QUEENSLAND Racing stewards have decided to challenge the decision of the First Appeals Body which saw Sydney apprentice Daniel Ganderton escape penalty over his controversial ride at the Gold Coast earlier this month on Deer Valley.
QR Director of Integrity Operations, Jamie Orchard, advised late today: "We have received the reasons for the decision in the Gaanderton matter. Having considered them, we have decided to appeal and will be filing our application at QCAT next week."
The decision to challenge the upholding of Ganderton's appeal will be welcomed by dozens of punters who have inundated this web-site with protests of 'disbelief' at the ruling. Some were so angry that they threatened never to bet on Queensland racing again.
When the inquiry was instigated at the Gold Coast races in early January, QR Chief Steward Wade Birch told Ganderton that plenty of people would be thinking that he gave favorite Deer Valley a 'practice run' in preparation for her main goal, the $1 million Magic Millions Trophy the following weekend.Punters, ‘dismayed’ by the perceived ‘slap in the face’ that Australia’s newest chief steward received from the First Level body, encouraged Queensland Racing to support him by at least ensuring the matter goes to a higher level.
Ganderton, who was charged with failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures on Deer Valley, which bookmakers were keen to lay from a bad draw, described the Tribunal decision as a ‘huge relief.’ But he and his lawyer, Jim Murdoch, now have another fight on their hands.