Kyal Costello is Victorian Harness racing driver. In the space of 4 months he placed bets in 24 races in which he was competing. Let’s just hope that he backed his own horses. If he didn’t, then Mr Cosello would be well advised to find himself a new hobby. We won’t be seeing him at […]
A Terrible Decision by the RIB Forces Mark Purdon to Miss the Auckland Cup – This is a Travesty of Justice – It Must Be Over-Turned
I want you to take a look at this replay of the run down the stretch in the Listed Sires Stakes at Addington last night, and pay particular attention to the breach of the whip rules by Mark Purdon on the 2nd placed horse Cyrus, the horse in the blue and white coming three-wide. Did […]
Mud in Your Eye Muzza – Why the RIB Appeals Committee Judgement in the Case of Sheis Fatally Flawed – And Why Wigg Will Win in the Supreme Courtryl Wigg
The Appellant draws a distinction with the constitution of benches in the Court of Appeal, which regularly involves one permanent Court of Appeal Judge and two sitting High Court Judges. Considering the process outlined above, it is clear that there is an analogy, rather than a distinction, to be drawn between the Appeals Tribunal and […]
A Conflict of Interest
David (Dave) Anderson was one of the disgraced and deceased harness racing owner John Seaton’s closest friends. Seaton was the owner at the centre of the Blue Magic doping scandal in the early 2000’s, and committed suicide before his charges were heard. Anderson spoke on behalf of the family at the funeral, where he said […]
So What Exactly Does a Remote Steward Do?
We have written previously about NZ trot steward S. Renault working ‘remotely’ during the COVID-19 restriction period because he refused to get vaxed. Although for privacy reasons he did not name Mr Renault directly, or discuss the reason for his prior absences from the track, when we asked RIB CEO Mike Clements about the issue […]
Rob Heathcote’s Never Cheated, and Never Will – Stalin Wasn’t a Communist Either, and Mussolini Wasn’t Italian
Group 1 winning trainer Rob Heathcote insists he made an honest mistake in treating his horses with a banned product, which led to his runners being sensationally scratched by order of stewards at Doomben on Saturday. Heathcote admitted using a product called Hemoplex on his horses. The multiple Group 1 winner said he had been using […]
The Driver Throws His Conductors Under the Bus – Wouldn’t You Love to Have Matt Bekkier in the Trench With You?
Disgraced Star Entertainment CEO Matt Bekier has been in the witness box at the NSW Casino Inquiry for just one day, but already he has created the distinct impression that his attitude to the world has been styled on that of his countryman and obvious role model Hansie Cronje. The mantra is clear. Lie, lie […]
Punch Someone in the Head, Tip Someone Out of Cart, Lie to the Stewards, and Bet Against Your Own Horse – Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick – Here, Have an Award Son
Ben Currie had the Queensland Trainer of the Year award that he had earned denied to him because he was DQ’d. Darren Weir did too. Fair enough many people would say, although not me. Different rules apply at the trots. David Moran is serving 7 months for a raft of different offences, all of them […]
How Does the QRIC Explain This One?
There were four $52 000 Group 2 APG finals run at Albion Park on Saturday night. The QRIC Stewards only took pre-race swabs – blood samples – in two of them, and from only one horse in each. One of them was the $1.40 favourite in the 2YO Colts and Geldings classic, but the other […]
The Racing Integrity Board Just Ain’t Doing It’s Job Properly Bro
Just before Xmas the NZRIB Adjudicator put apprentice jockey Masa Hashizume out for three weeks for dropping his hands near the line in this ride above, and costing his mount (in red colours) second place. On Sunday at the Geraldine trots driver Sheree Tomlinson did almost an identical thing, only she cost her horse and […]