Always back the horse named self-interest, son. It'll be the only one trying
There have been some very unsavory instances of animal abuse in Queensland racing lately, and the debate continues to rage about the disparity in sentences delivered to the offenders. No-one though is arguing about the sentence handed down on NZ gallops trainer and horse breaker John Ross Malcolm. This bad, bad man got life, and […]
(a) The Adjudicative Committee accepts as credible the evidence of the staff Witness No. 1 which it summarised below. This witness observed Mr Malcolm, whilst angry, punch the horse in the nose, kicked it in the stomach, immobilised its head, chased it to a state of exhaustion and stomped on its nose as it lay […]
HEZA ROMEO. – was retired from the race near the 600 metres when the bridle detached, with Jockey Nathan Thomas dismounting, after which the gelding became free and galloped for a distance before being recaptured. Stewards questioned the Club’s Starter, the Starter’s Assistant attending HEZA ROMEO in the barriers, the Veterinary Officer in attendance at […]
This photo of Phar Lap with Gerald Telford, the son of trainer Harry Telford sitting on his back, was shot in 1931 on a property at Bacchus Marsh. It was taken just prior to the great horse’s ill-fated trip to North America in November, 1931, and is held in the Museum Victoria Collections. What a […]
Enigmatic Queensland galloper Flash Aah has had more trainers than most people of had hot dinners,. Flash started his career with Jeffrey Caught, then went to Kelly Schweida, was transferred from him to Gregory Hickman in NSW, was sent back to QLD and trainer Mitch Fry, was moved from Fry to Matt Cropp, then travelled south to […]
Trainer Tom Smith, pictured with a horse he wasn’t beating As we wait for the decision of the Racing Appeals Tribunal on Rockhampton trainer Tom Smith’s appeal against his 3 month suspension for beating a young horse mercilessly for 33 minutes as he tried to force it into the Callaghan Park pool, a controversy is […]
I wonder what the renowned lover of sand, surf and sea Damion Flower is doing right now. More than likely he is sitting quietly in his prison cell, dressed in standard issue greens, staring up at stains on a colorless ceiling, wondering how it all went so wrong so quick, just as he will be […]
Where there’s life there’s hope, my mate Matt always says. Perhaps he is right, for Panel Chair his honor O’Brien comes out and criticizes the way that the QRIC has particularized the charge. He basically says that a collection of facts thrown together doesn’t by prove a person’s guilt. You have to show how Smith’s […]
Murdoch rests his case. It shouldn’t have been too heavy, ‘cos it didn’t contain much. The QRIC’s counsel – I didn’t catch his name – begins his submissions in reply. This is going to be interesting. He is not intimidated by Murdoch like so many others are, and is standing up to him like Holyfield […]
For once in his life the Magic Man looks to be struggling. You can’t criticise him for it. It’s bloody hard to spin a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. Murdoch KC is trying though. Now he’s arguing that the assault on the horse wasn’t improper, because the Rockhampton Jockey Club trackwork supervisor didn’t […]
