Author Topic: Victorian Racing News (Read 89754 times)

Peter Mair · « 2018-Oct-23, 07:01 PM **Reply #50** »

I read it we are agreed -- in the days before a major race, do not aerate the track in whole or part, do not 'shave' lanes to even up the track ..........

In short do not do anything -- and I would add 'watering' to that.

specialweek2 · « 2018-Oct-27, 05:19 PM **Reply #51** »

Any jockey suspensions out of CP day?

sobig · « 2018-Oct-27, 06:13 PM **Reply #52** »

None SW

If you hadn't caught up, Oisin Murphy suspended last night (Manikato), misses Melbourne Cup,

specialweek2 · « 2018-Oct-27, 06:14 PM **Reply #53** »

Quote from: sobig on 2018-Oct-27, 06:13 PM

None SW

If you hadn't caught up, Oisin Murphy suspended last night (Manikato), misses Melbourne Cup,

Thanks SB yes got that.

JWesleyHarding · « 2018-Oct-27, 06:51 PM **Reply #54** »

Quote from: specialweek2 on 2018-Oct-27, 05:19 PM

Any jockey suspensions out of CP day?

At Randwick- Brenton Avdulla from the 4th-15 Nov

Arsenal · « 2018-Oct-28, 08:25 AM **Reply #55** »

Supplementary report
Racing Victoria Stewards have today issued one charge against licensed trainer Jarrod McLean for making statements and/or declarations to the Stewards on 19 and 20 October 2018 that were false and/or misleading with regard the stabling location of Trap For Fools in breach of the Australian Rules of Racing.

Charge: AR 175(gg)
The Principal Racing Authority (or the Stewards exercising powers delegated to them) may penalise:

(gg) Any person who makes any false or misleading statement or declaration in respect of any matter in connection with the administration or control of racing.

A summary of the particulars of the charge are as follows:

1. At 6:09pm on 19 October 2018, Mr McLean sent a text message to a Racing Victoria Steward in which he stated that Trap For Fools would be sent to Darren Weirs Warrnambool stables at 4:30am the next day.

2. At 3:50am on 20 October 2018, Racing Victorias Compliance Assurance Team attended Mr Weirs Warrnambool Stable to conduct a race day stable inspection and identified that Trap for Fools was already stabled at Mr Weirs Warrnambool Stables.

3. Mr McLean was questioned by Stipendiary Stewards from Racing Victorias Compliance Assurance Team and he told them that Trap For Fools was brought to Mr Weirs stables the previous night between approximately 6:30pm and 7:00pm.

4. The text message was false and/or misleading in that Mr McLean knew at the time of sending it that Trap for Fools was already at Mr Weirs Warrnambool Stable and had been for some time. The statements then made to Racing Victorias Compliance Assurance Team were false and/or misleading in that he knew that Trap for Fools was not transferred to Mr Weirs Warrnambool Stable at the time he said it was.

Mr McLean will appear before the RAD Board in relation to the above charge on a date to be fixed.

Giddy Up

Arsenal · « 2018-Oct-30, 06:29 PM **Reply #56** »

WHEN MELBOURNE BOASTED MORE THAN A DOZEN RACETRACKS

MELBOURNE had an incredible variety of racecourses from its earliest days until World War II, when the Victorian Government deemed that the metropolitan area should only have four racetracks.

JAMIE DUNCAN reports for the HERALD SUN that Flemington (State Library photo from 1906), Moonee Valley, Caulfield and Sandown Park survived, but racecourses were once dotted right around the metropolitan area.

Some were little more than bush tracks. Others were well established courses with grandstands and modern facilities. Some were operated by racing clubs, and some were privately-owned proprietary tracks. Thoroughbreds raced on some courses, while those of mixed stock known as ponies galloped at others.

But the prominence of racecourses around Melbourne showed that racing was once first past the post in our city’s sporting culture.

BATMAN’S HILL

Melbourne’s first racecourse was on Batman’s Hill on the site now occupied by Southern Cross railway station and the rail yard west of the CBD.

Its first meeting in March 1838 predated Flemington by two years. The starting post was near present-day North Melbourne railway station.

The first railway station at the Spencer Street site opened in 1859.

WILLIAMSTOWN

Racing at Williamstown began in 1859. Years of lobbying for a racecourse in the area finally bore fruit just days after a Williamstown horse, Flying Buck, won the Australian Champion Sweepstakes at Flemington.

At first, there was one race meeting a year at the new course on the banks of the Kororoit Creek (on Boxing Day) but by 1865 a wider calendar had developed. The Williamstown Racing Club was established in 1868.

Floods in 1902 and 1918 caused meetings to be moved to Moonee Valley and Caulfield.

Even the great Phar Lap ran at Williamstown, winning the Underwood Stakes there in 1931.

The MCG, Caulfield Racecourse and Williamstown Racecourse were taken over by the Government for military use during World War II, but things got rocky after the war.

A Victorian government rationalisation of racing in Melbourne dictated that there should be only four courses in metropolitan Melbourne — Flemington, Caulfield, Moonee Valley and Williamstown.

But behind the scenes, there was pressure for the club to merge with the Victorian Trotting and Racing Association, which was owned by private racecourse owner and colourful racing identity John Wren.

Wren had made his fortune in the 1890s in a form of off-course totaliser betting, and progressively used his wealth to buy a series of private racecourses around Melbourne despite the opposition of the Victoria Racing Club and others.

But working class punters loved Wren’s down-market product compared to the thoroughbreds run by the Victoria Racing Club.

A suspicious fire took out two of the grandstands at Williamstown in January 1947. The next year, Wren took compensation from the government for the closure of his racecourse at Ascot Vale to re-open Sandown (which had been closed since 1931, creating a modern rival for Williamstown.

Members of the Williamstown Racing Club merged with Wren’s VTRA to form the Melbourne Racing Club.

The racecourse at Williamstown was used by the state government to house displaced war veterans and migrants. Today, the site is the Altona Coastal Park. Racecourse Road leads to the park.

ASCOT

Ascot was a privately operated racetrack that was bounded by Union, Ascot Vale and Maribyrnong roads in Ascot Vale.

Its first race meeting was held in October 1893, much to the chagrin of 122 local residents who petitioned Essendon council to scotch the proposal because of the number of courses already in the area and their fear an influx of undesirables might reduce their property values.

The 1400-metre track operated trots, flat racing and steeplechases.

John Wren purchased the track in 1906 and offered the track for military use in 1915, sparking an immediate call from opponents to have the track’s licence to operate as a proprietary racecourse revoked.

Ascot was again taken over by the Commonwealth for military use in WWII, but racing did not resume there after the war, with the state government compulsorily acquiring the 31-hectare site in 1946 for £117,000 for use by the Housing Commission. Wren valued the site at £174,000 and took the government to court, but the government settled and met Wren half way at £142,000.

The Victorian government took control of the course at Ascot to build public housing, much of which still remains just east of the Showgrounds.

Wren took the £142,000 compensation he received from the government for the closure of Ascot to later re-open Sandown, a course that had been closed by the state government in 1931.

MORDIALLOC

This old proprietary racecourse was the home of the Mordialloc Racing Club. It was established in 1887 by Alfred Bradshaw and was known as Richfield in an area near present-day Boundary and Springvale roads in Braeside.

The course was not a financial success, despite a spate of meetings held there, and it closed in 1889.

EPSOM

The Epsom racecourse at Mordialloc began its racing program in June 1889, the year Richfield closed.

Owner James Smith Jenkins, a successful land speculator, built Epsom at the corner of White Street and Boundary Road, using renowned architect Philip E. Treeby to design the grandstand with seating for about 3000 people.

The picturesque course boasted a clock tower, fountains and lawns, with views to Port Phillip and the Dandenongs and rooms for the jockeys, stewards and committee members.

Around the turn of the 20th century, the Epsom Turf Club was established and a company to manage the proprietary course followed in 1909. The course was sold to the Epsom Turf Club in 1924. The original main grandstand was refurbished in 1936 but accidentally burned down two years later.

This ended Epsom’s days as a racing track but it remained in service as a training track and a hub for the racing community in Melbourne’s south.

The course was later taken over by the Victoria Racing Club, which shut the track with around 40 trainers still resident there in 1997.

MENTONE

The Mentone Racing Company was established in 1888, and the course was built on around 60 hectares of land in an area north of Lower Dandenong Road.

The first races were held there in September 1888, with several thousand patrons filling the grandstand and milling about under shady trees.

Like nearby Epsom and Aspendale, the Mentone Turf Club lost a number of meetings when the Victoria Racing Club reduced the number of race meetings around the state.

But it survived through World War II, where many clubs did not, because of the good condition of the facilities and the club’s willingness to make the track available for other racing bodies to use.

Still, the rationalisation of metropolitan courses spelled the end of Mentone’s racing days in 1948. It remained a training track until 1972. The land was redeveloped for housing but the racing days are remembered with a large park, the Mentone Racecourse Reserve.

ASPENDALE

Like the tracks at Mordialloc and Mentone, the Aspendale track was handy to the beach and the water for trainers to take recovery sessions and its sandy loam was not hard on the horses when they raced.

Aspendale, and the Aspendale Park track, were named by owner James Crooke after Aspen, a horse he owned that won two Newmarket Handicaps. It was located a short distance east of the railway station.

The complex included a large and well planned “pleasure garden” for patrons to stroll through, with jockeys Mick O’Brien and Bob Ramage, who each rode Carbine to victory in the 1889 and 1890 Melbourne Cup, involved in planning the new track.

It opened in April 1891 and quickly also became a popular spot for picnickers and holiday makers with a steady stream of vendors selling fruit, ice cream and other treats by the turn of the century.

Crooke was also a big car buff. Aspendale Park was the place where the fledgling Royal Automobile Club of Victoria staged early car and motorbike races.

The track finally closed in 1931, despite objections from many trainers and the Aspendale Racing and Coursing Club, at the same time Sandown Park and several other tracks disappeared around town.

FITZROY

There were two tracks known as Fitzroy, and neither of them were in Fitzroy.

Another proprietary course was Croxton Park in Thornbury.

It was operated by the Fitzroy Pony, Galloway and Trotting Club and became known as the Fitzroy racecourse.

The Pilgrim Inn in High Street, Thornbury, was established in 1844. A later licensee, Josiah Goyder, painted the building red and renamed it the Red House Inn in 1865, developing a racetrack behind the pub. In 1869, Charles Hitchens took over the pub and renamed it the Croxton Park Hotel.

The first race meeting was held there in October 1865 but the racing had a reputation for poor quality.

Hitchens offered better prize money and invested in a grandstand for 400 people with two sections for members and the general public. But the track itself was primitive, the 2000-metre course marked by signs nailed to trees and forcing the riders to look away from the track while racing at full speed.

A judge at the track was Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Frederick Charles Standish, a notorious gambler.

The Croxton Park track did not last long. Its final meeting took place in July 1873.

Racing didn’t return to the area until almost 20 years later.

The new Fitzroy racecourse was on the west side of St Georges Road, between Woolton Avenue and Gadd Street. And it had a special place in racing history.

It was initially known as the Croxton Racecourse, capitalising on the notoriety of the old Croxton Park track, and was established in February 1892 by two entrepreneurs named Byrne and Callahan.

The track was around 2500m long and had a grandstand for 500 people.

It became known as the Fitzroy track because of its link to the Fitzroy Pony, Galloway and Trotting Club.

In 1893, it pioneered a piece of technology that became the industry standard when it replaced flag starts with the barrier system. The Excelsior barrier was later adopted for the 1894 Melbourne Cup.

The track was made of sand and cinder, a dusty surface that raised the ire of neighbours on race days.

It was initially popular but crowds began to dwindle by the early 1900s, and in 1919 John Wren, along with a man called Ben Nathan, bought the track and made it part of their Victorian Trotting and Racing Association.

The VTRA shut the track for the first half of 1925 for extensive renovations but it was one of many proprietary courses ordered to shut by the Victorian government in 1931. The site was subdivided into 200 housing lots 11 years later.

BOX HILL

The White Horse Hotel was built on the corner of Whitehorse Road and Elgar Road in Box Hill in 1851, complete with a white wooden horse on its roof.

A racecourse developed nearby, a short distance from the railway station, and it was here that jockey Bob Ramage, who rode Carbine to victory in the Melbourne Cup of 1890, rode his first winner.

Box Hill hosted its last race meeting on Easter Saturday, 1883, with a special train from Melbourne ordered to carry racegoers to this last event.

ST KILDA

St Kilda’s Peanut Farm Reserve in Blessington Street was home to a racecourse from 1847 to 1868, and hosted the annual St Kilda Cup.

The Village Bell Hotel was linked with the course and the Village Bell Races was a popular pastime on Boxing Day each year.

As suburban development surrounded the racecourse in the 1860s, and the racecourse closed despite some local opposition.

BRIGHTON

Just down the road, at Brighton’s Elsternwick Park, another racecourse operated between 1882 and 1891.

This one was the first course in Victoria that was dedicated to trotting and was operated by the Victorian Trotting Club. Its first meeting was held on April Fool’s Day, 1882.

The club leased the land from the Brighton council, at first for £30 but the Victorian government ruled in 1891 that the Crown land on which it stood could only be used for a public park.

Its grandstand was dismantled and re-erected at the Junction Oval for the St Kilda Cricket Club.

RICHMOND

The old Richmond racecourse was in an area bounded by Bridge Road, Stawell Street and Westbrook Terrace, just west of the old Channel 9 studios in Bendigo Street.

The tiny trotting course was only five furlongs (a tick over 1000 metres) long.

It was established around 1892 and was operated by the Richmond Pony and Galloway Club before it was purchased by John Wren in 1906.

Wren faced the closure of his totaliser and bookmaking businesses the following year because of new anti-gambling laws that also banned betting at tracks of less than six furlongs.

Miraculously the track was exempted from those laws by amendments pushed through by Premier Thomas Bent, but the amendments also limited Wren’s weekly events at Richmond, Fitzroy and Ascot to just 16 each a year.

Wren improvised, establishing football and cricket matches, boxing tournaments and even rodeos at the sight. In 1922, he branched out into dirt track motorsport too.

The Victorian government ordered the cessation of racing at Richmond in 1932 but the Australian Light Car Club ran meetings at the track until the late 1930s.

The site was used for the construction of public housing in the 1940s.

ALBERT PARK

The St Vincents Place area of Albert Park was a racetrack during a period in the 1850s.

HEIDELBERG and IVANHOE

The village of Heidelberg boasted one of Melbourne’s earliest racecourses and was located on the Banyule Flats near the Yarra River within the present-day Warringal Park.

Races were held there generally between February and May from 1853 until 1882, with three races held at an Easter sports carnival in 1888.

Another track, associated with the Ivanhoe Hotel in Upper Heidelberg Road, ran between 1857 and 1867 on a course that included a steep downhill slope and a natural water jump.

KENSINGTON

William Samuel Cox, who later opened the larger Moonee Valley track and for whom the Cox Plate is named, opened the Kensington Park course in 1874 in an area just north of Kensington railway station.

The last meeting was held there in January 1883.

Reposted from www.letsgohorseracing.com

I remember my father would buy all the form papers one of which provided track work times from Mentone and Epsom it might have been The Globe ......it was a long time ago ......but very interesting story of what it was like all those years ago.

Giddy Up

Arsenal · « 2018-Nov-20, 04:46 PM **Reply #57** »

Bookmaker charges to be heard Thursday

Racing.com Staff@Racing
3:24pm
, (
Long-time Victorian bookmaker Brian Mann will be fighting for his career when he faces four serious betting charges, including the recording of more than $1 million worth of fictitious bets, before the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board on Thursday.

The RAD Board will hear the charges under Australian Racing Rule 175 (a) that states: "Any person, who, in their opinion, has been guilty of any dishonest, corrupt, fraudulent, improper or dishonourable action of practice in connection with racing," may be penalised.
Racing Victoria stewards allege Mann conducted his bookmaking business in a manner which is in serious breach of the provisions of:
• Club Bookmaker's Licence Rules 2010;
• Bookmaker Sports Betting Rules 2007;
• Bookmaker's Licence Levy Rules 2012; and
• Bookmaker's Telephone Betting Rules 2001
A summary of the charges against Mann:
Charge One - AR175(a)
The stewards allege that between July 1, 2013 and May 11, 2016, a total of 315 fictitious bets with a turnover of $199,032 and a gross loss of $941,237 were recorded by Mann in the course of conducting his bookmaking business and reported to Racing Victoria.
Charge Two - AR175(a)
The stewards allege that between July 1, 2013 and May 11, 2016, a total of 507 bet-backs totalling $1,103,000 were recorded by Mann in the course of conducting his bookmaking business and reported to Racing Victoria. These bet-backs were fictitious, in that there was no counterparty to the bet-back, or placed by Mann through an undisclosed non-licensed individual without a ticket or confirmation.
Charge Three - AR175(a)
The stewards allege that between July 1, 2013 and May 11, 2016, Mann placed an undisclosed and unrecorded number of bet-backs with an unknown and non-licensed individual.
Charge Four - AR175(p)
Australian Rule of Racing 175(p) states: "Any person who fails or refuses to comply with any order, direction or requirement of the stewards or any official," may be penalised.
Stewards allege that Mann placed an undisclosed and unrecorded number of bet-backs with an unknown and non-licensed individual who Mann knew, or ought to have known, was not a licensed bookmaker or approved wagering service provider.
Stewards claim Mann failed to comply with their request to identify this individual.
ENDS

Giddy Up

Arsenal · « 2018-Nov-25, 12:34 PM **Reply #58** »

Labor wins, Vic racing set for $40m boost

Brad Bishop@bradbishop12
9:18am
Victorian racing is just over one month away from across-the-board prizemoney increases following Saturday’s election result.

The Andrews Government’s emphatic victory means the Victorian racing industry will receive the $33 million package that was pledged by Minister for Racing, Martin Pakula, early last month.

Racing Victoria will commit a further $7 million, meaning Victorian racing will be $40 million better off.

The basis of the commitment was to elevate prizemoney not only in the metropolitan region, but also country meetings.

At the announcement, it was pledged that minimum prizemoney at Victoria’s 170 country race meetings would be $35,000.

Midweek meetings are to carry $50,000 minimum prizemoney, while the only Saturday metropolitan races that will not carry at least $125,000 are pathway races.
Saturday races for three-year-olds and those over 2000m and beyond will be worth at least $135,000.

The increases were nominated to start from January 1 and RV will now work with the Andrews Government to finalise the distribution of the package.

"We'll be working with the Labor Government over the coming weeks to finalise the allocation of the $40 million prizemoney package across the next two years," RV spokesman Shaun Kelly said.

"Our focus is on rewarding participation at all levels of the sport with an emphasis on grass roots competition."

ENDS

Good news for the Vics Saturday prizemoney up with NSW and well ahead of Qld's $75K more incentives to relocate interstate.

Giddy Up

Arsenal · « 2018-Dec-11, 09:19 AM **Reply #59** »

False statements earn McLean a suspension
Yesterday at 2:05pm by AAP
Jarrod McLean pleaded guilty to the charge Image: AAP
Trainer Jarrod McLean has been suspended over false statements he made about the stabling arrangement of Trap For Fools ahead of a race at Caulfield during the spring.
McLean, who also acts as trainer Darren Weir's Warrnambool foreman, was suspended by Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board chairman Judge John Bowman until January 28 next year.
The suspension rules McLean out from training his own team of horses at Yangery as well those of Weir at Warrnambool.
McLean pleaded guilty to making false or misleading statements over where Trap For Fools was stabled ahead of the Coongy Cup at Caulfield on October 20.
Racing Victoria stewards said one of their members received a text message from McLean at 6:09pm on October 19 saying Trap For Fools would be sent to Weir's stable at 4.30am the following day.
During a race day inspection of the Weir stable at Warrnambool beginning at 3.50am on October 20, the Compliance Assurance team identified Trap For Fools as already being there.
McLean told stewards the horse had been taken to Weir's stable the previous night between 6.30 and 7pm when Trap For Fools had been stabled at Warrnambool after galloping at Terang four days earlier.
Judge Bowman said at first appearance it did not appear an overly tough charge but it went to the heart of integrity that there be race day inspections which are directly aimed at the detection of race day treatments.
"It is of great importance to the public that stewards are allowed to perform such race day inspections," he said.
"By providing inaccurate information it strikes at the heart of integrity the stewards are trying to protect.
"This was quite a wilful and deliberate attempt to mislead the stewards of the location of a prominent horse running at a major meeting.
"It has the capacity to damage the image and integrity of racing at a time when it was in the spotlight."
After missing the Caulfield race, Trap For Fools ran second in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup before winning the Group One Mackinnon Stakes.
McLean's suspension will begin after he saddles up a runner Warrnambool
ENDS
What was McLean's motivation to do this ......there doesn't seem to be any benefit in it for him ...on the face of it seems a trivial issue now his deceptive conduct has been proved his record is stained.

Giddy Up

wily ole dog · « 2018-Dec-11, 10:50 AM **Reply #60** »

Strokes me if being a case if having too many horses and not fully knowing what is going on
Of course it could be more sinister but I don’t think so in this case

Arsenal · « 2018-Dec-12, 07:36 PM **Reply #61** »

VICTORIAN LABOR GOVERNMENT DELIVERS ON $40mn STAKES INCREASE

A BROAD range of owners, trainers, jockeys and breeders are set to benefit from more than $40 million in additional prizemoney that will begin rolling out across Victoria from 1 January 2019.

The increases are underpinned by a $33 million election commitment from the newly returned Labor Government to support increases to the minimum levels of Victorian thoroughbred prizemoney. Racing Victoria (RV) has committed to boosting the package of prizemoney increases, which will be implemented across the next two years, beyond $40 million.

The increases are being made to drive further local and international investment in the Victorian thoroughbred racing industry which generates over $3 billion annually for the Victorian economy and supports the equivalent of 25,000 full-time jobs.

After providing an overview of the key prizemoney increases when first announced in October, RV has today outlined its plan for the distribution of the full package from 1 January 2019. The increases, which will be spread across all levels of the sport, are as follows:

New Minimum
Prizemoney Per Race

Country TAB - Standard $22,000 (up from $20,000)
Country TAB - Premium $35,000 (up from $25,000 to $30,000)
Country TAB - Night $35,000 (up from $20,000 to $30,000)
Metropolitan – Midweek $50,000 (up from $30,000 to $40,000)
Metropolitan – Public Holiday $60,000 (up from $40,000)
Metropolitan – Sat Standard $125,000 (up from $100,000)
Metropolitan – Sat 3YO Races
and Staying Races (2000m+) $135,000 (up from $120,000)
Metropolitan – Saturday
Pathways Race $75,000 (up from $60,000)
Listed Races $140,000 (up from $120,000
Group 3 Races $160,000 (up from $150,000)

RV Chief Executive, Giles Thompson, said the prizemoney increases will be welcomed by the 92,000 people that actively participate in Victorian thoroughbred racing.

“We’re delighted to outline the full suite of prizemoney increases that will come into effect from 1 January 2019. Our focus in delivering these increases is on ensuring that we reward participation at all levels of the sport to maintain a vibrant and growing participant base,” Thompson said.

“Minimum prizemoney will increase at all country TAB meetings from next month with over 170 now offering a minimum of $35,000 per race. This follows on from the increases already implemented this season for all country non-TAB meetings and every country cup.

“The increases announced today ensure that the minimum prizemoney for every category of Victorian race is the equal of anywhere in the nation. They also ensure that Victoria remains the destination to race a stayer or a three-year-old with Saturday metropolitan minimums rising to a record $135,000 for these races.”

In making the announcement, Thompson thanked the Labor Government for its ongoing support of the Victorian thoroughbred racing industry.

“The Labor Government are committed to ensuring that Victoria remains the premier state for thoroughbred racing in Australia and they have shown their support for all within our industry with this important investment in prizemoney across the state,” Thompson said.

“As we’ve stated previously, a vibrant and successful thoroughbred racing industry is great for Victoria and enhancing returns to our owners, trainers, jockeys and breeders, particularly at the grass roots, is crucial to that.”

Thompson explained that, with the increases in minimum prizemoney from 1 January 2019 and last month’s introduction of The All-Star Mile, Victoria will now be offering over $255 million in prizemoney and bonuses a season which represents an $82 million or 47% increase since 2015.

http://www.letsgohorseracing.com.au/

Giddy Up

wily ole dog · « 2018-Dec-13, 06:45 AM **Reply #62** »

Great news for all industry lovers

Peter Mair · « 2018-Dec-13, 07:43 AM **Reply #63** »

Across the states the racing industry defines the concept of political clout.

Nationally there is an incredible waste of both public and private funds on resources 'employed' in the racing industry that would be more productive doing something else.

nemisis · « 2019-Mar-11, 02:39 PM **Reply #64** »

Once again we had to endure all of Jason Richardson's after race cheesiness while Payroll was only 300 metres away standing on three legs after the last at Flemington.......not a mention.

RIP Payroll.....the lovely big thoroughbred mare that you were.
It was probably your size and galloping action that ultimately brought about your undoing especially on Saturday's hard ground.

Liam O'Keeffe,the Flemington track manager, was describing the difficult part of his job this time of year is knowing how much water to put on the track because of the colder nights. Liam seemed to be very concerned he didn't overdo it.
Rest assured Liam you didn't overdo it because the track was firm at the start of the day.

The steward's report again was a bit of a sorry tale but it is typical of Flemington raceday when the track is too hard.

Long time before we see the 2 Mel Cup winners that raced in the Australian Cup again, I'd say.

Peter Mair · « 2019-Mar-11, 04:52 PM **Reply #65** »

What we see and hear 'after the race' is only about the winners

........ sure there are post-race comments from jockeys -- but these are hardly independent and jockeys may be discouraged from 'blaming' comments.

Perhaps there are more objective ways of understanding why particular runners did not perform well -- or did better than expected -- and a professional post-mortem should be mandatory, including comments from tipsters as to what went right or wrong for their selection.

However, as we know, the local TV is compromised with the next race on another channel -- leaving no time for such analysis.

Hong Kong does things best -- with the time between races used sensibly -- in Australia on Saturdays it would be far preferable to go back to the TVN two-state model.

Arsenal · « 2019-Mar-16, 08:39 PM **Reply #66** »

15 January 2019 Flemington 8 November, 2018

Racing Victoria Stewards inquired into a complaint from Licenced bookmaker Mr Haydn Wallace into the conduct of Licenced bookmaker Mr Adrian Marantelli when fielding at the Flemington Race meeting 08 November 2018. Mr Marantelli pleaded guilty to a charge under the provisions of AR 175(q) Improper Conduct in that after being declined a bet by Mr Wallace at the Flemington racecourse Mr Marantelli then directed inappropriate language towards Mr Wallace. Mr Marantelli was fined the sum of $800.
ENDs
One or the other ( possibly both )is slow out of the barriers .......the complainant or the stewards ..the complaint arose on 8 November last year and stewards only dealt with it on 15January this year.

Giddy Up

Arsenal · « 2019-May-17, 06:46 PM **Reply #67** »

VCAT decision essentially confirming RAD Board decision to give trainer Matt Leek six months on one charge and 4 months for the second cumulative.

Review and Regulation List – racehorse trainer – charges of (1) attempting to inject horses engaged to race the same day, and (2) destroying evidence, constituting misconduct, improper conduct and unseemly behaviour – Rules of Racing AR 283, Racing Act 1958 83 OH(1) – penalty.

http://www7.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/vic/VCAT/2019/683.html

Giddy Up

Arsenal · « 2019-Jun-13, 10:03 AM **Reply #68** »

Trainers to leave Caulfield early?

Kate Watts@katewatts_
12 June, 2019
Racing.com
Training looks likely to cease at Caulfield years before its scheduled conclusion, with a deal currently being negotiated by Racing Victoria, the Melbourne Racing Club and the trainers.

In October it was announced that training would finish at Caulfield by the end of 2023, but the current discussions would see it discontinue by the end of 2021 or perhaps even earlier, if a suitable deal can be reached by all parties.

So far, the Caulfield trainers have remained united, wanting to work out a remuneration and relocation-package agreement as a group, regardless of the size of their training operations.

The Caulfield Trainers' Collective, a body made up of 23 Caulfield trainers and their representatives, said that good faith negotiations had been taking place with racing administrators since the announcement of the closure.

"The trainers are united in their position that appropriate support should be provided to all trainers to offset the significant impost this closure will place on their businesses and family lives," said CTC spokesperson, Domenic Romanelli.

"The trainers have acted very patiently and professionally throughout this stressful process and all look forward to an offer, which we are hoping is reflective of the significance of the closure and its ramifications."

The parties met to continue negotiations last week, with each side declaring there have been good steps made in the right direction.

RV said it would support the training facility closing earlier than scheduled if all parties were happy with the result.

"We are in continual dialogue with those appointed to represent the Caulfield trainers around their relocation to other training centres," said an RV spokesperson.

"Those conversations are positive and give consideration to the circumstances of the trainers both as a collective and as individuals.

"Training is scheduled to conclude at Caulfield at the end of November 2023 and the MRC has committed to maintaining the training facilities to their current standard until that time.

"We are open to training concluding earlier than November 2023 if it is in the best interests of all parties.

"Works are set to begin at Cranbourne and Pakenham on upgrades to their facilities to service trainers relocating from Caulfield.

"An inner grass training track is the first enhancement to be built at Cranbourne, while Pakenham will soon welcome an equine swimming pool as part of the relocation package being supported by the Victorian Government."

When the training relocation was announced last year it was alongside the news that the MRC had signed a new lease arrangement with the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust to secure racing at the venue for the next 65 years.

At the time, a $40.1 million funding package to support the relocating trainers (co-funded by the State Government, RV and the MRC) was announced to support the development of state-of-the-art training facilities at Pakenham and Cranbourne.

The State Government's $17.5m investment is officially directed towards those facilities at Pakenham and Cranbourne, but it's thought that RV and the MRC's contribution of $22.6m isn't as locked down for those two venues.

While an agreement that would see trainers relocate early is very close, if a mutually-agreeable package can't be worked out, there is still a small chance the trainers will stay on at Caulfield until the 2023 deadline.

Colin Little has been at Caulfield all his life and says he will stay until the very end if needed.

"They've given us a guaranteed five years to the day, they've actually given us a day in 2023," he said.

"I'd be in no hurry to move, I'd stick it out at Caulfield, I've been here all my life, I was born at Caulfield.

"I haven't made a decision where I'll go if I go, Cranbourne, Pakenham, not sure, at the moment I'm here (at Caulfield)."

Caulfield trainer John Moloney also had to leave Epsom when the training centre shut down in the late 1990s and says the impact of moving on families and stable staff shouldn't be underestimated.

When trainers were forced to leave the Mordialloc precinct, Moloney says they did receive assistance grants, which were given to even the smallest trainers, as well as discounted rent on their new stables.

While a small number of trainers with bigger numbers of horses already appear to know where they will head once training stops at Caulfield, all trainers are waiting as a collective to lock in new bases, depending on what options a final deal will offer.

"I'm definitely weighing up a few options at the moment and just waiting to see where might be best to go," Moloney said.

"I understand that people feel the trainers knew that this could happen and that training would stop at Caulfield.

"But as I've seen when Epsom shut down, it is a massive undertaking for many people and has a big impact on families and everyone working in these stables for years to come."

ENDS

Giddy Up

Arsenal · « 2019-Jun-14, 05:42 PM **Reply #69** »

RV STEWARDS CHARGE BOOKMAKER SIMON BEASLEY
Friday 14 June, 2019
AAP
Bookmaker Simon Beasley has been charged with misconduct in relation to his betting operations during a near five-month period earlier this season.

Racing Victoria stewards charged Beasley on Friday with accepting and recording bets outside of his licence conditions from the start of September last year until January 26 this year.

Stewards allege that during that period Beasley engaged in misconduct when he:

- recorded 88 bets in his ledger with no corresponding phone call on his approved telephone; and/or

- recorded 10 bet quantities in his ledger that did not match the corresponding bet placed on his approved telephone; and/or

- recorded four bets in his ledger on races where the race did not match the corresponding bet placed on his approved telephone; and/or

- impersonated and/or facilitated the impersonation of 24 bets placed on his approved telephone; and/or

- accepted 12 bets on his approved telephone which were not reflected in his ledger.

No date has been set for the hearing into the charge in front of the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board.

Giddy Up

nemisis · « 2019-Sep-02, 09:18 AM **Reply #70** »

Racing Victoria's "new" track policy is only 4 weeks old but watching Caulfield on Saturday it's hard to see what's changed.
Saturday's surface appeared to be very close to a good 3 at the start of the day.

It's well and good to put a moisture reading a 6am but with mild temps and strong winds through the day a graph line would surely have taken it into the firm range.

The track manager stated that instead of irrigation he would verti-drain the track when under the new policy he is entitled to start it close to a soft 5.

This policy has a bit of The Building Code of Australia look about it........works well when it's applied and enforced but not worth the paper it's written on when it's not.

I would rather let some of Victoria's older gallopers who have seen a few too many of these "good 3's" do the talking on Saturday........Malaguerra and Cliff's Edge just to name a couple.

Peter Mair · « 2019-Sep-02, 07:29 PM **Reply #71** »

I thought we were agreed,

............ no 'verti-drain' or similar activity anywhere close to a race meeting on any course.......... and........... where did the idea of a starting 'soft 5' being the aim come from........... a bit of 'verti draining' and 'soft 5' watering would be a plan for rough results ........never forget 'Tears I Cry' on a tampered Flemington track.

Now we read,

The track manager stated that instead of irrigation he would verti-drain the track when under the new policy he is entitled to start it close to a soft 5.

What are RVL management saying?

nemisis · « 2019-Sep-02, 09:20 PM **Reply #72** »

If this is a serious question Peter you could acquaint yourself with the updates to racing surfaces on the Racing Victoria website.......they came into force on Aug 1st.

It is basically saying that tracks must be prepared with give in the interests of horse welfare.

There is a bit of tricky language there all the same especially when firm 2 tracks are never called at Caulfield and Flemington.

I would imagine on a hot summers day with 10 races a track would have to be close to a soft 5 at the start so it did still have some give later in the day.

This comes as part of the inquiry that Racing Victoria had after the breakdown of The Cliffsofmoher in The Mel Cup.

Taken them long time to come around to something that has been so obvious about hard tracks as far as I'm concerned so I'm pleased although it must be said Caulfield can't have got the message on Sat.

Peter Mair · « 2019-Sep-03, 08:07 PM **Reply #73** »

Take RVL seriously -- that will be the day!

If I wanted a sensible answer to a serious question about track preparation, RVL would be well down the list.

I did find: Updates to Racing Surface Preparation Guidelines announced

I did not find any mention of the words 'slow 5'

Anyone inclined to 'imagine .. a hot summers day with 10 races' might like to let their imagination run riot and imagine starting the races earlier in the day.

Arsenal · « 2019-Oct-15, 05:39 PM **Reply #74** »

MATHRICK CHARGED WITH TUBING OFFENCE
Tuesday 15 October, 2019
Trainer Shawn Mathrick has been charged with a stomach tubing offence.

Racing Victoria stewards issued Mathrick with two charges on Tuesday stemming from a race day stable inspection by the RV Compliance Assurance Team on April 17.

Acting on a report from CAT, stewards ordered the withdrawal of the Mathrick-trained Ayers Rock from a 2400m-benchmark 64 race at Geelong later that day.

Stewards allege Mathrick stomach-tubed, caused or attempted to stomach tube Ayers Rock on April 17, the day the horse was scheduled to race.

He has also been charged with failing to maintain treatment records.

Stewards have also issued one charge to registered stable employee Kim Mathrick, alleging she was a party to the stomach-tubing or attempted stomach-tubing of Ayers Rock.

The Victorian Racing Tribunal will hear the charges on a date to be fixed.

ENDS

Giddy Up