THE WEDNESDAY WHINGE is back for 2014 in a new format. We won’t be dispensing with some of our old favorites and will continue to focus on THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY side of what has happened in racing over the past week. We will also provide an opportunity for The Cynics to Have Their Say. There will also be the stories that you might have missed in the week just ended especially with racing news now harder to access because of space limitations in the mainstream media. Wishing all our website supporters, readers and contributors to this column a prosperous and safe 2014 and may you find many winners.
A CONCERNING ISSUE THAT NEEDS ADDRESSING BY AUTHORITIES 
ONE of the major areas of concern from contributors to the Wednesday Whinge over the past 12 months has been the corporate bookmakers – from the profits they earn going off-shore to their treatment of any punter who enjoys some success. Several agencies have closed the accounts of these punters down.
We start a new year of the WW with this extremely serious email that needs to be addressed nationally and internationally before there big punters completely desert the Australian product at some major venues, especially Sydney.
It reads:
‘SOME time ago you wrote that stipendiary stewards had the right to peruse the betting sheets on all races run in Australia. Does the same apply to corporate bookmakers? Do stewards have the right to summons particular betting sheets?
In this case it really doesn’t matter as my concern is the overseas betting exchanges operating in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur where there is of course no access for stewards and that’s a pity.
I understand these exchanges make Betfair look like small fry in their respective turnover comparisons. And there is a suggestion they (the exchanges) are having a deleterious effect on racing (horses and greyhounds) and football in this country, particularly greyhounds.
Apparently they don’t rely on Australian punters. They are just happy to cater for the thousands of cashed-up gambling fanatics on their doorstep.
They only want our gambling mediums and it’s a known fact that Chinese are predominantly each-way punters – and the shorter the odds the better.
Have you noticed how many short-priced favorites have missed a place in recent months, especially at the dogs, both in the city and provincials? The same is happening with the horses, too, especially in Brisbane and Sydney.
Of course, it could be a coincidence.
Mind you it doesn’t take a lot of money to make any dog in a race an odds-on favorite because of the often low betting pools. They see a favorite in Singapore and Bingo - they’re on!
By the way is one of our larger totes somehow involved – accepting commissions and offering price services?
Just wondering but perhaps someone in authority who cares about the policing of racing in Australia might take a closer look.’ – A.F.P. (a former punter, not all that small either) – not to be confused with similar initials for something else – thought maybe – just maybe – they should have a snoop.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We forwarded your concerns A.F.P. to a couple of high profile integrity identities that we respect in this country. They were already aware of the situation and are looking at ways of investigating just who in Australia is illegally getting money out of these Asian betting agencies but information is not easy to access.
BIGGEST CONTROVERSY OF THE RACING WEEK: 
CONFIRMATION that racing control bodies are set to challenge an Australian Taxation Office finding that jockeys are entitled to superannuation payments dating back more than 20 years.
HERE is what some of our readers had to say on the issue:
‘WHO does ARB boss Peter McGauran think he is bagging jockeys for making public the ruling that they could and should be entitled to superannuation, not to mention his outrageous suggestion that their claims is unethical?
Does he think that every jockey earns millions of dollars each year? There are a heap of battlers out there risking their lives going around every week who are entitled like any other worker to superannuation.
In fact it could be argued that they are more entitled to it as their profession doesn’t have the life-span of so many others. The ARB and Mr McGauran should be protecting the interests of all sections of the industry – and that includes the jockeys.’
And this one:
‘If inevitably the owners are forced to foot the bills for superannuation payments to jockeys then there is going to be a lot less of us.
As if it isn’t expensive enough to race a horse nowadays without another impost like this.
If the jockeys are granted retrospective superannuation payments and the authorities refuse to cough up this significant amount of money, where is it going to come from?
Most trainers cannot afford to pay it and would only pass that cost on to owners. And owners have simply had a gutful of increasing costs in racing horses.
Someone needs to think long and hard before this issue gets out of hand.’
And finally:
‘One suspects the Australian Racing Board wouldn’t be as opposed to payment if it was something for the breeding industry rather than the jockeys who risk their necks every time they jump on a horse.
The ARB is too top heavy with breeders at present and one wonders if CEO Peter McGauran would be as outspoken if the millions were being directed to that section of the industry and not to the jockeys.
As Des O’Keefe, representing the jockeys said in a recent radio interview, the way this whole situation has been handled is hardly conducive to a satisfactory outcome. He was particularly critical of a statement by Peter McGauran from the ARB that: “If we are deemed (by the ATO) to be the employer who must pay the superannuation, we will pull out of facilitating their riding fees and they can collect their own fees (from owners and/or trainers).”
I, for one, hope the jockeys win the right to superannuation and to collect payments from past years and I hope that a court ruling forces the ARB to back-down on its current stance.
Other industries have to contribute to superannuation – why should racing be any different?’
EDITOR’S NOTE: IT should be pointed out that the ARB agrees with the country’s 850 jockeys receiving superannuation provided it is assessed on riding fees and not prizemoney percentages. Peter McGaurant has said: “they can’t have their cake and eat it too.”
HERE is an interesting story on the above situation by BRENDAN COMICK in THE AUSTRALIAN this week:
RACING powerbrokers have threatened to challenge in the High Court a preliminary Australian Taxation Office finding that jockeys could be entitled to superannuation payments dating back more than 20 years, claiming it could financially cripple the industry.
An ATO decision paper is expected in the next few months.
Guaranteed superannuation payments amounting to nine per cent of wages were introduced in 1991 but, with sportspeople and entertainers, whoever paid them was deemed to be the employer.
The principal racing bodies in each state pay riding fees, on average $170, to jockeys. The Australian Racing Board argues that it collects the payments from racehorse owners and that the owners are the true employer.
ARB chief executive Peter McGuaran vowed the industry would not accept it was responsible for any retrospective payments. “The Jockeys Association have taken this issue into the public arena and that is the first mistake they’ve made,” McGuaran said on Melbourne’s racing industry-owned radio station RSN (on Monday).
“The second is to hold a gun to the head of the racing authorities; that we must pay a retrospective superannuation levy payment when clearly that lacks credibility. Moreover it is an unethical claim.”
The AJA might be able to seek $60 million and, theoretically, the racing authorities could pay.
McGuaran said: “The clause states whoever pays the jockey is deemed to be the employer. On the plain reading of it, the principal racing authorities in each state are the employers.
“When you take into account that we don’t engage jockeys, we don’t instruct them, we don’t rehire or dismiss them, we cannot be the employer.”
AJA chairman Ross Inglis said: “We’re waiting for a ruling on the ATO and we’ll abide by the umpire’s decision.
“We’re not looking to hold the racing industry to financial ransom.”
THE EAST COAST SCENE: 
BRISBANE
THERE has been the traditional response to Magic Millions week from the cynics – too much media hype, too much industry and Government support for a private enterprise venture and questions over the legality of the big day as the primary Saturday meeting.
Here is an example of feedback we received that hopefully gets the general message across:
‘WE continue to be told by industry leaders and the Government how important the Magic Millions carnival is to our economy and the sport in general.
I would have thought the biggest beneficiary of the week was the Magic Millions Company or more to the point owner Gerry Harvey.
Let’s face it the windfall that occurs through the yearling sales goes into company profits or mostly the pocket of Mr Harvey, who for years bleated about taking the event away from the Gold Coast if the Government didn’t continue to financial support it.
It wouldn’t work anywhere else but those responsible for pulling the money strings took the bait hook, line and sinker. MM continues to be run at the Gold Coast where there are now improved facilities to accommodate the crowd that it attracts once a year.
But as an owner – who doesn’t support the Millions – might I argue that there is a restriction of trade when a race meeting – for graduates of the MM sales only – holds primary status on a Saturday in Queensland.
Owners are entitled to race for the major money every Saturday without any strings attached. At least there is a fixture for provincial stakes now run in Brisbane on the same day but it is still not good enough – and totally unfair.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: WHILST I sympathize with those who aren’t able to race for metropolitan money on Saturday, it is only once a year. Magic Millions is still one of the biggest drawcards on the Queensland calendar – which the industry desperately needs every year. The positives far outweigh the negatives and although most of the highly priced horses will be offered from outside the state and sold to owners from outside the state, the sales results and performance speak for themselves. Add to that the appearance of one of my favorite people in racing in Francesca Cumani as Magic Millions Ambassador and I’m certainly not going to bag the event.
SYDNEY 
THE shock decision by Denise Martin, one of the pioneers of racehorse syndication in this country, to end a long and successful association with her close friend, champion trainer Gai Waterhouse, sent shock-waves through the industry.
It also attracted the usual amount of ‘Gai’ bashing emails – none of a positive nature we might mention – so we decided to give one of a not so nasty variety a run seeing these contributors took the time and deserve their say.
‘IT could be argued that there is no loyalty where the Waterhouse stable is concerned even though we are told the looming split with Star Thoroughbreds is an amicable one.
Denise Martin, being the wonderful, caring lady that she is, went to great lengths to avoid any controversy, when she issued a Media Release stating: “I have an excellent personal relationship with Gai and her team and I look forward to continued success with the large number of horses Gai currently trains for our Star owners.”
But in announcing that all yearlings purchased by Star Thoroughbreds this year – usually not an inconsiderable number – would be trained by Chris Waller, Martin went on to say: “My decision is purely business based and I’m looking forward to the next challenge in the life of Star Thoroughbreds.”
The rumor mill has been in over-drive for weeks now that the Waterhouse-Martin business relationship was on the rocks. Perhaps it had something to do with Bruce Slade, a bloodstock director for Waterhouse in recent years, becoming a director of Round Table Racing in more recent times. All that group’s horses will be trained by Waterhouse.
Changes happen in racing but I would just like to add that when it comes to loyalty there are plenty who believe that has been lacking in more recent times in the Waterhouse stable – Martin the latest example of a situation that was highlighted when long-time owner John Singleton split the camp in controversial circumstances last year.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: THIS latest news just adds to the changing landscape that is Sydney racing. Chris Waller is now so far in front of Waterhouse in the training stakes that she will struggle to ever compete at premiership level. And we have John O’Shea set to take up the head training role at Darley in May with Peter and Paul Snowden going freelance afer six successful years at the helm of that group.
MELBOURNE: 
THE Bill Vhalos controversy continues to haunt racing in Victoria and whilst most of the emails that we received on this topic over the holiday break are ‘too hot to handle legally’ here is one that we were cleared to run from AUB TUCKER of MELBOURNE:
‘I read an article (January 3) in the Herald Sun where prominent owner Nick Columb bagged the crap out of Racing Integrity Commissioner Sal Perna for not doing the job of the Victorian Police or perhaps the Australian Crimes Commission when it came to the now-defunct punters’ club - The Edge.
The question that wasn’t addressed and seems to be relevant or perhaps ‘appropriate’ in the circumstances was why the police (in my words) ‘hit big Nick on the arse with a bridle’?
After reading the story there seems to be an axe to grind over who said or did what about ‘The Edge’.
Might I suggest the author of the story must be thankful for such a ‘great milking cow’ who helps to keep his job safe or on the other hand is it the face/voice of the past trying to kick start a new career now his best mate is running Australian Racing?
I feel that the old saying ‘ignorance is bliss’ maybe relevant to a lot of ‘gutter like coverage’ this issue has received.
The arguably criminal-like facts behind this dreadful affair all seem to fall under the one heading – GREED.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: HERE’S an article from a rival newspaper, THE AGE, written by PATRICK BARLTEY and BEN BUTLER, that we felt was worth reproducing that looks at whether the sales companies have to accept some of the responsibility and tighten their reins as Racing Victoria has suggested:
WHEN retail mogul Gerry Harvey looks out over the crowd at his Magic Millions thoroughbred auctions on the Gold Coast (this week), one familiar face is likely to be missing.
Bill Vlahos, who for the past few years has spent up big with Magic Millions and competitor Inglis, has gone to ground following the spectacular collapse of his punting club, ‘The Edge’, and his racing empire, BC3 Thoroughbreds.
But it is not just at the Magic Millions and at Inglis sales in March that the Vlahos effect will be felt. His credit-fuelled buying binge also raises questions about the tactics adopted by some breeders to pump up the price of highly fancied yearlings and the red-hot market created in the frenzied atmosphere of the auction ring.
While almost every other aspect of racing, from betting to racehorse syndication to the races themselves, is tightly regulated and policed, the auction yards remain an unfettered free market. There is talk in racing circles of secret commissions paid to underbidders, and of pre-sale arrangements to ‘run up’ the price of favored yearlings well above their valuations.
The Vlahos imbroglio has the potential to scare off would-be horse owners – the large offshore buyers, who in recent years have underpinned the industry’s main auctions, and the smaller individual investors considering taking a stake in a thoroughbred.
Uncertainty still surrounds the ownership of ‘Jimmy’, the colt Vlahos bought for a record $5 million at last year’s Inglis Easter yearling sales in Sydney.
It is not even clear who will get the insurance money, due to be paid by an overseas syndicate, following the death of the horse last Sunday.
There had never been anything like this in the hundred years Inglis had held its Easter sales at Randwick. The auctions have survived wars, an outbreak of botulism and even an occasion when Bart Cummings was unable to pay his bills.
But on April 9, with Black Caviar just days away from winning an incredible 25th race in a row, all eyes were on lot 131: her half-brother, ”Jimmy”, a brown yearling by champion sire Redoute’s Choice.
The pressure was immense. More than 2000 people turned out to watch the bidding, and many thousands watched on TV.
What the thousands watching did not know was that vets who had inspected Jimmy had already raised questions about the horse’s soundness to race, which Fairfax Media understands put several international investors off bidding. Whatever the internationals thought, Adam Sangster, the son of world racing legend and pools magnate Robert, was first to put his hand up, bidding $2m.
Vlahos, standing under a fig tree long associated with big bids, entered the fray when the price hit $4m.
With his first bid, he had already exceeded the credit limit set for him by Inglis by $1m. With cameras already firmly focused on him, he was allowed to continue. Sangster and his Swettenham Stud matched Vlahos bid-for-bid as the price climbed in $100,000 increments.
But as the auctioneer called a bid of $5m by Sangster, his nerve – or perhaps his budget – failed.
TV cameras captured him furiously gesticulating to auctioneer Peter Heagney, indicating his bid was $4.9m. Vlahos, who later said he planned to dip out at $4.5m, picked up the horse for $5m.
Seller Rick Jamieson, who owns events and catering outfit Harry The Hirer, banked his share of the sale proceeds within weeks. He retained a 10 per cent stake in the horse, making his share $4.5m, minus Inglis’ commission.
For Vlahos, it was yet another horse bought on the never-never. While it was his biggest buy, it was only the latest in a string of big-money transactions with Inglis and Magic Millions.
The previous year he paid $2.6m for another of Black Caviar’s relatives, a half-sister now known as Belle Couture. In the first three months of last year, he ran up bills of $5.9m with Inglis and $1.36m with Magic Millions. As late as November, Inglis believed that Vlahos was on the verge of paying, and told Fairfax Media his account was in order.
However, even as Vlahos made that winning bid in April, he knew his punting club was edging towards collapse. In a series of emails dating to January, he had warned his thousands of investors that the club was having cash-flow problems and should be wound up.
Just a few weeks after lashing out on Jimmy, Vlahos was begging for patience from punting club members who wanted their money back.
”The bottom line is, I need everyone to contact me about what is realistic for them to hold out for and what needs to be paid straight away,” he said in an email to members. ”I am not asking anyone to do anything other than what they are comfortable doing.”
Now, The Edge appears to have blown up, taking with it the $500m in paper profits its members once thought existed.
The collapse of the Vlahos operation also threatens the balance sheets of Inglis and Magic Millions.
Financial accounts for Magic Millions are not available, but those filed by Inglis show the amount of credit it advanced to buyers, including Vlahos, has ballooned dramatically over the past three years.
At the end of June 2011, buyers owed Inglis about $50m. The figure was $59m the following year, and jumped to $66m last year.
The credit Inglis advances to buyers is supported by its borrowings, which have risen from about $30mn to about $39mn over the same period.
Those borrowings include a $5mn loan from the Australian Turf Club, due to be repaid or refinanced by July 1.
The death of Jimmy threatens Inglis’ bottom line. If it cannot recover the $5mn insurance policy, that amount will have to be written off. This would eclipse the profit Inglis declared last year of $3.8mn.
However, determining who receives the insurance is a puzzle administrators of BC3 have yet to solve. In addition to Inglis, those with a claim to a share of the money include investors who bought a stake in the horse from BC3 and other secured creditors such as Magic Millions.
At this year’s sales, buyers are all but certain to put yearling valuations under scrutiny like never before. Authorities – racing and law enforcement – are also likely to be keen observers.
THE NARCS HAVE THEIR SAY ON CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES 
THE call – and problems associated with it – by Pat O’Shea of the Bernborough Handicap at the opening meeting of the new Toowoomba track attracted many emails and callers.
Most were of a critical nature early and prompted us to follow up on their suggestion that perhaps it was time for O’Shea to ‘hang up the binoculars.’ We were subsequently bagged for that call and told we owed Pat an apology as circumstances beyond his control caused the broadcast problems he encountered.
The Toowoomba Turf Club was also quick to jump to the defense of the O’Shea call and Chairman Bob Frappell had this to say on the Racing Queensland website:
‘I would like to clarify that (Pat’s) call was hampered by technical difficulties in the Toowoomba broadcast box which interfered with (his) broadcast equipment and binoculars.
This was very unfortunate and we apologize for any negativity this has created surrounding the race broadcast.’
Having spoken to racing identities close to the action on the night we accept the explanation from Mr Frappell and wish Pat well in his recuperation from illness and a continuation of his long and successful calling career.
But not everyone agrees and here are two opposing views that we have chosen to run from the dozen or more received on the O’Shea call:
‘YOUR WEBSITE OWES PAT O’SHEA AN APOLOGY’
‘YOUR website in its normal gutter style decided to kick a sick guy when he was down and not only failed to check your facts but had no idea of the problems involved in the call of the Bernborough Handicap by Pat O’Shea.
Not only did a technician in the broadcast box interfere with his call and equipment but technical difficulties were also responsible for the problems with the public address system on the night which the club will work to ensure are not repeated.
Both these things were beyond the control of Pat and the club but that didn’t stop you from doing a job on them obviously courtesy of a few gutter snipes from Toowoomba who just cannot accept that Neville Stewart and Bob Bentley are gone and that Bob Frappell and Kevin Dixon are doing a far better job.
The best race broadcaster in the world would not have been able to defeat the obstacles placed in the path of Pat which unfortunately conspired to embarrass him when the most important race came around.
You owe him an apology not an excuse for why you ran that awful story.’
‘DID THE TTC GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO COVER UP A BAD CALL?’
And this one:
‘IT seems that the Toowoomba Turf Club and some key figures in the industry on the Downs will go to great lengths to protect the career of veteran race-caller Pat O’Shea.
Anyone who has ever called a race would recognize that the excuses being offered for the failure of Pat to identify the winner of the Bernborough Handicap were self inflicted not technically related.
They would have us believe that a technician interfered with the O’Shea call, caused problems with the focus of his binoculars and was responsible for an extremely embarrassing situation.
Are we to believe that any race-caller would allow a technician to interfere with the job he is doing calling any race – let alone the main one of the meeting?
Are we to believe that the O’Shea binoculars were only put out of focus when it came to identifying the one horse – the winner which he didn’t pick up until the field was past the winning post – while he was able to call every other runner, including one that should have won?
Are we to believe that he watches races through his binoculars over the final furlong when most callers look at the live TV coverage (there is a story doing the rounds that this wasn’t working)?
Why not just say like happens to many other top callers – I got it wrong on the night – but got on with the job. We all make mistakes.’
PROFESSIONAL PUNTERS STEERING CLEAR OF ‘ON THE NOSE’ SYDNEY 
SYDNEY racing is well and truly under a cloud at present with professional punters steering well clear. We know of one punter who previously invested six figure sums every Saturday who will no longer bet there because he has lost confidence in the integrity of the product.
THE situation was pretty well summed up by this close follower of Sydney racing:
‘MY mates and I reckoned the situation on the track in Sydney couldn’t get any worse – but it has.
We are sick to the teeth of the form reversals, the favorites getting beaten for no apparent reason and the lack of action by stewards – who seem to open inquiries but do little about it.
There was a time when the racing media in Sydney would turn a blind eye to the situation. But all of sudden they seem to have decided – enough is enough – especially Kenny Callander and good on him for having a go.
How much longer are these failures by favorites, shocking rides by top jockeys and wins by second stringers from leading stables going to be tolerated?
My mates and I fear forever. That is why we are now betting on racing in Melbourne. We wouldn’t bet in Brisbane or Adelaide if they gave us the money, especially the Gold Coast.’
MURRIHY WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR THE WRONG REASONS – V’LANDYS WON’T 
And then there was this one from PETER BROWNE of RANDWICK:
‘I was interested to read the coverage of the criticism by some high profile members of the racing media in Sydney which was in my view far from complimentary of the stewards’ race day activities.
Sitting on the sidelines and not having all the facts before me it is difficult to arrive at a fair and reasonable assessment of the present situation.
Two issues do stand out and need to be addressed before judgment day.
Firstly, in defense of the Sydney stewards the hearings that they conduct are judged on criminal law guidelines. There is no such thing as ‘stewards’ opinions’ any more.
The hearings have become bogged down and are great money-spinners for some barristers and the like who manipulate the ‘domestic legal system.’
I am reminded of tow truck drivers who will have one of their trucks stationed at any given spot to pick up the dregs of a road accident.
Secondly, it would be a pity if Ray Murrihy stayed on in his present position for too long.
Like a used car, Murrihy will go past the point of ‘sale’, so to speak, by hanging around for too long.
There is no doubt he has few peers in his line of work but there are behind the scenes suggestions that would indicate that interference from the Racing NSW CEO has made his job impossible.
Unfortunately Mr Murrihy will be remembered for what he didn’t do in the twilight of his career. Mr Valandys won’t be remembered at all.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: FOR those who missed it here is what KEN CALLANDER had to say in his DAILY TELEGRAPH column this week:
SYDNEY Saturday race crowds are getting close to embarrassing and they won't hit an upward spiral in the foreseeable future if we have more performances like The Alfonso and Darci Drama turned in on Saturday.
The Alfonso was to some extent the victim of media hype, of which I am one of the culprits, but for a $2.10 favourite he could not have gone much worse.
As for Darci Drama, she eased from $2.70 to $3.80 after being sensationally backed from $5.50 to $3.60 in a controversial Canterbury race at her previous run when she raced out to a five-lengths lead over 1550m and bolted in.
On Saturday, over a longer distance, but with no blinkers on this time, she was being ridden along most of the way back in fourth place while the heavily backed $2.60 favourite Reply Churlish bowled along unchallenged in the lead.
If you are wondering whether I am talking through my pocket, I am with The Alfonso because I backed him, but you have to remember that the few people who still come to the races come to have a bet. How many do you think would be there if you couldn't have a bet?
RACING MEDIA IN QLD MORE ABOUT ‘PROPAGANDA THAN PROPER COVERAGE’ 
GRAHAM SCHOOY of BRISBANE sent this email:
‘MANY of your readers might not be aware that Wayne Wilson has for many years written a racing column for his local fish and chip wrapper ‘Bayside and Northern Star’.
In a recent column, while commenting on the revival of the Queensland Racing Media Association he stated: “To have a united media looking at promoting and protecting the industry is essential.”
I am completely flabbergasted by such a statement. Silly me, I thought the role of the media in society was to report, analyze and criticize.
Wilson’s perception of the role of the media seems to be exactly the same of a marketing department. It is also known as propaganda.
No wonder old hacks like himself and the retired ‘journalist’ from the Courier-Mail have found their way on to the racing payroll in their retirements.
At least in Sydney we have two columnists like Ken Callendar and Max Presnell who don’t view their role as protectors of the industry.
You’ve got to ask: What are they protecting us all from?
Maybe those evil websites that don’t fawn and gush over every announcement from the Deagon bunker.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: MY thoughts on some past and present members of the mainstream racing media in Queensland and their ‘suck up to survive’ mentality are well documented. It’s 2014 so why bore you with detail that goes back a decade.
PHOTO OF THE RACING WEEK 
OUR good website mate, Anthony ‘Dougo’ Douglas, has been holidaying with his brother’s family in Britain for the New Year and feeling withdrawal symptoms because he will miss one of his favorite meetings of the year, the Magic Millions.
‘Dougo’ has been to a jumps race meeting, the rugby and the darts – but reckons he can’t wait to get home – via Europe – because the weather is too cold for him.
A Townsville-based lawyer and North Queensland's most eligible bachelor, 'Dougo' is heading home next week. Sorry girls, there may be some sad news though. Our mail from Europe is that he could soon be out of circulation - racing's loss will be medicine's gain we are told.
Bookies report a major downturn in activity while Dougo has been absent and with his boss, Barry Taylor, deputy chairman of the All Codes Board who also likes a bet, out of the country for Christmas doing it tough in Bali.
THE CRYSTAL BALL – TIME WILL TELL WHETHER IT IS RIGHT OR WRONG
IS THERE NOT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST FOR THIS INTERVIEW PANEL? 
NOT that long ago the mail was strong that MARTIN KNIBBS was a ‘shoe in’ for the job of Chief Steward at the gallops in Queensland following the promotion that Wade Birch received.
Now, it seems, the tipsters of all things off the track are not so confident.
GREG RUDOLPH, the high profile Sydney-based steward and son-in-law of Ray Murrihy, has firmed to favoritism for the role with an announcement expected in the next couple of weeks.
Meanwhile, interviews are underway with a big field lining up for the job of Chief Steward in Townsville where former top jockey GARY PALMER remains the hot favorite.
Those who were supporting PATRICK COOPER to make a return to the fold have lost confidence following news leaked in the last few days that his telephone interview for the job will be conducted by Wade Birch and Alan Reardon.
There is plenty of criticism and cries of conflict of interest with some suggesting Cooper is a ‘million to one’ to get the nod as they believe Birch and Reardon are from the old school of Steve Railton where there was much dislike for Cooper and the job he did.
In fact history from the racing files and inquiries will show that a Rockhampton decision by Cooper which was investigated by Railton and Reardon at the instigation of a prominent bookmaker caused a major dust-up at Board level when Bob Bentley was boss.
RQ insists that the best credentialed men for the job will get both jobs mentioned above and that politics or past dramas will have no bearing on the outcome. Here’s hoping so!
HOW MUCH START DOES TOOWOOMBA NEED TO PULL RACING OFF THE CANVAS? 
FEELING continues to run high between some northern club officials and their counterparts on the Downs.
There is a belief that the Toowoomba Turf Club has too much start with Racing Queensland and that TAB clubs in the north of the state are suffering because of this.
Here is an example of the bad blood that exists in the words of an email from an owner in the north:
‘IT will be interesting to see who gets the blame if the new venture at Toowoomba proves a failure after the perceived start the club has received from some at Racing Queensland.
One could argue that there isn’t a club in the state that has been afforded more start than Toowoomba since Kevin Dixon took over as Chairman of RQ.
Terry Butts summed it up in his column this week when he wrote:
TO say there is an undercurrent of envy and resentment among northerners over the way Toowoomba was allowed gatecrash or jump the queue for funds last year is an understatement.
Everyone knows Townsville was in the queue for financial help way ahead of Toowoomba which had voted (yes voted) to waste millions on a cushion track back in the Bentley regime.
It didn’t work so the club wanted to revert back to turf.
No problem with that.
But in the minds of many it was obscene the way Toowoomba was allowed to jump the queue.
It will be remembered as the leap frog the year in fact , brazen as could be and complete with the blessing of our so-called Racing Minister who has won no votes (Cairns excluded) in this part of the world.
Now I don’t know what the holds were like when the cushion track was operating but I am reliably informed these weren’t much better for the first meeting on the new grass circuit at Toowoomba on Saturday night.
But I guess we won’t read much about that from the scribes in the south or they will put some slant (or add some imaginary fixed odds figures to the turnover) to make it look better.’
TRANSFERRING MEETINGS TO SKY’S RACING RUBBISH CHANNEL WON’T HELP TURNOVER 
RACING Queensland and the Trainers’ Association have come under fire over the decision to transfer the Ipswich meeting because of the heatwave conditions from last Friday to Sunday rather than Monday.
Here is an example of one email that we received:
‘MANY trainers were far from impressed when the Ipswich meeting was transferred to Sunday rather than Monday and nor were the punters when it was relegated to lowly coverage on SKY2 – the racing rubbish channel.
While RQ Chairman Kevin Dixon insisted ‘Sunday was a better fit than Monday’ for a number of reasons, there was a school of thought in the industry that some in high places didn’t want Ipswich to clash with Albion Park trots for ‘political reasons.’
One has to question the reasoning of Mr Dixon that revenue lost by moving to Sunday would be minimal compared to a Monday time-slot. Considering Ipswich was relegated to the ‘lowest of lows’ – Sky2 on Sunday – the turnover would have been terrible anyway.
Don’t worry about clashing with the Sunshine Coast fellas. As long as we don’t upset Kev at the trots and force him to get on the blower to some of his mates at George Street all will be well.
And what about the weak-kneed response of the Trainers’ boss who admitted disappointment that RQ hadn’t consulted his organisation but understood the decision that was made.
As one trainer quipped: ‘Perhaps our old boss is still suffering ‘heat stress’ from the Gold Coast on Saturday after watching the horse he once trained come out of retirement and continue its meteoric rise for rival mentor by winning the Goldmarket.’
IT SOUNDS LIKE A ‘CATHOLIC CONSPIRACY’ IN RACING BUT IT WON’T HAPPEN 
THE rumor mill has been strong that John O’Shea wants former Queensland trainer SHAUN DWYER to be the new Darley stable trainer in Victoria.
The stronger the story gets – O’Shea and Dwyer are great mates – the stronger the denials.
One suspects however that Shaun, who has been enjoying his share of success in Victoria, is drifting to long odds to join O’Shea at Darley when he takes over from Peter Snowden in May.
There are those however who believe that Dwyer would provide the calming influence that worries many when times get tough and the pressure is on for O’Shea in his new role.
TRAINER BANNED FOR SEVEN YEARS BECAUSE HIS ‘DOGS WERE DRUNK AT THE RACES’ 
AND for those of you who had a little too much to drink during the holiday period we thought this story from the NEWCASTLE HERALD might be of interest:
HUNTER trainer and breeder Wayne Vanderburg has been banned for seven years after two of his greyhounds were found to be affected by alcohol in races at The Gardens in what is believed to be a first for racing of any code in Australia.
Greyhound Racing NSW stewards concluded an inquiry on Wednesday into urine samples taken from Vanderburg-trained Where’s Dobie and Pink Sock at The Gardens on February 25, 2012, and March 31, 2012, respectively.
The samples were found to contain abnormal levels of metabolites of ethanol – ethanol glucuronide and ethyl sulphate.
The suspicions of GRNSW stewards were raised after both greyhounds performed poorly.
Stewards moved to impound the pair in April, 2012, and tests determined that resting levels of the metabolites in each greyhound were significantly less than those in the race-day samples.
Vanderburg, from Sawyers Gully, gave evidence at the inquiry on May 22, September 18 and December 2 this year.
In seeking to explain the test results, Vanderburg told the inquiry he regularly used a mixture of penetrene and methylated spirits on the skin of the greyhounds in work and methylated spirits to the toes and quicks of some greyhounds in his kennel.
But GRNSW rejected his explanation for the high levels of alcohol found in the dogs.
Vanderburg, who was assisted at the two recent hearings by Mark Higgins and Vince Murphy, pleaded guilty on December 2 to three charges of presenting his greyhounds for racing not free of prohibited substances.
He was disqualified for seven years on each charge, but the suspensions are to be served concurrently.
Stewards said they took into account the unique circumstance of the case as well as footage of the races and "the impact such reports have on the welfare of the industry".
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