THE WEDNESDAY WHINGE has a new look but 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. The Whinge will continue to provide an opportunity for The Cynics to Have Their Say. Thanks again for your support for the most read column on this website. Our popularity continues to grow despite the bagging it is copping from some officials who cannot cope with constructive criticism and insist that no-one reads it. We encourage readers to continue to contribute but plan to restrict the Whinge to only eight or at the most 10 items as well as stories you may have missed in the mainstream media. That is what you seem to want. Feedback suggests that unless there is a major issue that the column at times is too long.

CRITICAL OF STAND BY JOCKEYS’ ASSOCIATION BOSS ON IMPROPER RIDING ISSUE

PERCY SMITH of MELBOURNE writes:

‘DES O’Keeffe, the Victorian jockeys’ Messiah, is leading from the rear – again – and this time he seems opposed to the Victorian crackdown on improper and careless riding.

Des knows first-hand the tragic aftermath of some bad falls in racing – he’s been on hand to offer counseling and assistance to the families of those who have lost their lives in race falls.

Surely he must understand when Chief Steward Terry Bailey says – in answer to criticism of the strong stance against careless and improper riding: “For us to condone that sort of riding, turning a head and making heavy contact, where would we be – last man standing? It is simply not on and we will not tolerate it.”

Perhaps I am reading wrongly where Des is coming from on this issue. But he gives the impression he believes that stewards in Victoria should conduct a TAFE course for all interstate jockeys on the rules that RVL apply.

Does he expect them to make a special exception and go through the rule book, rule by rule, and ask each visiting rider if they are familiar with this rule and that rule and so on?

You only had to look at the body language of the jockeys who were being addressed by the Chief Steward before the Caulfield Cup.

From my observations there was only one jockey who was listening to what was being said.  Young Regan Bayliss, having his first ride in the race, can hold his head high. He is a credit to his family and more importantly to himself.

Des O’Keefe, you could talk to the jockeys until you are blue in the face and they still wouldn’t take any notice. 

The garbage that the Sydney race media goes on with when one of their ‘little saints’ is pulled into gear is typical and repetitive and smacks of hypocracism considering the stance they take whenever a jockey is badly hurt or killed in a race fall.’

EDITOR’S NOTE: Des O’Keeffe does a terrific job protecting the interests of all jockeys, not just those in Victoria. I am sure he would support RVL Chief Steward Terry Bailey when he insists: “It is my job to ensure that every jockey goes home safe and sound and if anyone does anything to jeopardize that we will come down heavily on them.”

‘THE ‘REAL RACING MINISTER’ GOES INTO BAT FOR RQ AND TATTS DEAL IN PARLIAMENT’ 

HARVEY JOHNSON of BRISBANE writes:

‘IT came as no surprise that the ‘real Racing Minister’ was drumming up some business for Racing Queensland in Parliament last week.

Treasurer Tim Nicholls and not his Ministerial de facto Stephen Dickson was telling us how wonderful this great TattsBet deal is when many in the industry think it is a ‘dud’.

He called in the troops for support quoting Peter V’Landys from Racing NSW where they are about to announce a major turnover deal that will blow racing in Queensland out of the water.

And then there was his mentioned bouquet from Basil Nolan from the Breeders who not long ago was giving the LNP Government a burst for failing to boost QTIS money.

Perhaps he should have been telling us why Barry Taylor departed the RQ Board – and what it had to do with lack of consultation from Kevin Dixon – rather than criticize he and Peter Cameron and Alex Douglas for asking questions.

It all sounds too familiar.

And by the way Mr Treasurer what has happened to the Eagle Farm redevelopment, now two months behind schedule. Has that got anything to do with bureaucratic red tape or the lack of funding from your Government?’

EDITOR’S NOTE: HERE is what TREASURER TIM NICHOLLS had to say during the Appropriation Bill debate in the Queensland Parliament that the above email obviously refers to:

‘THERE are a number of other comments, but I also want to deal with the comments that he (Member for Gaven, Alex Douglas) made in relation to racing. He seemed to think there was some great conspiracy and that the racing industry had been hard done by.

I am actually glad to be able to respond to his comments because it gives me an opportunity to again point out the tremendous deal that was achieved by Racing Queensland, the independent body, together with assistance from the Minister for National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing together with some assistance from Projects Queensland, to put the industry on a sustainable footing.

We now have a new 30-year wagering agreement, which, as I said, is similar to those exclusive agreements that are in place in New South Wales and Victoria. It will provide $850 million in revenue over the next 30 years. That is in addition to the revenue the industry currently receives under existing arrangements and revenue from race information fees of approximately $160 million a year. Of that $160 million, Racing Queensland has earmarked $97 million for infrastructure development and $5 million over five years for country and regional racing.

If there was one story that we heard about racing under Labor it was its total and utter disregard for country and regional racing. Not only have we put extra prize money into country and regional racing, not only have we used part of the $110 million racing capital fund to support tracks down at Beaudesert and other tracks around the state, but also we have now secured an additional $5 million to go into regional racing.

We have a clear agreement from Tatts to invest more than $74 million by increasing marketing activities and retail offerings - so promoting strength and confidence in the industry - and we also have here now a world-leading gaming product operator based at Newstead, providing jobs, writing the software, writing the code, operating here in Queensland and paying payroll tax and all the other things that go with that sort of employment.

Globally Tatts supports 300,000 jobs, 11,350 here in Queensland. There is much more to the deal, but most of it was included in the media release that was offered by the Minister for National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing, myself and the Chair of Racing Queensland.

The Member for Gaven referred to some research that was undertaken by Citibank. He seemed to be quoting from a Mr Peter Cameron, sometime journalist and columnist formerly with the Gold Coast Bulletin and now with, I think, the Sunday Mail.

Of course, what he failed to understand is that in the week that TattsBet’s share price increased, Tatts had been successful in a Victorian court action in the sum of some $500 million. If you do not think a $500 million court victory is going to have any effect on your share price, you should not be in the business.

Quite clearly, Mr Cameron has not had all of the facts at his disposal and the Member for Gaven, despite his obvious in-depth research of the pages of the Sunday Mail, has failed to understand that aspect of it, as well.

What did Peter V’landys, the CEO of Racing New South Wales, say? He said that the deal was great for racing and a platform for the future.

The Member for Gaven spoke about the industry in terms of the breeding of thoroughbreds. What did Basil Nolan, the president of Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland, say? He was fulsome in his praise of the deal because it provided additional funding to support the QTIS scheme in Queensland that sees Queensland bred, owned and raced racehorses eligible for increasing prize money across the board.

Therefore, we can safely dismiss the comments of the Member for Gaven for the ravings that they were.

The member made some other comments, as the Member for Mermaid Beach advises me. For example, he mentioned Mr Barry Taylor, who resigned from the Board of Racing Queensland. Many stories and some information were provided around the reasons for that resignation.

That will be for Mr Taylor to disclose. In fact, he did not come from Toowoomba; he came from Townsville. That shows the level of accuracy of the contribution of the Member for Gaven. He needs to do more than research on Google.       

REGULAR CRITIC OF RACING QUEENSLAND RECKONS ‘NORTON’ NEEDS A TONGUE TIE

BRETT WINTEC, of BRISBANE, a regular critic of Racing Queensland, continues his attack:

‘I have reviewed the feedback provided by ‘Norton’ and also a number of his other comments relative to Racing Queensland, the Racing Minister and the Brisbane Racing Club. Based on his commentary it is clear to see that he is an old school Queensland Turf Club member.

This bloke purports to know everything about Club politics and election protocols, Club finances, Club marketing and promotional requirements, racetrack design and maintenance requirements, race day medical requirements, stakeholder communication requirements, and most importantly the economic imperative behind prizemoney distributions. 

I am surprised this bloke isn’t advising Messrs Dixon and Dickson, or maybe he is!

Anyway, whilst he may purport to be an expert in everything racing, he certainly confirmed this week that he doesn’t have a clue about stakeholder requirements, and that he isn’t prepared to offend his mates at Racing Queensland and within Government.  

This bloke is blinkered in every sense of the word, and after reading his latest rounds of dribble he needs another gear change ‘Tongue Tie ON’.

All of us who rely on the industry for our income find it absolutely disgraceful that Racing Queensland and the Government didn’t have the necessary approvals in place to enable work to start on Eagle Farm at the closure of the 2014 Winter Carnival. 

We find it just as disgraceful that the venue was closed without approval to commence work, which has seen two months expire where the venue is laying idle whilst a revised racing schedule has been implemented that has seen false rails in the car parks at some venues.

Whilst I know this bloke is closely connected with racing hierarchy, why doesn’t he have the balls to stand up and say what everyone else is thinking? 

This has been a monumental balls-up by Messrs Dixon and Dickson, and there is no way that this should have been able to occur to Queensland’s biggest racing asset. The Racing Editor at The Courier Mail even recognized this fact this week, in a roundabout sort of way.

Heads should roll due to this issue and someone within Racing Queensland or Government needs to put their hands up and take ownership of this balls-up. 

Stakeholders deserve more and we need to know when a decision will be made on a revised racing program as based on the Racing Queensland website racing is set to resume at Eagle Farm on 4 April 2015!’

CALL FOR PUBLIC STATEMENT FROM RQ EXPLAINING SITUATION WITH EAGLE FARM

ALBERT WILLIAMS of REDCLIFFE sent this email:

‘RACING Queensland needs to make a public statement explaining how they have allowed this situation to occur where Eagle Farm has not been raced on for two months but the redevelopment work still has not started.

It is simply not good enough to put Doomben under as much pressure as it is when this is the only other Brisbane track and will have to wear criticism if it doesn’t play well when the Winter Carnival comes around next year.

I like the suggestion by Nathan Exelby (in The Courier Mail) of using the Sunshine Coast for some of the big meetings. It is the best track in the south-east of the state at present. The only drawback from a Brisbane racing follower’s point of view is having to contend with the highway traffic getting there and back.

Doomben is doing a good job considering the work pressure it is being put under but that is only going to worsen in the months ahead. Gold Coast has never been up to ‘big race day’ standard as has been shown so often during winter and Magic Millions carnivals. Toowoomba is a disgrace and should never be granted a primary carnival meeting.

So why not trial Sunshine Coast as the major Saturday metropolitan venue in Queensland to see if it is up to hosting some of the carnival meetings. In the meantime the industry needs to be briefed on just what is happening with the Eagle Farm redevelopment.’

EDITOR’S NOTE: IN another exclusive in The Courier-Mail and Gold Coast Bulletin that should have been distributed to the mainstream racing media as well, the following report by BRAD DAVIDSON appeared today (is it any wonder there is never any real criticism of RQ or the job it is doing  from the supposed major daily?):

EVERGREEN Turf has won the multimillion-dollar contract for the Eagle Farm track redevelopment with work set to begin in the next few weeks following a two-month delay.

The Victorian-based company, which installed the top-class surface at Melbourne’s AAMI Park, beat StrathAyr for the $10 million contract and the announcement will be made by Racing Queensland this week.

The $10 million will be spent on upgrading the out-of-date track, including irrigation and drainage work.

The $22 million Eagle Farm upgrade announced in June is split in two and the successful bidder for the remaining $12 million contract on works to the infield is also expected to be announced soon.

The track surface is likely to remain kikuyu grass and a Bulletin source confirmed work would start soon.

“I would be surprised if work wasn’t underway in a couple of weeks of the announcement,” the source said.

This week’s impending announcement comes after the project has been grounded ever since the upgrade was announced on Stradbroke Day on June 7.

Today marks nine weeks since Eagle Farm hosted its last race meeting despite the course proper being used regularly for barrier trials during this time.

RQ has been criticized for not continuing to race on the track during this time and in turn protect Doomben, which will shoulder most of the metropolitan racing load while Eagle Farm is out of action.

Racing Queensland chief executive Darren Condon conceded they could have managed the transition better.

“I’ve never known anyone to be wrong in hindsight,” he said.

“We obviously planned for a date and worked towards that date.

“Some people will in hindsight sit there and say you should have done this or you should have done that ... but I don’t really worry about what we should have done and I’m focused on getting things right.”

Condon said it was too early to tell whether Eagle Farm could be used for next year’s winter carnival (May/June) but it is considered very unlikely.

‘THE QUESTION RACING DOESN’T WANT TO HEAR’ PROVOKED MIXED FEELINGS

ALBY JACKSON of MELBOURNE sent this email:

‘I was a little miffed at first when I read the article in the Herald Sun under the headline: ‘The Question Racing Doesn’t Want To Hear’.

Anyone with just a passing interest in this wonderful industry would be aware of the risks that jockeys take every time they jump aboard a horse.

It’s a high risk profession – but so is being a soldier, policeman or a fire fighter – and those who do those jobs are aware of the risk when they take them on.

The fact that some believe that being a jockey is an even higher risk for a woman is disappointing. When fate conspires against you, gender doesn’t discriminate.

Whether we like it or not death is going to happen on the racetrack.

Perhaps the issue that should be looked at more closely is what causes these fatal falls and whether better steps can be taken by the authorities to try and prevent them.’

EDITOR’S NOTE: THE HERALD SUN story that prompted the above email is worth a read, so here it is in case you missed it:  

ARE women jockeys dying to win? It’s the question no one in the racing industry wants to ask publicly, let alone answer.

But, behind the scenes, people can’t help wondering whether a spate of dead and crippled female jockeys is a tragic coincidence or evidence of a deadly trend.

Jockeys around Australia were still wearing black armbands for Carly-Mae Pye, who died after a fall at Rockhampton on Monday, when a four-horse smash at Murray Bridge races on Wednesday piled tragedy on tragedy. That night, teenage rider Caitlin Forrest died of her injuries. Her fellow rider Libby Hopwood was in hospital with a broken collarbone. Two male jockeys in the crash were bruised and shaken but walked away.

As news of Caitlin’s death spread, veteran jockey Chris Munce tweeted: “So sad to wake to the news of another angel jockey has made her way to Heaven. Why???”

Why so many dead and injured “angels”? That spectre looms over racing more and more every year.

Caitlin Forrest was the fourth female jockey killed on Australasian tracks in the past two years (one was Gold Coast-based Ashlee Mundy, killed in a fall on a trip to New Zealand). Before Mundy was Desiree Gill, who died in Queensland and Simone Montgomerie, killed at last year’s Darwin Cup.

The fact no male jockeys died in the same period feeds growing unease that the rise of women race riders in the past two decades has been shadowed by a disproportionate number of deaths and serious injury.

Six of the past 12 racetrack deaths were women and the rate of serious brain and spinal injuries seems similarly one-sided. On Victorian figures, one in seven senior jockeys is female. Allow for apprentices permitted to ride in races and the figure is closer to one in six. Yet, across Australia, one in two jockeys killed is female.

That’s right. Over a decade, women jockeys have been three times more likely to be killed than their male counterparts.

Bev Buckingham was the first woman to ride 1000 winners south of the equator. Her run ended in 1998 when she broke her neck. Soon after, the Sortis sisters, Rochelle and Kerrin, were smashed up six months apart. Rochelle suffered an appalling brain injury. Kerrin was so badly hurt that her career ended in a few terrifying seconds.

Louise Cooper came back to race riding in 2011 after having her second child. Her lack of form and fitness worried senior riders. One quietly told the stewards the well-liked Cooper was a danger to herself and others, but nothing was done.

The end came at Edenhope in March 2012. Cooper survived the fall but faces the rest of her life in a wheelchair. A few weeks later, the talented Michelle Payne rode at Donald, promising to give her fee to help buy Cooper’s wheelchair, but was hurt in a fall. Days later, the promising Katelyn Mallyon, a third generation jockey, was placed in an induced coma after a horrific crash at Flemington.

One reason for the toll, of course, is the number of female jockeys. The wholehearted acceptance of them is the great “feel-good” story of modern horse racing. As recently as the 1990s, female riders were regarded sceptically by punters and, privately, by some trainers and jockeys. Form guides back then had asterisks beside riders’ names to “warn” punters of jockeys’ gender.

That old-time racetrack chauvinism is almost dead now. But the truth is there’s a coldly economic reason for racing to embrace women jockeys. It needs them the way Dickensian London needed children to sweep chimneys. As the average size and weight of Australians leaps with each generation, few male apprentices can stay in the saddle much past their 21st birthday without starving themselves — or taking illegal drugs. Racing is a brutally efficient market under threat from other sports betting: the willingness of naturally lightweight women to step into the saddle fills a gap that grows every season.

This year there are two females for every male in the Victorian apprentice jockey school, reflecting the trend around Australia. Last season, every horse in one race at a provincial meeting had a female rider. The deeper into the country you go, the more women jockeys are riding. From Broome to Bairnsdale, the girls are on top — but rarely at the big city carnival meetings, which are still dominated by male riders. Women get only occasional Group One rides and win them rarely.

Tellingly, the handful good enough to ride regularly “in town” are not keen on taking rides in the second and third-tier racecourses, often small and cramped and with track bias that forces hungry “bush” jockeys to cut across fields and “ride for luck”. Those are the places where jockeys and horses are far more likely to be hurt than at Flemington or the better provincial tracks like Ballarat, Bendigo and Sale. One woman who has made racing her life since she rode track work 40 years ago shudders as she describes unsound “cast off” horses, “desperate” jockeys and shoddy tracks she has seen.

She says there are more women riding in “the bush” than ever before. Inevitably, they are “riding on more dangerous horses in more dangerous places because the further out you go, in every way, racing is not as safe”.

Top female rider Michelle Payne agrees. Even in Victoria, there are tracks she avoids “unless it’s for a good ride”. No one has more “skin” in the game than the Paynes. Six of Paddy Payne’s daughters and two of his sons have been professional jockeys. Michelle, still riding at 29, is the “baby” of the family. Payne is a tough man who learned to ride, and fall, on steeplechasers, buckjumpers and bulls in New Zealand. All his daughters rode well, he says, though not “fashionable” enough to get the same chances as his son, Patrick, who won big races over 15 years before taking up training.

Payne senior defends the skill and nerve of female riders. Like another wise observer, long-time Flemington clerk of course John Patterson, he points out that fatal falls are often caused by horses breaking down, spearing riders to the ground. But he can’t help thinking that “girls” suffer worse injuries from the same impact.

Neither of his sons had a bad fall or was ever badly hurt, but three of his daughters suffered repeated concussions.

He says: “They don’t roll the same when they hit the ground.” It reminds him of an old horseman’s saying: “Men fall like boiled eggs. Women fall like raw eggs.”

Sadly, the figures seem to bear that out.

TOP TRAINERS WITH DIFFERING VIEWS IN WAKE OF LADY JOCKEY DEATHS

SALLY JAMES of MELBOURNE writes:

‘LEE Freedman and Peter Moody both wear the ‘champion trainer’ tag but have differing views in the wake of the falls that killed two more lady jockeys.

Freedman has called for horses starting in all races in Australia to be thoroughly vet tested. Moody, by no means down-playing the seriousness of the situation, seems to regard Lee’s comments as somewhat of a knee-jerk reaction.

In my opinion – and that of many in racing – Freedman went over the top when he suggested Australian racing was the ‘laughing stock’ of world racing by allowing jockeys to blatantly cause interference to each other.

Granted the jockeys in this country ride a lot tighter than most but to suggest they are out there ‘knocking each other down’ at random is an exaggeration and an insult to the stewards who are continually criticized for being too tough on riders in careless riding situations.

I have heard several top stewards, including Victoria’s Terry Bailey, say on numerous occasions that he would rather wear the criticism to ensure all jockeys returned home safe at the end of the day’s racing.’

IS THE DRAMA OVER THE WITHDRAWAL OF JAPANESE INVADER A STORM IN A TEA CUP? 

GUY ROYLE of SYDNEY writes:

‘THE drama over the withdrawal of Japanese invader Bande from the Caulfield Cup to some of us in racing appears to be a storm in a tea cup.

More to the point it seems to be driven by one high profile media personality in Shane Anderson from RSN, who is entitled to his opinion, but on this occasion one wonders why he is so hell-bent on drawing it out.

The real question is: Did Bande have a pre-existing problem when he arrived in Australia and did this flare up at the worst possible time for his stable?

Racing Victoria did the right thing in ordering the horse’s withdrawal from the Caulfield Cup.

The other issue is whether there is a problem within the Werribee Quarantee Centre which seems to be where Shane Anderson is coming from in suggestions that the lines of communications with those using the training facility for the spring could be better.

One does have to agree that if Werribee is the problem child racetrack in Victoria where no-one wants to race then is it the most suitable venue to train and prepare the best internationals that come here for the spring?’

RACING STORIES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED IN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA

CORPORATE SPONSORS ROLL OUT THE BIG BUCKS TO ENTERTAIN DURING CARNIVAL

CORPORATE sponsors have returned to pre-global financial crisis levels for the Melbourne Cup carnival, as the season hits full swing on Saturday with the running of the Caulfield Cup.

LUCILLE KEEN reports in THE FINANCIAL REVIEW that sponsorship for the four-day event has recovered to levels not seen since before the global financial crisis, and the Birdcage enclosure has attracted two new marquees.

There will be 17 corporate Birdcage marquees this year, up on last year’s 15 as vitamin giant Swisse returns and cleaning company Spotless joins in.

Sponsorship revenue for the Cup carnival is up 5 per cent this year as are general admission ticket sales, up 4.4 per cent.

The carnival starts on November 1 with the Victoria Derby and the invitation-only marquees cost companies on average $1400 a head.

This year, guests of Emirates, the naming rights sponsor of the Cup, will step into a recreated Neuschwanstein Castle complete with turrets, flags and towers. Veal schnitzel and apple strudel are on the menu with a performance of the schuhplattler, the slap dance.

The airline is bringing Germany to Melbourne to promote new routes to four of the country’s destinations.

Lexus, which will once again erect a three-storey marquee, has enlisted the help of Attica’s chef Ben Shewry with the multi-award wining restaurant creating a “pop-up” trackside venue.

Burgers will be flipped on the next floor with the car maker teaming up with Neil Perry to promote the human ponytail’s latest venture, Burger Project.

CHAMPAGNE FLOWING

For department store Myer, the construction of its marquee began in late September and will feature a geometric, bold print design.

The 200 guests, who will include Jennifer Hawkins and Alex Perry, are expected to drink 780 bottles of G. H. Mumm champagne, 4000 cocktails and 1500 beers over the four race days.

Vitamin company Swisse will create a restored boat shed complete with a functioning herb garden.

The marquee, to fit 120 guests each race day, has been designed by former Block contestant Matt Martino.

The menu has been overseen by Karen Martini and many dishes include part of the companies’ products such as the raw blackberry and lime cheesecake which features raw cacao from the company’s superfood range.

On arrival guests will be greeted with a mocktail with a shot of Swisse energy effervescent and at the end of the day guests will be given a liver detox shot.

Swisse head of partnerships Mitch Catlin said the company had changed their focus significantly this year.

“We are running a consumer promotion with Priceline for Swisse customers to win tickets to the marquee. Obviously our brand is already so well known, so this year, we have higher targets to see a real return on investment.”

The serious punters will be found in the Tabcorp marquee and chief executive David Attenborough said racing was core to the company with 80 per cent of turnover from racing.

“It is absolutely a return on our business to have representation there [in the Birdcage],” he said.

“That week is one of the most important weeks for the year.”

The company flies in international clients for the event.

Beer maker James Boags will build a two-storey replica of its Launceston brewery, where guests will be served Seaport Black Angus, flaked Woodbridge trout and the “knuckle sandwich”, which features pickled onions and chilli ketchup with beer flavours and beer pretzel brownies.

A Lion Nathan spokesman said Victoria was an important market for James Boag’s Premium and the carnival was a high-profile partnership opportunity suited to the premium positioning of the brand. “Lion utilises the James Boag’s Premium Birdcage marquee to host its customers and other business stakeholders,” the spokesman said.

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.