THE WEDNESDAY WHINGE has a new look but won’t be dispensing with the theme and focus on the THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY side of what is happening in racing. 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 and one of the most read on racing websites in the country. Our popularity continues to grow despite the bagging it cops from some high profile officials, especially in Queensland, who cannot cope with constructive criticism of any kind. We encourage supporters – and critics – to continue to contribute but plan to restrict the Whinge to less than 10 of the best items each week. Our message to those who continually bag us is simple: IF YOU DON’T LIKE WHAT YOU READ, THEN DON’T REVISIT THE WHINGE.
WHO IS REALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THESE APPEALS BEING SUCCESSFUL? 
GLEN SIMPSON of GOLD COAST writes:
‘ALL of a sudden there is a controversial decision in a greyhound appeal and the Racing Disciplinary Board (in Queensland) comes under fire for being too lenient.
There have been times when I have shaken my head at appeals being upheld in all three codes but perhaps we should consider why the odds seem to be stacked in favor of the appellants.
Primarily the question has to be asked: Are the stewards doing their jobs properly to ensure charges aren’t beaten on appeal? If not, do they need better training or does RQ need to start looking for some new stewards?
Even more importantly are the legal brains that appellants employ a shade too ‘racing-wise’ for the lawyers being used by RQ? Jim Murdoch has been pulling their pants down on appeal and Barry Taylor is another who continues to out-smart the stewards at appeals.
Murdoch opened the flood-gates when he found a legal technicality that saw a domino effect and many facing significant time on the sidelines had cobalt convictions overturned because swab samples were sent to labs which were not officially accredited under the Racing Act in Queensland. It was written off as a minor technicality by the powers-that-be at RQ but in truth was a hugely embarrassing bureaucratic bungle in the eyes of the industry Australia wide.
Now we have this situation that has caused uproar in sections of the racing media because a greyhound official has a year-long disqualification overturned after an appeal mounted on his behalf by Barry Taylor.
Perhaps they should read the transcript. Taylor at one stage questioned where recently promoted Head of Integrity of RQ, Jamie Dart, learnt his investigative skills and also suggested the answer might be ‘from the kindergarten for stewards’.
Now under a story with the blazing headline: “Outrage brewing over soft penalties” the RDB chairman Brock Miller has been questioned about the Appeals Board being ‘too lenient’.
Perhaps those writing the story should have looked at the inadequacies of RQ and the cases being formulated by their stewards before blaming the RDB for the current embarrassing ‘win rate’ of appellants in the three codes in Queensland. They might also consider that lawyers being engaged with plenty of knowledge about racing are proving too smart for stewards and RQ lawyers who have not as much racing knowledge.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: HERE is the story that the above email refers to that appeared in News Limited publications in Queensland under the dual by-line of Nathan Exelby and Brad Davidson:
RACING Disciplinary Board chairman Brock Miller has denied the appeals body is too lenient, as yet another disqualification handed down by stewards was quashed last week.
Statistics show the RDB has overturned or reduced 73 per cent of cases under the chairmanship of Miller, who took over from Judge Bill Carter, who died in January.
The latest came last week when greyhound grader Darren Barbour had a 12-month disqualification overturned. Barbour was disqualified for 12 months by Racing Queensland stewards in July.
Stewards originally claimed he, when acting as a stand-in grader for RQ, wrongly included greyhound Just Like Tina, who was part-owned by some of his family members, in a race at Albion Park in February at the expense of another greyhound.
The stewards further alleged Barbour placed two bets involving Just Like Tina in the race in question and placed three calls from his mobile phone to the trainer of Just Like Tina on the day that nominations were wrongly extended for the race.
But the case was thrown out on appeal after the RDB found “evidence given by Mr Barbour confirms that he was neither dishonest, corrupt, fraudulent or improper or did anything which constituted misconduct”.
The decision is the latest in a string of recent RDB decisions that have left RQ stewards gobsmacked.
Judge Carter overturned 15 of 38 cases during his time at the RDB helm, but that figure has risen to 37 of 51 cases (73 per cent) under Miller.
“It’s not up to me to make any comment about whether what I do is right or otherwise,” Miller said. “We look at each action and each action is determined on its merits and it’s not for me to comment on percentages.”
Miller also dismissed suggestions RQ stewards were being too excessive in their handing down of penalties and denied there was any tension between the two parties.
“(Stewards) look after the industry very well,” he said.
Publicly, stewards have refrained from making comment, but privately some are seething at the convictions that have been overturned.
“It gets to a point where everyone just appeals because they know they are a good chance of winning and you can’t blame them for that,” one said at the weekend.
Other recent RDB decisions that have left stewards surprised included trainer Clinton Garland having a six month disqualification reduced to a $3000 fine in May for a positive swab, despite it being his fifth breach of the rule in the past three years.
AND another on the same subject:
‘TAYLOR MADE’ OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT RQ INTEGRITY SHORTCOMINGS 
MURRAY DEAN of the SUNSHINE COAST, an occasional contributor to the Whinge, sent this email:
‘An industry wag mate of mine suggested the other day that the theme song being played at Racing Queensland may well be ‘Bring On the Clowns’.
With plenty of press coverage readers will recall that a few weeks ago they disqualified for 12 months a greyhound grader, who was accused of many dreadful crimes, including having a bet.
Let us not forget who headed this major investigation – none other than the new Integrity Chief (albeit in an Acting capacity) – Mr Jamie Dart.
The disturbing aspect of this case which was not reported in the stewards’ original inquiry was that the accused gentleman was not even an employee of Racing Queensland. He had simply been helping them out as their appointed Grader was on leave. In other words the new Integrity Head Honcho was arguing that someone who wasn’t even an employee should be bound by their Rules. It just beggars belief.
Is it any wonder that a former Board member (who also had resigned from this august organization) committed his legal skills to secure the overturning of this ridiculous charge?
As usual the industry will pay. I note that RQ retained Counsel to defend the Dart panel nonsense. I am sure she didn’t appear on an ex-gratia basis. I wonder if damages could also be sought.
It just gets sillier and sillier week by week at Deagon.’
RQ CFO SHOULD BE PUT UNDER MICROPSCOPE ABOUT FINANCIAL AFFAIRS 
BILL WHITEHOUSE, a regular contributor on the declining confidence in the racing industry in Queensland, sent this email:
‘AFTER watching the Queensland racing industry implode from within during the past three and a half years, I have finally taken the decision to abandon my racing interests in Queensland and focus my attention on my thoroughbred interests in NSW and Victoria.
My decision was taken due to the uncertainty surrounding the industry in Queensland and the inability to attract new investors into my stock due to the continuing negativity being driven by those I perceive as having both internal and external political agendas.
The key points of concern I have is the manner in which the Kevin Dixon led Board and the LNP carried on when Bentley left the building, and the subsequent reputational damage the industry suffered via the White Inquiry, which ended up being shown to be a political witch-hunt.
The final straw is now after Dixon has left the building, I see the reputation and apparent financial stability of the industry again being dragged through the mud by those with political agendas, both internally within the industry and externally within George Street.
From my perspective I cannot continue to let a change of Government or change of Board at Racing Queensland, impact my investments. Therefore, I have simply taken the decision to further invest into NSW and Victoria, where there remains an air of confidence surrounding the on-going viability of the industry.
After studying the media surrounding the Bentley and Dixon departures, and the subsequent negativity, I have found one constant. That is the Chief Financial Officer for Racing Queensland, who, based on media articles, is alleged to have been party to the provision of potentially inaccurate financial information following the departure of these Boards.
When Bentley left, it appears that this individual may have cost the racing industry a fortune by disseminating incorrect information that likely led to the calling of a Commission of Inquiry. This information was dismissed on day one of the White Inquiry, and based on the financial statements of Racing Queensland, this apparent which-hunt cost the Queensland racing industry a huge amount in legal fees, not to mention the reputational damage.
It appears that this individual again jumped ship when Dixon left and soon after we saw diabolic financial information being disseminated within political circles relevant to the financial performance of the industry under the leadership of Kevin Dixon.
There have been concerns raised by Kevin Dixon and his previous Board in regards to the validity of this information, which appears to have some merit based on the recently released financial statements of Racing Queensland.
So again, I reiterate, there appears to be one constant in this whole sordid affair, that being the CFO. After reportedly jumping from ship to ship, it appears that he has never been held to account for the financial impact of the information he has provided, and also the financial position of Racing Queensland under his stewardship as CFO.
Well finally, I have been advised that this gentleman may soon be held to account. Apparently, it is watch this space, as those in the know advise that his ship-jumping exploits may soon be exposed and he may be asked to justify his position on a number issues, including the information he has provided over the past three and a half years.
From my perspective this gentleman has a lot to answer for. I understand that Bentley was prepared to leave the building without making a scene and that Dixon would have accepted a similar fate.
This was until accusations and apparent misinformation was disseminated. The two aforementioned ex-Chairmen were left with no alternative but to respond to the accusations leveled against them, which has resulted in the Queensland industry’s good name being tarnished, and many stakeholders left to carry the can due to a downturn in interest.
Therefore, from my perspective, I hope this gentleman gets everything that’s coming his way!
EDITOR’S NOTE: AFTER reading this interview that Queensland’s top turf scribe, BRAD DAVIDSON of the GOLD COAST BULLETIN, was able to secure with IAN HALL one wonders if the Interim RQ CEO from KPMG is aware of the above concerns.
THE man in charge of pulling Racing Queensland out of a projected $28 million black hole admits he never knew what he was walking into.
Ian Hall conceded he underestimated the task needed to turn the industry around when he was appointed RQ interim chief executive in June.
“When I first came into it I knew about the MacSporran Report but I didn’t have an appreciation of the financial situation that we’ve had to deal with,” Hall said.
“It wasn’t what I expected but whenever you start a job you don’t know until you get in there.”
Hall dismissed rumours he wanted out, vowing to remain at the helm of RQ until he is no longer required.
RQ recorded an $11.18 million operating loss in 2014-15 but project that loss to grow to $28 million this financial year.
This is due mainly to an “extra $16 million” expected to be paid in prizemoney by RQ in 2015-16 because the increased prizemoney levels introduced on October 1 last year only had to be paid over nine months last financial year instead of the full 12 months this financial year.
RQ plan to introduce cost cutting measures from January 1 to help drag back the projected $28 million loss.
Hall’s contract with RQ has been extended until March or until a new chief executive has been appointed and he is determined to see the task through.
“My timing to a certain extent is out of my hands and when the board is appointed they will appoint a new chief executive,” he said.
“But my desire is to see this through and to implement it and make it work.”
Hall’s commitment to the cause comes as he revealed harness racing faces the biggest challenge.
RQ’s 2014-15 annual report shows that $7.03 million of RQ’s $11.18 million operating loss last year can be attributed to the harness code.
Expenditure ($30.07 million) far outweighed RQ’s revenue ($23.04 million) from harness racing last financial year even though turnover on Queensland harness racing increased by $28.9 million.
“Harness has got the biggest challenge and it’s much harder because their turnover is much less (than the other two codes),” Hall said yesterday.
In comparison, RQ’s loss from thoroughbred and greyhound racing was just $1.67 million and $972,000 respectively before depreciation.
Wagering turnover on Queensland racing was down $95.35 million last financial year despite turnover increasing in both Queensland harness ($28.9 million) and greyhound ($26.25 million) racing.
However, wagering turnover decreased by a massive $150.5 million in Queensland thoroughbred racing in 2014-15.
This large decrease could be partly attributed to Eagle Farm being out of action since August 20 last year but it also must be pointed out that Queensland hosted 42 less thoroughbred meetings (34 TAB, eight non-tab meetings) last financial year compared to 2012-13.
Hall admits the Queensland racing industry faces challenging times ahead but he dismissed suggestions he has exaggerated the tough financial position RQ is in.
“Like any change you’ve got to bring people on a journey and there is no way we could have taken people on a journey if we didn’t give them the facts,” he said.
HOW COULD A ‘SPY’ BE PLANTED IN ANY STABLE WITHOUT EMPLOYMENT BY SAID TRAINER? 
PERCIVAL SMITH of MELBOURNE writes:
‘I HAVE just finished wading through some of the opinion pieces being written by media mates of Peter Moody, especially those involving the outrage that stewards might have considered planting a ‘spy’ in his stable.
The first thing that came to mind in this issue was how the Integrity Department at Racing Victoria could ‘position’ a spy in the stable of any top trainer without that person first being employed by the said trainer.
As for the outrage at the suggestion of having someone ‘spy’ on our top trainers, those taking the high moral ground on the ethics issue might consider had it not been for a ‘spy’ in the form of the Animal Liberation Group then the ‘live baiting’ issue in greyhounds might have gone on forever.
Let’s not be too holier than though on all of this. The majority of leading trainers would love to have a system where you change the rules as you go along – accept the poultice applied to the leg of a horse was for the safety of the horse and if it happened on race day then turn a blind eye to it – or when a horse returns a positive reading to cobalt and the trainer says he cannot see how it happened, just accept his word and don’t proceed with it.
If these blokes don’t want assertive stewards and integrity units looking to clean those who are not doing the right thing out of the industry and keeping trainers on their toes by jumping fences and making snap stable inspections then open a stable somewhere other than Victoria where the stewards reportedly aren’t so pro-active. In other words head north.
Having read some of the drivel being written by Moody’s media mates my mind harked back to an old dear, of immense integrity and commonsense, who once said to me: ‘Always remember the higher the mountain, the deeper the valley’. I have never forgotten this even after 50 years.
It is truly amazing the quality of what I would call these desperately insecure and in general incompetent ‘bar hugging’ journalists. Their handling of the truth is irrelevant.
Let’s assume for one moment that Terry Bailey and Dayle Brown had put their heads together to organize for this Healey bloke to be their plant in Moody’s stable – ONLY Moody’s stable.
There would have o be a reason why they decided to adopt this action. Was it because too many of Moody's swabs were questionable but legal? Was it because of information given to the stewards by Healey? For the question of planting Healy or anyone else in Moody’s stable to arise, the stewards must have had a very good reason to adopt this approach.
At the time when Brown and Bailey took over from the Des Gleeson team at RVL an opinion on the state of the industry in Victoria was handed down by a Judge Lewis who described racing in Victoria as ‘rotten to the core and full of gangsters’.
Brown and Bailey were appointed to their respective rolls shortly afterwards. My recollection is that Bailey was crucified by the mainstream racing media for tackling what he considered the ‘centre of influence’ to Victoria’s troubles. Early days he was not even successful in gaining the support of the Victorian Police Force. This has since been acknowledged by a high ranking officer as being correct.
One of Bailey's main back-up staff, who has since moved on, was farewelled by an anti-Bailey journalist at premises partly owned by a person of grave concern to the stewards.
NOW we move on - the same slippery journalists are at Bailey's throat again.
Why? Well Bailey and Brown dare to be different from many others, especially the greyhound stewards who sat on their hands until one day a TV program all but wrecked the industry with the ‘live baiting’ expose.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: FEELINGS are obviously running high amongst the racing media when it comes to the frustrations confronting Peter Moody, the boy from the Queensland bush. There’s more editorializing and opinion than breaking news on the issue these days. Here’s an extract from an article written by Patrick Bartley of The Age, who is openly at odds with Moody and his supporters:
CLOSER to home, the cobalt saga has caused a media circus, with Moody being critical of Chief Stipendiary Steward Terry Bailey and others when interviewed by Shane Anderson of industry-owned TV station Racing.com.
On Monday, Anderson went public defending his interview with Moody and claimed that at least three Racing Victoria Board members had rung in to support his interview with Moody.
Given Racing Minister Martin Pakula has already warned the RV Board not to meddle in matters of integrity, let us hope Shane Anderson has embellished things. Because RV support of his interview would appear to be at odds with Pakula's specific directive.
Moody didn't stop there, tweeting on Saturday: "Bet TB [Terry Bailey] happy he is not a footy coach. Full support of Board and CEO usually means...".
Perhaps Moody should be happy he is not a footy player, as criticising the umpire is not tolerated by the AFL and results in immediate sanctions. Maybe Moody should reintroduce his media ban and extend to it social media. The extra time will help him explain Lidari's cobalt reading of 410.
NO SURPRISE TO SEE NIKOLIC HITCH A RIDE ON MOODY’S WAGON 
GLEN SCOTT of MELBOURNE sent this email:
‘IT came as a surprise to no-one who watched the dramatic side of Australia racing closely that Dan Nikolic would try to hitch his wagon to under siege Peter Moody.
Nikolic told the Sunday Telegraph that Moody was another example of the Victoria Racing Integrity Unit being out of control.
“The treatment of Peter Moody supports what I have always maintained, that they conduct vindictive vendettas against certain racing people.” Nikolic told respected Sydney sportswriter Phil Rothfield.
“Why is it that integrity allegations are constant in Victoria and not in Queensland or NSW, who have thriving and successful industries. There has got to be a common reason?”
‘Dan the Man’ has to be kidding. The story goes he has a sympathetic ear at some influential level in the current Integrity sections of racing in Queensland. Time will tell.
But his suggestion that the Queensland industry is thriving and successful would be challenged by many better informed people who are suffering at the coalface of Australian racing’s basket case.
And NSW is hardly thriving with its battle to attract decent Saturday fields, the Sam Kavanagh fiasco and racing dominated by a handful of big stables with the majority of battlers forced to retreat to the country.
Might I argue that the only comparison one could make between Peter Moody and Danny Nikolic is the dislike of both for how integrity operates in Victorian racing?
If you ran a popularity poll within and outside the industry Moody would win hands down. If you asked stakeholders, punters and the racing public in general which one they didn’t want in the industry Nikolic would bolt in. There are next to no similarities between the pair.
Nikolic is entitled to fight for his career and obviously has the money to employ the sharpest legal brains to challenge the rights of police and racing authorities to exclude him from racetracks and casinos.
I have a close family association with racing in Victoria (which for obvious reasons I am not prepared to reveal) and I would challenge the suggestion by Nikolic that he has strong industry support and that ‘there are many jockeys who are concerned about the integrity unit but are too frightened to speak out.’
My message to Dan Nikolic is: ‘Beware of what you wish for!’ He wants to be careful that a legal challenge to a ‘public interest’ ruling by the Police Commissioner could open a can of worms not only for him but his supporters, whoever they may be.’
MEMBERS REACT TO MOVE FOR GCTC CHAIRMAN TO EXTEND TERM 
THIS was contributed by a long-standing MEMBER of the GOLD COAST TURF CLUB who prefers to remain anonymous (for obvious reasons):
‘IT seems that old habits die hard where the turf meets the surf.
As a long-time member of the Gold Coast Turf Club, I was amazed to learn that the current Board of Directors is putting forward a proposed change to the Club Constitution that will extend the period that Chairman Brett Cook can serve in the top job from five to 10 years.
The Members voted many years ago to bring in the maximum five-year rule for the Chairman. This enabled the club to keep moving ahead with the times, something many organizations have failed to do when ruled by the same people for extended periods.
I know the Gold Coast Turf Club has long been recognized as an ‘Old Boys Club’ and this kind of apparent self promotion by Brett Cook and his Board only adds to the dismay of Members.'
AND we also received this one on the same topic from a prominent Queensland owner who has been a great supporter of Gold Coast racing for many years:
‘CAPTAIN COOK’ MOVE INSULT TO ONE OF THE BEST GCTC CHAIRMEN’ 
‘IS the Gold Coast Turf Club Board for real?
In an election year, the Board has put forward for ‘Captain’ Cook to reign supreme for 10 years.
This is an insult to one of the best Chairmen the club has seen in Bill Millican. Bill served the club in the top job for five years and, in the end, gracefully stood down when his term was up.
The club seems to have moved forward over the last decade and to see Brett Cook and Directors want to change a winning system is very poor judgment. What next, 10-year terms for Directors?
And this comes after a failed motion put forward to Members a few years ago, that if successful, would have seen Directors eligible for up to $20,000 per year in remuneration, which would have been an unprecedented move for a provincial race club in Australia.
And as for extending the tenor of Chairman Cook – please – as a member and an owner of many years, I prefer to see someone in the top job who can dedicate more energy to the training tracks then they do worrying about what color tie they are going to wear to the races each Saturday.
This motion for the Chairman to stay for 10 years is an insult to Members. Maybe the Captain’s Table should spend more time with Members on race days instead of the Directors’ Lounge to get a real feel about the issues and concerns of stakeholders and racegoers.
This 10-year move will get a big ‘NO VOTE’ from me and I urge other Members to follow my lead.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: IF Chairman Brett Cook or his Board want to respond to either of the above emails it will be run in the next edition of the Wednesday Whinge.
THE LATEST FROM OUR SPY IN THE DEAGON BUNKER
HAVE ALL STAFF AT RQ BEEN BANNED FROM TALKING WITH THE MEDIA AND WHY? 
‘HAVE you heard of the latest directive to all staff of Racing Queensland?
They are forbidden from speaking with the media. The reasons doing the rounds for this are interesting indeed.
Some say ‘short haul’ wants to pick and choose who he speaks with. You are always going to get positive publicity if interviews are conducted by a media identity with a conflict of interest due to his strong ties to a minor code.
Others say requests for information are referred to the Communications Manager – the problem there being that he only returns calls to those seen as ‘toeing the media line’ where RQ is concerned.
Then there’s the problem with a few of those ‘first lieutenants’ of ‘short haul’ who have already shown their inefficiencies when it comes to dealing with the media – one that especially comes to mind is ‘the German’ – and it isn’t the media who are bagging him, moreso those poor stakeholders who have to deal with him on a regular basis.
There have been plenty of new faces appointed or positions advertised despite the financial situation confronting RQ. One would have thought they would have waited to get a new CEO behind his desk first – but that apparently won’t happen until the new Board is in place. Many in this joint are suddenly wishing Darren Condon had never been shown the door.
And just on the subject of Mr Dart – is there a document doing the rounds – a transcript from a recent appeal hearing where the question was asked of the Appeals Board by a prominent lawyer about where he got his stewards’ license from.’
WHY DID THIS GREYHOUND STEWARD LEAVE AND ARE PIGLETS STILL BEING DELIVERED? 
‘APART from the embarrassment of the latest greyhound appeal for the Integrity Department, with Jamie Dart now at the helm, there is another situation of a controversial nature that has occurred under his watch.
This involves the sudden departure of a greyhound steward who formerly worked in the north on the gallops panel. Could his departure have something to do with a complaint made by a prominent industry identity?
The story doing the rounds in the Bunker would sound the death-knell for greyhound racing in this state if it happened to be half right. If you are to believe the rumors piglets are still being supplied to certain training complexes that are allegedly continuing with ‘live baiting’ under an assured cloud of secrecy. Perhaps the answer to this puzzle could lie in the results.’
CLOSURE OF EAGLE FARM A CONVENIENT EXCUSE FOR QLD BETTING DOWNTURN? 
ANDY JOHNS of SUNSHINE COAST writes:
‘THE prolonged closure of Eagle Farm has become a convenient excuse for the downturn of betting activity on racing in Queensland.
Who’s kidding who? The real reason is the lack of punter confidence. Hardly a week goes by when a hot favorite doesn’t perform dismally or there isn’t a major form reversal in the results at the Doomben Saturday meeting.
Last weekend was another example with two of the rising stars of Queensland racing in Teronado and Pinch River performing below expectations.
Teronado, considered good enough to contest some nice interstate features in the spring, ran a dismal seventh to My Quilter. Trainer Bruce Hill and jockey Jim Byrne struggled to explain the performance apart from the state of the track.
Doomben was in the ‘soft’ range for the race and the form sheet shows that Teronado had one win and a third from four previous starts in this going.
Byrne was also aboard the odds-on Pinch River which finished third to Steel Zip and again blamed the track conditions. When Chief Steward Reardon pointed out that Pinch River had performed well on ‘soft’ ground before, Byrne suggested this was a different ‘gluey’ surface.
So there you have it – we now need to add to the new categories of track conditions – ‘gluey’ – with a big zero beside this for Teronado and Pinch River. Pity the poor punters. They are the ones who continually struggle to find a winner.’
BOUQUETS FOR RACING COVERAGE OF TWO PATRICKS – SMITH & BARTLEY 
GLEN MURRAY of MELBOURNE writes:
‘WHERE would an objective coverage of horse racing in this country be without the likes of Patrick Smith of The Australian and Patrick Bartley of The Age”
Whilst I have to admit that Smith has an axe to grind with certain aspects of racing – like the jumpers and use of the whip – Bartley has been relentless in his coverage of the dramas in Victoria despite what some might call continued intimidation.
Bartley, who reportedly received a telephone call from Peter Moody at the height of the cobalt coverage advising ‘you’ve got life’, didn’t take a backward step in his bid to provide both sides of the story again in the past week.
No doubt under pressure from some of his colleagues, Bartley went on the attack when he wrote: ‘For those outside the inner sanctum of the racing industry who are perplexed at the mileage the Peter Moody saga has gained this week or, for that matter, the past few months, the answer is simple: an unrelenting media cheer squad. Even those removed from the sport can see by his poor-taste rants that Moody is slowly unravelling….
But the media cheer squad continues to skirt around the clear realities of the case. For the third time this week, Moody threatened to resign from racing. He's threatened to move to Darwin, talked about a pub in Queensland and, for all we know, by Saturday night he may be looking at a convenience store in Papua New Guinea.
He has 110 of some of the most expensive racehorses in Australia housed at his Caulfield base. His winning strike-rate has not altered, nor has his client base deserted him since Lidari's swab earlier this year.
But his trusting media contingency was shown at their very best this week, as they gave Moody more oxygen to explain why the world is against him. You see, it's a one-way deal. Moody is a man not to fall out with, so the premiership-winning trainer has polarized the media.’
On it goes and it’s a good read. I don’t know Peter Moody but am a keen follower of all things racing in this country and admire what he has achieved. But he’s not the first to face a charge that has threatened to derail his training career and he won’t be the last. If he was still based in the Queensland bush and had a positive would it even rate a mention?
Amid all the ‘sob’ stories that are being run in the Murdoch media - we even had some bloke called Craddock who I thought was a cricket writer weighing in – and, of course, his pin-up boy Shane Anderson on Melbourne radio and television, it was good to see Bartley receiving some support from Patrick Smith in The Australian on the Moody issue.
I could go into greater detail on this but for those who missed it – and unfortunately not everyone gets to read that great newspaper – perhaps you might indulge with me and reproduce the Smith article which I hope adds to my argument above.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: HAPPY to oblige Glen and here is the piece written by PATRICK SMITH in THE AUSTRALIAN that you were referring to:
PETER Moody is seriously considering giving horse training away. Here’s a tip for him. Do it. Hand over your trainer’s license. Let the owners find new trainers for their horses. Thank your vets. Let go of the stable staff. Pack up, sell up.
There’s nothing else for Moody – without dispute one of the nation’s greatest trainers – to do than give the game away. He has glorious memories galore and none better than steering Black Caviar so superbly she was unbeaten in 25 starts and, on winning the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, raced into immortality.
Moody was interviewed on Racing Victoria’s industry television station on Wednesday, an almost incoherent exchange with host Shane Anderson. Moody was rattled when his horse Lady Tatia was withdrawn from the fourth race by stewards after he admitted he had broken ‘a ridiculous rule’. The horse had received treatment on the day of the race, which is a clear breach of the Rules of Racing. The treatment on her forelegs was the application of a clay poultice that is regarded as an anti-inflammatory. Observed by the stewards’ compliance team on race morning, it left race-day stewards little option but to scratch Lady Tatia. From there Moody over-raced.
Hunting for a platform for his anger – or contrived fury, as it could have been interpreted – he was interviewed on Racing.com. He did not put a rational case for his plight, appearing determined to picture the Racing Victoria stewards in a personal crusade against him. The clay poultice was only a trigger to a much broader cannonade of whines. Moody raised the stewards’ consideration of planting ‘a spy’ in the trainer’s stables. It was a ploy considered but not implemented on the advice of racing integrity commissioner Sal Perna. That such a ploy was even considered was evidence – to Moody at least – that the stewards thought he was a cheat.
Moody then said the stewards couldn’t be any good at their job because they hadn’t found him cheating. That almost sounded a dare. The real driver of all this, of course, is cobalt and Lidari. Trained by Moody, Lidari tested positive to an elevated cobalt reading when second in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington last October. Moody faces three charges as a result, including one of administering the drug to the horse. If found guilty he faces a three-year ban.
“We’re faced with a rule book where there’s too many for us to adhere to and too many for the stewards to police,” Moody said on Wednesday. “I think somebody has got to make a stand and make a few of these people answerable for these ridiculous rules that are being forced upon industry participants. “It is unfortunate that I’ve got to put my career to its detriment (sic) by speaking here today, in saying what a lot of other people feel and probably aren’t fortunate enough to be in a position like me to say … I’m not too proud. They can take my license off me tomorrow.”
The question is, of course, does any of Moody’s rant stand up to scrutiny? The answer is a knockout ‘no’. If Moody cannot ensure the simple rule of no treatment to horses on race day then he has a serious problem. It is about as uncomplicated a rule as you will find. If Moody’s management of his horses allows such a rule breach then it is nobody’s fault but his. He can get more and better-trained staff. He could cut his number of horses to something below 100. But he can’t blame the stewards.
Moody bleats that the stewards have no evidence of him administering cobalt, yet they still charged him. Well, he is right that stewards do not have evidence other than an elevated reading. But somebody must take responsibility for the horse’s state otherwise nobody would be held to account. Moody must take responsibility for no other reason than it was his horse that breached the cobalt reading. It is not a difficult concept. A little more finessed than the rule that bans treatment on race day, but not one so difficult that it might hold a child back from moving on to Year 3.
Then there was some support from other trainers saying that rules are being made by people who do not understand the industry. Really? Truly? There is no sport in Australia more compromised by the lack of independence of its governing bodies. Moody, for example, trains for the chairman of Racing Victoria. The chairman of Racing Australia, John Messara, is chairman and owner of Arrowfield Stud which stands three-time champion sire Redoute’s Choice. Racing is run and governed by racing people.
To suggest the rule-makers are remote from their sport is mischievously wrong. Racing’s problem is the lack of independence from its executive and its participants. For Moody and others to suggest the rule-makers have no idea of the consequences of their decisions is just an attempt to reset the focus of his actions. Racing lives or dies on its ability to show constantly that despite the billions of dollars fed into the industry, its integrity is protected fastidiously and without a hint of a holiday.
Moody is a master trainer. But if he is thrown by the policing of the most basic of rules then he should take his own advice and quit. “It’s gone beyond a joke. It’s affecting my business, it’s affecting my mentality, my ability to train my horses … and I’ve got the support of my family and I can walk away,” Moody said.
Cheers, mate.
IS THIS GROUP OF LAWBREAKERS FROM RACING, RUGBY LEAGUE OR AUSSIE RULES? 
WILD OSCAR from WOODY POINT sent this tongue-in-cheek email:
‘WITH all the cobalt drama going on I thought some of your readers might like this light-hearted item that is doing the rounds:
CAN you guess which group these figures refer to - Racing, Rugby League or Australian Rules?
36 have been accused of spouse abuse
Seven have been arrested for fraud
19 have been accused of writing bad cheques
117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
Three have done time for assault
71, repeat 71, cannot get a credit card due to bad credit
14 have been arrested on drug-related charges
Eight have been arrested for shoplifting
21 currently are defendants in lawsuits,
And 84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year.
Whichever of the three was your choice, YOUR ARE WRONG!
Those mentioned are among the 535 members of the Australian Parliament in Canberra.
That’s the same group that we ‘elected’ to crank out hundreds of new laws each year, designed to keep us in line.
They have to be kidding!’
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.
