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.
NO WEDNESDAY WHINGE FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS AS WEBSITE TAKES A BREAK 
EDITOR’S NOTE: WE are taking a long overdue break at letsgohorseracing and for the next two weeks there will be NO WEDNESDAY WHINGE. There will only be limited coverage on the website during that time as well.
Apologies for those who look forward to their weekly dose of what’s right and wrong with the racing industry and those who make it tick. But we’ll be back bigger and better than ever and look forward to the countdown to the Christmas break.
This is the first time in the five years since letsgohorseracing was launched that we have taken a holiday and it is only for 10 days starting next Monday.
We have some exciting new plans for the website, our associated Late Mail selections service and the Wednesday Whinge which will be introduced in the New Year. You will hear about these soon.
Needless to say – despite the predictions of our critics – letsgohorseracing will be around for many years to come – God willing – and will continue to grow in popularity as it has in recent years thanks to the support of you – our loyal readers and followers.
CUP WEEK CONTINUES ITS TREND AS A TRADITIONAL GRAVEYARD FOR PUNTERS 
MERV ANDERSON of SYDNEY writes:
‘IT happens every year but traditionally punters continue to back up and lose the battle with bookmakers during the four days of the Melbourne Cup carnival.
This week of racing is the biggest betting minefield every year when the TABs and bookies won millions and punters face an impossible task finishing in front.
I did a little exercise over the four days of the Flemington carnival just ended and discovered that there were only five favorites (one of those Deep Field at $1.6) successful from the 37 races run.
Three of those popular fancies saluted on Derby day and then from the 27 races on the final three days of the carnival only two favorites were successful which one would have describe as a no-win situation for punters.
There were 14 winners at double figure odds including one at $51. On most days it was impossible for horses back in the field – and plenty of these were well backed – to make sufficient ground to win.
The moral of the story has always been that Melbourne Cup day is a bookmakers’ benefit. That should be extended to include the entire week of the Flemington carnival. Enjoy the racing but keep your money in the bank.
Just as a postscript – did anyone notice how badly horses from the stables of some of the top trainers performed over the four days. Did Peter Moody train a winner? I don’t think so. That’s a terrible result considering the number of starters the stable saddled up.’
GOOD TO SEE A POSITIVE SLANT AFTER ‘GARBAGE’ WRITTEN ABOUT CUP FATALITIES 
CHARLIE JOHNSON of MELBOURNE sent this email:
‘THERE has been so much garbage written in the wake of the deaths of two starters from the Melbourne Cup that I was hoping you would allow me to praise rather than criticize in this story.
I read with mixed emotions stories that covered the two extremes of the tragedy that engulfed our biggest race day of the year.
It was good to see that not everyone shares the twisted opinions about racing that continue to be shoveled down our throat by Patrick Smith in The Australian.
Rita Panah, a writer that I had never heard of – who doesn’t enjoy the same profile as Patrick Smith but in my opinion is worth a dozen of him – penned a wonderful article in the Herald Sun.
It gave me fresh hope that the media doesn’t just want to look at the negative side of racing every time a horse dies in tragic circumstances. Rita you are a breath of fresh air to the journalistic ranks.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: FORGET about all the feel-good stories about the races this is the one that should win the award for the best of the Cup carnival. RITA PANAH of the HERALD SUN take a bow for what you have written which we are delighted to reproduce:
AS an atheist, the concept of reincarnation is one that I view with a certain dismissive bemusement, but if I could magically come back as any animal, I’d want to be a thoroughbred racehorse.
No animal is more cherished or regarded with greater esteem than the flighty equine beasts that are bred to stay or sprint.
In this country, they are feted as stars and we even have a horse racing museum and hall of fame devoted to immortalizing their great deeds. Two years ago, Black Caviar was crowned “sportswoman of the year” ahead of Olympic gold medallists Sally Pearson and Anna Meares.
All that hasn’t stopped the sport of kings being portrayed as a torture festival. There have been manic calls to shut down the cruel industry that supposedly torments animals for the amusement of the masses.
The tragic end to last week’s Melbourne Cup led to a record number of misinformed bleeding hearts infuriated with the racing industry and all those connected to it. Greens Senator Scott Ludlam was among the first to get on his high horse, excuse the pun, and lecture us about the evils of racing.
Ludlam tweeted: “Oh we raced another horse to death. Hope there’s plenty of champagne.”
The ABC’s Jonathan Green also put forward his considered view, posting: “Party on … that’s how the dead horse would have wanted it.”
This sort of commentary is precisely the type of mindless drivel that appeals to the lowest common denominator on Twitter; those fringe-dwelling Lefties whose world view is perpetually stuck in first-year arts student mode.
It wasn’t long before every miserable killjoy on social media had joined in the condemnation of an industry that employs thousands and pumps $2.8 billion into the Victorian economy every year. Curiously, the feminists of the fright-bat variety were particularly scornful of the Cup and racing in general; perhaps it’s the happiness and frivolity that enrages them.
The vision of Melbourne Cup favorite Admire Rakti collapsing and dying from heart failure and seventh placegetter Araldo euthanized after hurting a hind leg when a flag spooked him has understandably upset animal lovers everywhere, including me, but the kneejerk reaction from some quarters has been nothing short of hysterical.
What the racing naysayers fail to grasp is that there would’ve been no one more upset by the demise of those beautiful creatures than those who work in racing. Not just because the horses were worth a small fortune but because those involved in the industry genuinely love the animals.
The connections were utterly devastated, not just the owners, but the strappers and stablehands, who treat these animals with the sort of tender loving care that a mother shows a newborn. You don’t get up at 3am to work for minimum wages if you don’t love horses.
In racing, it makes business sense to treat your animals well, unlike the livestock industry where cruelty can equal greater margins and profits. In horse racing, a happy animal equals more money. You don’t need to be the horse whisperer or Bart Cummings to realize that you cannot extract an optimum performance from a miserable animal.
That said, there are bad eggs in every industry and if animal mistreatment is occurring, it needs to be stamped out and those guilty of it ostracized for life.
Racing may have its faults but it’s not the heartless caper that anti-racing advocates would have you believe. Are there too many horses being bred? Is the whip overused? Is enough done to re-house failed racehorses?
Those are all areas that deserve further examination and discussion but nothing is gained when those who are clearly, and one fears deliberately, ignorant of the facts decide that the whole sport should be denounced.
The facts are that horses, like people, do die unexpectedly and Admire Rakti’s heart failure, though desperately sad, is not cause for alarm.
Any horse in the Melbourne Cup is repeatedly checked by vets before being cleared fit to start. Do you really think the owners or trainer or anyone connected with the sport would risk the well-being of such a valuable commodity and race him to death?
Marathon runners collapse and die post-race, as do recreational joggers. Do we blame the sport for those deaths?
It’s telling that the supposedly caring anti-race campaigners weren’t so vocal when two female jockeys, Caitlin Forrest and Carly-Mae Pye, died last month. Of course, they had the choice of being jockeys and protesters would stress that horses don’t have a choice — but then no animal has the luxury of self-determination.
I’m sure the fish I had for lunch would rather be swimming in the ocean than being crumbed and grilled with a delicious Cajun mixture. And the steak I’ll be enjoying tonight would probably have preferred to be in a field rather than served with green beans on a bed of creamy mash.
Horses are blessed to be loved creatures and the racing industry has done a great deal in recent years to improve animal welfare, not just of racehorses but those that are retired or not good enough to race.
Racing Victoria estimates that about 90 per cent of so-called “wasted” horses are re-homed.
That is a far higher percentage than the number of cats and dogs that are re-homed by animal shelters.
Every year, more than 250,000 cats and dogs are euthanized in Australia. I’m sure if they had a choice, they’d also like to be reincarnated as a racehorse in the next life.
ANOTHER RACING FOLLOWER WHO DETESTS WHAT PATRICK SMITH WRITES 
ALBERT CASWELL of MELBOURNE sent this email concerning the criticism of racing that continues to be penned by PATRICK SMITH in THE AUSTRALIAN:
‘I was scanning through the obituaries, as one does, checking for those that have been bored to death after reading Patrick Smith’s objections in The Australian to horse racing and the way we treat racehorses.
Smith has had a field day this past week whacking anyone that ventures from his special line of reasoning.
The smack he gave RVL for allowing a young lad onto Flemington with the Australian flat was quite incredible.
If security had confiscated the flag, I could just see the Smith slant now: ‘Ten-year-old refugee lad on holidays from Christmas Island had the Australian flat ripped off him as he entered Flemington on Cup Day’.
As security took a step back and apparently allowed the lad to keep his flag Smith has had to change direction.
Roughly translated, he wrote: ‘The brightly colored flag ‘spooked’ a runner returning to the mounting yard and the horse had to be KILLED.’
I am satisfied that a flag with darker coloring, such as the ISIS flag, would not pose any problem.
Smith and his one-eyed opinion would be a greater benefit to the country if he covered stories on the young lady jockeys who recently lost their lives trying to earn a ‘dollar’ from racing rather than being a blight on the welfare system.
If he has ‘penned’ a line or two on this subject I apologize. Having said that, I do feel very safe.
On another of his pet hates, the use of whips during races, it would be great for Patrick to do ‘one for one’ stories on mothers being belted up because there isn’t enough food on the table because the old man has been spending half the day leaning on a hotel bar and the rest of the day standing up in front of a wall or shoving $10 notes down the throats of pokies.
Then again that wouldn’t sell papers, would it?
IRISH ‘DUMMY SPITTERS’ A PROTECTED SPECIES DURING THE SPRING CARNIVAL 
PAUL MORRIS of MELBOURNE sent this e-mail:
BOY oh boy – talk about world champion Irish ‘dummy spitters’ being a protected species.
The performance of the Irish trainer of Slade Power during this year’s Melbourne Spring Carnival was an absolute gem.
During an interview with British and Channel 7 belle, Francesca Cumani, Ted or (Eddie to his mates) Lynam, passed HIS verdict: That ‘they’ (I guess he was referring to us convicts) are a ‘BACKWARD lot when it comes to racing.’
It takes little imagination to conjure up a vision of Eddie and Aidan (O’Brien) standing out in their garden back home in Paddy Land, sharing an umbrella while it is bucketing down, bagging the crap out of the way Australian racing is run.
It’s time officialdom Down Under stopped bending over backwards to appease these visitors who after all will continue to visit while the stakes we offer far outweigh what they can dream of racing for back home.
Those travelling to their shores to try and entice them to return to Australia for future carnivals should be instructed in no uncertain terms to make no promises concerning tracks being doctored to suit their needs or rules being bent to give their starters some additional help.
If they don’t want to play by the rules Down Under then they should stay at home.
Then again we must keep our thoughts balanced where the Irish are concerned. When one understands that they had first choice, the potatoes or the oil, you have to make allowances for their thought processes.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: HERE’S what KEN CALLANDER had to say on the above issue in his column in the DAILY TELEGRAPH:
I THOUGHT the highlight of the Melbourne Cup carnival was Melbourne’s chief steward Terry Bailey not breaking the rules and not allowing the Irish horse Slade Power to gain an advantage by being the last horse into the starting stalls.
Integrity is everything in racing and it is good to see it is top priority in Melbourne. If the Irish don’t like the way we do things they can always stay at home.
Slade Power missing the kick had nothing at all to do with the horse going into the barriers in the correct order, but everything to do with his jockey removing the blindfold from the horse as the field jumped away.
Normally in Australia, although it is not a rule, a barrier attendant removes the blindfold just before the jump.
ON AN EXTREMELY HOT DAY WAS COMMONSENSE LACKING AT CHINCHILLA? 
‘ONE has to question whether commonsense was something lacking in the decision making process of stewards at Chinchilla on Saturday.
Jockey Matt McGillivray weighed out at 59.5kg and weighed back in at 58.92kg on a set of the old fluctuating scales after winning the final race on Blue Jest.
The temperature was close to 40 degrees and there was no water provided for the jockeys behind the barriers.
That fraction of a kilo underweight by McGillivray cost Blue Jest the race.
If that’s the difference between winning and losing on an extremely hot day in the west then God help the racing industry in Queensland.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: FOLLOWING the Chinchilla meeting, chaired by Simon Fletcher, this was the STEWARDS’ REPORT concerning the incident referred to in the email above:
Correct weight was delayed when, on returning to scale, M. McGillivray the rider of BLUE JEST, being declared the winner, was found to have weighed in, in excess of half a kilogram under its allotted weight. After taking evidence from M. McGillivray and trainer B. Johnson, stewards disqualified BLUE JEST from the race under the provisions of AR143(a). Stewards declared correct weight on the amended placings of: 1st - CANID, 2nd - SUPERCHEAP, 3rd - PALPITATE, 4th- LUNAR.
At a subsequent inquiry, apprentice M. McGillivray pleaded guilty of a charge under AR143(b) in that as the rider of BLUE JEST, he returned to scale in excess of a half kilogram under his declared weight which resulted in BLUE JEST carrying less weight than it should carry. M. McGillivray's license to ride in races was suspended for a period of two weeks to commence at midnight 13 November and to expire at midnight 27 November 2014.
OLD SPARRING PARTNERS CROSS SWORDS IN MEMBERS AT FLEMINGTON ON OAKS DAY 
OUR SPY at the MELBOURNE CUP CARNIVAL reports:
‘I THOUGHT you might like to know about the ‘welcome to Flemington’ that a former high profile racing writer received from a one-time controversial race club official from his home state.
The scene was the members’ area on Oaks Day. The two old sparring partners crossed paths. The one-time official, known for his long-time dislike for the former racing media colleague, reportedly picked him up by the scruff of the neck, threw him aside and uttered a few less than complimentary words.
Old hatred run deep when they come from the Sunshine State it seems. When his lady friend muttered: ‘I thought that man was going to get up and throw a punch’, her partner replied: ‘I wish the maggot had’.’
BRAD AND NATHAN ARE POLES APART WHEN IT COMES TO COVERING QLD RACING 
ALBERT WILLIAMS of REDCLIFFE writes:
‘WHEN it comes to racing stories in the mainstream media these days it would seem that Brad Davidson of the Gold Coast Bulletin breaks the news and Nathan Exelby of The Courier-Mail picks up the scraps.
Davidson isn’t scared to offend the Racing Queensland hierarchy which gives him a lap start with racing followers and punters over his colleague at the major daily who is seen more as the ‘spin doctor’ for the Kevin Dixon crew.
But perhaps the times are changing with Nathan actually writing the occasional comment piece which is critical of RQ – the most recent involving the seven (or should it have been six) race card at Doomben last Saturday.
One might question whether it was to camouflage the interview Brad had with top trainer Rob Heathcote who gave RQ a burst for failing to run an Open Handicap with only a handful of starters on Saturday.
Of course Nathan had to run the usual commercial crap-trap from Dixon’s mouth-piece Condon – does this bloke even breath without asking the boss if it is OK? If ever RQ needed a change at the top it is now and they reckon times were tough when Bentley was running the show?
What they need to do to resolve the problem at Melbourne Cup time is hold less meetings. There is nothing to stop RQ from allowing clubs to run ‘phantom meetings’ on the big day. They would make just as much money because let’s face it the Cup day party-goers – or should I call them drunks – aren’t there to watch the local races.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: HAVING worked in the mainstream racing media for many years I can assure you it isn’t easy being constructive no matter who is running the show politically or at RQ. You have to deal with these guys on a daily basis and any form of criticism makes the job even harder. I am told that Brad Davidson has become an embarrassment for RQ with his ‘exclusive leaks’ in the Gold Coast Bulletin on many important issues in racing in Queensland. They say that has forced them to make important Media Releases earlier than planned and claim that is why these are being made ‘exclusively’ to The Courier-Mail. It doesn't alter the fact that things are going from bad to worse in racing in Queensland. Another major race scrapped from the main meeting on Saturday at the Gold Coast and RQ is blaming 'a racing over-load' - pointing out how many more meetings they ran during Cup week than Victoria. Who's kidding who?
CRITIC WANTS ROBBIE HEATHCOTE TO REINTRODUCE HIS MEDIA BAN 
MURRAY DEAN of BRISBANE sent this email:
‘I am starting to wonder if (trainer) Robert Heathcote ever manages to engage his brain before opening his mouth.
His latest bleat concerned the scrapping of an Open Company race which was to feature ‘two highly credentialed sprinters’.
The race was canned by Racing Queensland because of its well known policy involving minimum entries.
One of these ‘highly credentialed sprinters’ was Adebisi which has been capable of winning just two races in the last two years. What a let-down it was for me to know that the meeting was going ahead without this money-muncher.
His next moan was that the replacement race at Caloundra would have provincial status and hence he doesn’t have a ‘suitable claiming apprentice’.
Poor old Rob - fancy the powers that be not taking into account his preferred hoop options.
However, I really started to worry about him when he raised the ‘argument’ that they let Black Caviar compete in small fields.
Ignoring the fact he was even silly enough to mention her name in the same sentence as Adebisi and Excellantes it beggars belief to suggest how cold a day in hell it would have to be when clubs would be forced to close the gates and erect the ‘House Full’ sign when these two steeds did battle.
Rob - is there any chance of re-introducing that short lived media ban again?’
‘TIME FOR THE CURRENT REGIME AT RQ TO STOP BLAMING THEIR PREDECESSORS’ 
BRETT WINTEC, a regular contributor from BRISBANE, makes this contribution:
‘FOR one reason or another I have been pegged as a supporter of the previous regime and someone who for this reason is bagging the current administration. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am a supporter of racing and I will criticize anyone I feel is/did hold this great industry back.
From my perspective it is high time that the current regime at Racing Queensland stopped blaming the previous regime for the state of the industry and start accepting that their approach may not be delivering the outcomes promised by Messrs Dickson and Dixon.
We need to understand that the LNP has been in power for 31 months. This means that Kevin Dixon has had the reins at Racing Queensland for a similar time frame. Therefore the Bentley regime cannot be blamed for the fields being produced by TAB thoroughbred meetings. This must firmly sit with Messrs Dixon and Condon.
In addition to being alarmed at the field sizes at TAB meetings, I am at a loss to explain why Thursday's Flemington Oaks meeting was supported by a six-race card from Kilcoy.
NSW has finally got with the program and supported the Oaks meeting with a feature race meeting from Hawkesbury that was highlighted by a $100k listed race.
Good old Kilcoy stumped up with six races and a grand total of 44 starters. To put this into perspective Flemington had more starters in their first three races than Kilcoy had at its entire meeting!
This has got to stop. Racing Queensland must start to understand that more meetings with less starters is not better. We need quality fields and decent meetings if we are to attract and maintain customer interest.
I was in Melbourne for the Cup and Oaks meetings and unfortunately neither I, nor anyone in my group, placed a wager on a Queensland meeting. This wasn't because we weren't interested. It was because of the poor quality racing being served up.
It's high time Racing Queensland stopped dishing up six race cards and starting focusing on delivering eight race cards with decent fields. I am sure the current strategy is having a major impact on wagering. I would be interested to see wagering outcomes on Queensland meetings for the past 4 months.
Although Racing Queensland is unlikely to provide this information I would be astounded if there hadn't been a significant reduction in turnover.
Common Kevin and Darren start to think longer term, remember we are locked into this wagering agreement for 30 years so we cannot afford any downturn in wagering.’
A RACE FROM KILCOY DURING CUP WEEK THAT HAS PUNTERS SHAKING THEIR HEADS 
MERV the MAD PUNTER, a regular contributor, sent this email:
‘WE keep getting told how wonderful racing in Queensland is travelling after the new TAB deal and the riches that await our industry.
Why then are the fields so poor, do punters have no confidence in the integrity of the sport in the north, are clubs claiming there is favoritism in infrastructure funding and growing suggestions that the Dixon Board isn’t any better than the one they replaced?
Stewards have been copping a real bagging behind the scenes – of everything from swabbing procedures to a failure to address certain incidents occurring during races.
Anyone who watched the Kilcoy meeting – the main Queensland venue on one of the feature days of Melbourne Cup week – are still shaking their heads at the running of one particular race or more to the point the fact that the stewards seemed to be the only ones who didn’t think there was anything that needed inquiring into.’
WAS PETER V’LANDYS ‘TRYING TO STEAL SOME THUNDER’ FROM THE MELBOURNE CUP? 
BILL CARSON of MELBOURNE writes:
‘I couldn’t miss the opportunity to take another pot-shot at the official in Australian racing who most gets up my nose.
Peter V’landys, the CEO of Racing NSW, has out-done himself this time with another ridiculous statement trying to steal some thunder from the spring carnival in Victoria.
This time he is claiming that Sydney will have a carnival to upstage the Melbourne Cup within 10 years.
Where is this bloke living – in Fairy Land?
Most weeks they struggle to achieve reasonable field sizes for a regular Saturday meeting in Sydney. He should worry about addressing that issue rather than upstaging the Melbourne Cup.
The one thing we have to look forward to is that Peter V’landys won’t be around as a racing official in 10 years’ time to be embarrassed by the silly statement he is making now.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: I do think you have taken Peter out of contest Brian. He was referring to a situation that could occur if the racing tax regime changed in NSW. In any case, here is the story that your email no doubt refers to:
SYDNEY would have a horseracing event that surpasses the Melbourne Cup within 10 years if Racing NSW was under the same tax regime as its Victorian counterparts.
ANDREW CARSWELL reported in the DAILY TELEGRAPH that this is the belief of Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys who said this year’s NSW tote betting on the big race was proof the state’s racing scene was growing from strength to strength.
NSW punters splurged $46.2 million on the tote, compared to $31.4 million south of the border, a gap that has been growing for the past three years. Narrowed down, Tabcorp revenue from Victorian customers was strong at $16.1 million, up 12 per cent on last year, but that was outstripped by NSW Tabcorp customers whose revenue surged to $17.9 million.
The Victorian government keeps $1.28 for every $100 bet wagered on the local tote, while Queensland’s state government takes a meagre 82c. But in NSW, the government currently takes $3.22 per $100, leaving Racing NSW almost $100 million worse off than other states.
Despite this inequality, Racing NSW has pushed ahead with growing a world-class series of events, including The Championships, the $18 million jewel in the state’s racing crown.
Tuesday’s figures are a salivating set of numbers, according to Mr V’Landys, that showcase what The Championships could evolve into, if the revenue stream is unfettered from a harsh taxation system.
“The state government is starting to see the big picture now. Their independent reports have justified our arguments,” he said.
STORIES THAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED IN THE MAINSTREAM RACING MEDIA
HORSE SENSE COLUMN UPSETS BREEDERS BOSS WHO DESCRIBES IT AS NON SENSE 
IT doesn’t take much to upset Thoroughbred Breeders’ boss Basil Nolan so it came as no surprise that he has been huffing and puffing following the Horse Sense column run in the Warwick Daily News.
Darling Downs horse-breaker Scott Keogh got up the nose of Nolan (and others) when, commenting on the death of two lady jockeys recently, he suggested that 95 per cent of racehorses were ‘very poorly broken in.’
In a controversial column, Keogh went on to write: “Now, before I offend too many, make no mistake, I am a racing fan.
“The revenue and enjoyhment it brings from the Melbourne Cup to uniting remote bush areas is terrific, but behind the fashion and booze, there is a jockey rolling the dice.
“In the thoroughbred industry now, you need to pass a test to get a ‘trainer’s’ license, and you need to do a four-year apprenticeship to shoe a horse at the track. But when it comes to breaking in educating a horse to race, it’s completely ungoverned.
“The cold hard truth is most of the larger operations function by charging some naïve businessman an inflated price to educate his equine investment, but behind the white fence, the work is done by backpackers and mugs who wouldn’t win a ribbon in any horse sport.
“There are some studs that do a great job, and I feel sorry they have to compete with these ‘paper tiger outfits’.
“What’s the solution?
“Easy fixed – accreditation.
“The lives of jockeys would be a lot safer if horses had to pass a ridden flat work test to be eligible to have their first start, but randomly throughout their career as well.
“The horsemanship in the good old sport of kings needs a shake-up.
“It should take more than a failed drug test, a black hat and two earrings to call yourself a breaker.”
NOLAN, the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Queensland Association president, was quick to respond to the Warwick Daily News with the following:
To Whom It May Concern,
I find the latest ‘Horse Sense’ article to be complete Non-Sense.
Scott Keogh’s implications that two jockeys have died because racehorses aren’t broken in correctly are completely inaccurate and offensive to not just the racing industry, but to these lovely young ladies who have lost their lives and their families who have been left to mourn.
So let’s get to the ‘cold hard truth’ –
Unfortunately, Carly-Mae Pye and Caitlin Forrest died as a result of tragic racing accidents which occurred when their horses fell; it had absolutely nothing to do with the behaviour of the horses. The best breaker in the world could not have prevented these terrible tragedies.
Every day when a jockey or track work rider gets on a horse they put their lives at risk because of the nature of their job – the power of the horse, the speed, the track, the race conditions.
If Mr Keogh had any knowledge of the racing industry, he would know that months and months, if not years, are spent breaking and educating horses before they are ready to trial or race. That is a lot of education and education is expensive and there is no place for ‘cowboy breakers’ in our industry.
In fact, racehorses have such a good foundation of education that they are highly sought after by countless horse enthusiasts for any number of equine pursuits after their racing career has ended.
Mr Keogh’s ‘qualified comment’ that 95% of racehorses are very poorly broken in, (Mr Keogh’s words not mine) is 100% inaccurate. His comments are misleading and misinformed. They place an unnecessary shadow on the racing industry, to breakers and trainers and are disrespectful to Carly-Mae and Caitlin which I find reprehensible.
What is needed is not horse breaking accreditation, but a Horse Sense contributor who actually knows the racing industry and does not profess inaccuracies.
OZ DELEGATION ABANDONS VISIT TO JAPAN IN WAKE OF ADMIRE RAKTI TRAGEDY 
PATRICK BARTLEY reports in THE MELBOURNEAGE that a visit to Japan by a delegation of key racing people has been abandoned following the death of Melbourne Cup favourite Admire Rakti.
The event aimed at promoting Australian racing to the Japanese racing industry was to be staged at the Australian embassy in Tokyo, and would have been attended by Australia's most influential owners, breeders and racing powerbrokers, including representatives from Magic Millions and Inglis Bloodstock, as well as the chairman of all principal clubs around Australia.
However, the showcasing of the Australian racing industry to local Japanese owners and trainers was shelved after the death of Admire Rakti, minutes after the Melbourne Cup, from heart failure.
The coordinator for the function, Leigh Jordon, decided to discontinue plans for the event scheduled for the day after the Japan Cup after talks with Japanese racing officials.
"We had planned a significant function from participants all over Australia, to be at the Australian embassy, but we felt it was quite inappropriate considering the events of Tuesday, to stage the function," Jordon said.
"Riichi Kondo, the owner of Admire Rakti, was understandably devastated with the events of Tuesday, and it was very much an emotional roller-coaster of a time for he and his connections after enjoying the win of the stayer in the Caulfield Cup.
"They were terribly upset with the outcome but were also thankful for the support and well-wishes the Australians gave them in the 24 hours after the Melbourne Cup."
Jordon, Racing Victoria's international recruiting officer, who was the prominent figure behind gathering a record-breaking 11 internationals in this year's Melbourne Cup, said that RVL would make contact with the Kondo family and their entourage during the Japan Cup week.
"While there will be no function at the embassy, we will make contact with Mr Kondo and have dinner with him while we're in Japan during that period of time," he said.
The Australian public shared Kondo's grief after Admire Rakti collapsed in the hosing bay at Flemington, after finishing last in the $6.2 million Melbourne Cup.
Kondo and his family, as well as those connected with the horse, were "shattered" and left the course in disbelief.
However, it is understood that relations between Japan and Australia are still strong and Japanese representatives are still certain to come Down Under for next year's Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
The Japanese mark on Australia's greatest race is indeed indelible after a quinella in the 2006 Melbourne Cup with Delta Blues and Pop Rock, but since then they have had very few representatives in the race that stops a nation.
And just three days before the Caulfield Cup, fellow Japanese stayer Bande was found to be on the verge of having a bowed tendon, with veterinary stewards immediately withdrawing the horse from the race.
The connections of Bande have since sent a letter of gratitude to chief veterinary steward Brian Stewart for detecting the injury before the horse had raced on it.
The international raiders who made a clean sweep of the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup, will have only one runner next weekend, Lord Van Percy in the Zipping Classic at Sandown.
IS THE COST OF ATTENDING CUP WEEK TOO PROHIBITIVE FOR MANY RACEGOERS? 
A MATE has a mate who is a physiotherapist.
MATT STEWART reports for the MELBOURNE HERALD SUN that the physio earns good money and loves his racing.
The mate asked the cashed-up physio if he was attending Cup Week and the hundred-bucks-per-visit physio launched.
“Do you have any idea how much it costs?!’’
The mate said he didn’t and the physio launched again.
“What am I, a brain surgeon? Who can afford it — and who’s got the time?’’
The angry physio who missed Cup Week has a point.
Times and attention spans have changed. We are time poor, cash careful.
We like T20 over Tests because no-one has time for Test cricket any more. We play nine holes of golf instead of 18 because 18 takes all day and who the hell is allowed to play all day, bar widowed brain surgeons. (Hence my brilliant idea of 12-hole golf courses … think about it … done in two hours, play an extra six to make 18 if you have the time …)
Four days in one week at the racetrack is a long time on the drink and on the punt. And, as the angry physio observes, it’s bloody expensive.
A dip in Cup Week crowds, while pleasant for those of us who remember the sardine can days, suggests the physio is not on his “Pat Malone’’.
It costs $74 for Jo Bloggs to walk through the gate at Flemington on each of Cup and Derby Day. It costs Bloggsy an extra $156 if he wants to sit in the Hill Stand instead of stand up on Cup Day (Lawn Stand is cheapest at $120).
Oaks and Emirates Day are cheaper but Emirates is still up to $128 for a seat.
It costs $20 to park in the centre of Flemington’s great expanse, when once it cost $10. Ten bucks was rude enough but $20 is simply pillaging given the gazillions the VRC earns in those four days, and given hardly anyone actually wins on the punt.
If you attend all four days with somewhere to sit — and if you don’t park a car — the package costs $489.
By comparison, it costs $US50 to attend the Kentucky Derby and 55 pounds to walk through the gate at Royal Ascot, 20 pounds if you walk no further than the Silver Ring, which is presumably the “outer’’.
So Flemington is roughly on par with attending four of the five days of Royal Ascot and more costly than attending the Kentucky Derby.
Royal Ascot is proudly elite, proudly bubbled away from the battlers of the outside world, yet Cup Week is supposed to be the week of the “people’’.
The dip in recent Oaks Day crowds — from more than 100,000 a decade or so ago to 64,000 this Thursday — is a tap on the shoulder to the VRC.
Not a violent whack, just a tap and one the VRC can use to make something great greater, consistent with changes in our habits and priorities.
Maybe the beast needs to be reined in a bit — keep the four days, of course, but go with the flow a little with Oaks Day, respond to the dip in crowds with some reinventing.
Oaks Day is now so different to the hurly-burly of the other three days that it should be pitched as such, as an affordable half-day.
Why not model Oaks Day on a day at Royal Ascot?
A late 2pm start, just six or seven races. Run The Oaks late, as they did this year, to attract those who weren’t able to negotiate a day off work.
Make it affordable. Scrap the greedy $20 for the centre car park, offer a picnic hamper with your $55 at the gate. Or scrap the picnic basket and charge $30.
The Oaks Day program was competitive, but a handful of the races felt pretty provincial.
Why not run the Mackinnon Stakes on Oaks Day?
Derby Day is so strong, you could jettison the Mackinnon without any real negative impact. If you ran it on Oaks Day, the Mackinnon would come a perfect 12 days from the Cox Plate.
Melbourne Cup horses don’t really use it any more as a Derby Day lead-up, so why not throw it forward, provide an Oaks day with some better balance.
The four days of Flemington are a magnificent institution. There have been tinkerings over the years but no dramatic shake-ups.
It has become too expensive, too much to ask.
A drop in Oaks Day crowds can be read as an enhancement, that less is more.
My mate’s physio would think so.
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