Racehorse TALK

More likely that those who know don't tell.

Headlines in the Whinge section today are all about the Terry Butts saga......no support for RQL's apparent vendetta and on face value it looks like RQL are on a hiding to nothing.

JL disclose a little inside info on his time with RQ when withdrawing media accreditation  from a couple of local scribes was contemplated  until he convinced them  it was not a very good idea. 

My info is that DD is spot on.  They left it in previous start when the bet was huge.  They went after it with justifiable confidence at Doomben and got the bickies.  Just good punting on good form.

 

He might be composing a "song" about them DD

 

I thought the below comment in the stewards report off the mark however.

Stewards advised both parties that in their view it would have been a better option to ride GOLDEN CYGNET more conservatively bearing in mind the step up in class from its most recent start but were not of the view that further action was warranted.

If you are racing up in class therefore you need to be written conservatively seems to me a baseless statement - I don't know how they are going to police this gem.

No surprise that the main topic of discussion on this week's Wednesday Whinge is the Gold Coast protest.

http://www.letsgohorseracing.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2089:wednesday-whinge-have-your-say&catid=42:qld-a-rest&Itemid=69

This is from an opinion piece in the SMH by Chris Roots reproduced on the WW

It might be time for the protests to be taken out of jockeys', trainers' and connections' hands and leave it to someone independent of the stewards' panel at the track. This would have to be a person well experienced in racing, who understands the complexities of the sport.
Most cases of interference are obvious. The shift from No Looking Back was clear on Saturday and an independent body would have fired in an objection immediately.
Instead of jockeys giving statements, the independent official could run the case and stewards could ask questions. It would take the pressure off jockeys, trainers and owners.
They would still have a role to play but would not be responsible for pushing the case.

 I don't see any merit in this suggestion even if they could find  anyone better qualified than the stewards........ there are likely to be disappointments and disagreements whoever has the aurthority.

Imagine implementing this in Qld ......who would be first in line.......the experienced adjudicators on QCAT who are continually criticised in the racing media for their lack of knowledge and understanding of the racing industry.

The independent umpire suggestion attracted the support of one Sydneysider who thinks it should be taken a bit further and exclude owners from the room during protests.

This would be a denial of their right to natural justice IMO and will never get up in any fair system.

I didn't see the TV vision of the stewards room on Saturday and it would have been standing room only if all the syndicate members and part owners of the contestants were allowed in.....there has to be limits on the space  available......maybe only the managers got entry which should satisfy the owners.

Another hard hitting contribution from our local race caller all het up over the protest opined it should have been dismissed on his assertion it didn't satisfy the test of " beyond all reasonable doubt."....... but that's not how the stewards saw it.

He quoted former steward John Schreck's line "when in doubt throw it out" but that clearly wasn't the case in the minds of the stewards on the day.

Protests are covered in the Aust Rules of Racing eg: R136 and R 165 stewards power "to determine all questions arising or objections"is in AR8.


RQL has published it's policies on the Rules and control of racing and whilst  protests are not specifically mentioned the policy on decision making by stewards would be the relevant policy in this case.


http://www.racingqueensland.com.au/media/10330/(n)_policy_for_decision_making_by_stewards%2081(n)%20-%20v1.02.pdf

There's also another long winded whinge from some disgruntled BRC members on the club's finances to which the BRC chairman responded in much briefer detail than he did to their previous complaint.....and they've been invited to come in and discuss the issue.

Not much chance of that happening......they don't want to be identified......for fear of................getting a tongue lashing......or something worse.

Very strange that members who have concerns are frightened to raise them openly.......the BRC isn't a modern day Murder Inc.

They look pretty harmless from what I,ve seen.

Whoever said variety is the spice of life is on the money once again .............this week's  emails to John Lingard's popular Wednesday Whinge column providing something for everyone.

http://www.letsgohorseracing.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2100:wednesday-whinge-have-your-say-in-one-of-the-most-read-racing-gossip-columns-in-the-country&catid=42:qld-a-rest&Itemid=69

Not to be missed.

Does this site act as mouthpiece for Bob Bentley and or Racing Queensland? Looking on from afar they always seem to get the "Bentley Blast" on page as quickly as RQ themselves. Never seem to have problem getting reply from RQ!