even registered. In fact the Mackay Turf Club rejected an offer from the organizers to run and promote a ‘real’ TAB race meeting in conjunction with it.
How can the Government justify a grant of $55,000 to an unregistered horse racing event when they cannot help the real gallopers and the industry that is returning millions of dollars to their coffers on an annual basis through betting turnover?
The logic – even from a tourist aspect – is a bit hard to follow.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: The grant to the Mackay Beach Horse Racing Festival certainly isn’t a first from Tourism and Events Queensland. This section of Government has proved a good milking cow for the Gold Coast Magic Millions for years and I recall some support for the Brisbane racing carnival in more recent times. This sort of financial support really is more tourist attraction based rather than prizemoney related. HERE is a story on the grant to Mackay Beach Horse Racing reproduced from the DAILY MERCURY and by the way we understand that the organizers are still seeking starters for this year’s event in August:
TWO Mackay events have been given a major funding boost that puts them in the same league as other well-known and standout Queensland events.
Mackay Beach Horse Racing Festival will receive $55,000 from the State Government's $1.5m Tourism and Events Queensland's Regional Development Program and the River 2 Reef Ride is to get $10,000 - both for their 2014 events.
Mackay Beach Horse Racing Festival organiser Mick Pope said the grant was a "phenomenal" boost.
"It will take the festival to the next level," he said.
"We're not too sure how we'll use the funding just yet. But there's a wide variety of things we want to spend the money on."
Mr Pope said they had applied for a $137,000 grant but would be speaking with the government to decide how to use the $55,000 in the next few months. "It's a huge coup for Mackay," he said.
"I think over the next three to four years the festival will be known as one of the major Queensland events for Australian and international tourists. I have to say thanks to Mackay Tourism, Mackay Regional Council, Member for Dawson George Christensen and Member for Whitsunday Jason Costigan, who have all been very supportive."
He said the application process was gruelling but it was pleasing to see the festival was granted the same amount of funding as other well-known events like the Breaka Burleigh Pro and Noosa Jazz Festival.
The PBR Troy Dunn Invitational in Townsville was granted $130,000 over the next three years.
WHEN IS SOMETHING GOING TO BE DONE IN RACING IN QUEENSLAND TO HELP THE OWNER?
PJ of TOOWOOMBA sent this e-mail: ‘I am disgusted that Queensland Racing continues to charge a Starters’ Fee for horses racing in Queensland.
The $173 plus GST that is deducted off owners is basically stealing the prizemoney back off struggling owners.
For instance take a horse that has run third in a bush meeting with $600 advertised prizemoney. The trainer who works seven days a week gets $60; the jockey who risks his life every time he puts his leg over a saddle gets $30 on top of his riding fee; and Racing Queensland takes a Starters’ Fee of $173 plus GST, which amounts to a total of $190.30 to most owners who are not GST registered.
The owner walks away with the princely sum of $319.70. They may as well advertise the prizemoney for running third as $319.70 to the owner; $60 to the trainer and $30 to the jockey.
Is it any wonder that owners are either walking away from the industry or investing in syndicates in Victoria or NSW where at least you are paid a Starters’ Fee?
Come on (RQ Chairman) Kevin Dixon this Starters’ Fee needs to be given back to the owners and give the industry some leadership and start paying a Starters’ Fee.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: I would suggest PJ that you take this issue up with the Owners’ Association but I am sure their hard working president Kerrina King would already be aware of the concerns that you express. Unfortunately the QROA don’t seem to have the same political pull with certain high profile RQ officials as the Queensland branch of the Australian Trainers’ Association (once strongly aligned to the Bob Bentley Board). More the pity from an RQ perspective as the ATA certainly doesn’t represent the majority view of trainers in Queensland, more so those in Brisbane from what I am told.
WHAT IS GOING ON AT TVN – BANS ON UPLOADING OF VIDEOS AND EXHORBITANT SALARIES?
JUST when they were winning the war with SKY in the eyes of many – from the punting public to insiders in racing – TVN seems determined to blow both legs off.
The joint seems to be rudderless at present with the ‘name game’ continuing over who will be the CEO and former News Limited boss John Hartigan no closer to accepting the role of chairman, especially while Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys is in the fold.
But there are other problems confronting TVN. A ban on the up-loading of racing videos is causing a major stir in the industry and there are more than ripples of discontent over the salaries allegedly being paid to some of those covering racing in Sydney and Melbourne for the broadcaster.
Rival turf journalists are telling stories of unbelievable salary packages in the $200,000 to $300,000 range being paid to TVN news gatherers who supply the information for the Racing Network website which, when it comes to hits, is being blown out of the water by the popular Racing Victoria site where the workers are paid considerably less.
This is how the widely read Racing Bitch column out of Hong Kong reported on the controversial TVN ban on video uploads:
AT a time when anyone in any industry that has a video wants as many people as possible to view it, racing channel in Australia – TVN - is banning the uploading of all videos to which they, apparently, own the Copyright. Apparently. Could this just be false bravado? A bluff?
Good grief, TVN is not a group of desperate music companies trying to make up for loss of sales and views of horse racing videos - real and manufactured through bought-for views that barely hit the 200 mark.
It’s not exactly like banning the rights to exclusive videos by U2, or Madonna or Nirvana and the Beatles, the Stones and Dylan. But even videos of these million-selling artists are all over the net including millions of bootleg videos which are shared by music fans.
However, for horse racing fans, TVN has blocked them watching the races of some of the country’s greatest horses.
The question is why those running the channel are squirreling the visual Rights to these videos. Saving them for a rainy day? And then what? What’s the end game?
Make racing in Oz even more parochial than it is today?
It doesn’t make any sense and all it does is piss off racing fans. It lowers their enthusiasm in supporting the sport and seems to be one of those stupid corporate moves where the heads of racing clubs decide to cut off their noses to spite their faces and have made a knee-jerk reaction and are now too stubborn to say, ‘Whoops! We f…ing goofed!’
This is the same dumbass thinking that made music fans - and recording artists - say to music companies, we’re not gonna take it and work on Maggie’s Farm no more and ended up challenging these so-called Rights.
The online world is one grey ball of confusion. There are NO LAWS no matter what any lawyers say.
Yes, one cannot rip off a piece of music and use it on a video - but even this is seldom monitored.
Where TVN will HAVE to make a u-turn is when horse owners demand that their videos be shown on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and every other social media platform available - and are sued for the time wasted on the channel and its executives digging their heels in and saying No without understanding why.
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.