Chief Stipe

Harness racing’s best-dressed man has plenty of reasons to put his number ones on, on Friday night, … View the full article

Former trainer Robert Smerdon has been disqualified for life along with his former employees Greg an… View the full article

Life ban for Robert Smerdon as Judge comes down hard Robert Smerdon Photo: Darryl Sherer Article Author Ben Dorries 10 May 2018 0 Comments Robert Smerdon has been disqualified from racing for life and fellow Aquanita raceday treatment ringleaders Greg and Denise Nelligan have also copped lifetime bans. In banning Group I winning trainer Smerdon for life, Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board chairman Judge John Bowman declared it was “sad that a trainer of his eminence from a strong racing family should have been such a major force behind the scheme.” “His scandalous conduct deserves the strongest condemnation,” Judge Bowman said. Bowman said the penalties in the matter “must reflect the gravity of what occurred” as he handed down lifetime disqualifications for Greg and Denise Nelligan. Of the rest of the Aquanita Eight, Group I winning trainer Stuart Webb was given the most severe penalty as he was disqualified for four years. Fellow Group I winning trainer Tony Vasil was banned for three years while Brisbane trainer Liam Birchley was handed a one-year disqualification. Trent Pennuto was disqualified for two years while stablehand Daniel Garland copped a one-year disqualification. The Aquanita Eight were earlier this week found guilty of a total of 271 counts under a variety of racing rules, primarily relating to raceday treatment, following the detection of raceday treatment of Lovani by Greg Nelligan at Flemington last spring. In handing down the penalties, Judge Bowman said Greg Nelligan was one of the prime movers in the nefarious scheme which was “designed to strike at something of major importance to racing .. namely its integrity.” Bowman said Denise Nelligan at times encourages the use of top-ups (raceday treatment) while Webb was “involved in the whole duration of the crooked enterprise.” As for Birchley, Bowman said he may have severed links with Aquanita but he kept up contact with Greg Nelligan. “Each of instances (of being party to the administration of raceday treatment by Birchley) occurred during the spring carnival and the last was on Melbourne Cup day,” Bowman said. Smerdon and Greg Nelligan also copped six month bans for a charge related to the administration of Vicks to a horse but Bowman said the totality of the guilty findings was they were disqualified for life. In a penalty submission to the RAD Board on Thursday morning, RV legal counsel Jeff Gleeson submitted Smerdon should not only be banned for life but also fined $100,000. In handing down the verdicts, Judge Bowman said a fine would probably be imposed on Smerdon but the RAD Board wanted an extra seven days to consider Smerdon’s financial situation. In asking for the penalties earlier in the day, Gleeson told the RAD Board the Aquanita Eight were “guilty of the most serious offence imaginable in racing … probably in any sport they are guilty of systematic cheating.” “They individually and collectively have cast a shadow over thoroughbred racing.” At the start of the penalty hearing, RAD Board chairman Judge John Bowman said he would not immediately deal with the issue of potential disqualification of treated horse or for the potential for race placings to be amended. Judge Bowman said that was a matter for another day.

Magic Wand has given trainer Aidan O'Brien a sixth win in the Cheshire Oaks at Chester, a recognised… View the full article

Godolphin head trainer James Cummings has introduced a gear change designed to help Ghisoni when she… View the full article

The sponsor of the Derby at Epsom could have a strong contender for the famous classic following a G… View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of race 6, Waipa Home of Champions 1400, an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 638 (1)(d). The Informant, Mr Jones, alleged that Mr Rusof permitted his mount SEIRIOS to shift inwards shortly after the start when not sufficiently clear crowding COSSACK WARRIOR onto SIENNA GRACE. ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of race 6, Waipa Home of Champions 1400, an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 638 (1)(d). The Informant, Mr Jones, alleged that Mrs Satherley permitted her mount SECRET DREAMS to shift inwards when not sufficiently clear of SEIRIOS which was forced inwards crowding MISTER PINNS ...View the full article

Although Racing debate is an important part of BOAY there are plans to widen the appeal of the site. The site name is neutral but still represents what I am trying to achieve - people getting together to have a yarn, share some stories and to argue amongst ourselves.

Emerging stayer Blue Breeze will do his family proud if he can produce another special performance o… View the full article

A better Doomben 10,000 barrier draw for In Her Time has trainer Ben Smith thinking her luck in Bris… View the full article

Cossastock is in good shape to resume his New Zealand career this weekend. View the full article

Well-performed winter galloper Taurus surprised his connections with his recent bold first-up showin… View the full article

Pop Star Princess will head to the paddock at the top of her game. View the full article

Every race night a Premier Meeting 09 May 2018 By Michael Guerin The Auckland Trotting Club is taking a dramatic approach to becoming the country’s premier harness racing club --- by turning every race night into a premier meeting. In it’s largest stakes increase yet the ATC will boost stakes for all meetings next year to be at what is now the premier level, an increase of $40,000 per meeting. At the moment in New Zealand premier meeting have minimum $20,000 stakes and from next March that will be the average stake at Alexandra Park for all meetings. ATC president Bruce Carter has announced starting March 2019 the club’s normal Friday night meetings will consist of two $25,000 races, two $15,000 races for maidens or those for the weak 40-50 rating band and the rest of the races will be worth $20,000. That means the non-group races at Alexandra Park from next March will average $20,000. “The stakes are based on nine-race programmes at our meetings and they will be guaranteed, we won’t be relying on external funding from things like the race fields legislation which we can’t control,” says Carter. “We realise stakes have to go up because costs continue to go up and we want to show this commitment now. “We need more horses racing at Alexandra Park, at the moment that number is about 9.3 per race on average and we aim to get that to 11 per race and then more after that. “That is crucial to helping boost turnover but also make the industry more sustainable for trainers.” The two $25,000 race guaranteed each night will usually be for the tightest class pacing and trotting races, meaning some meetings in winter races mere two or three-win front races will carry the $25,000 stake. “We realise how hard it is to keep those intermediate grade horses in the country because owners get tempted to send them off-shore or sell them. “But this should mean those horses who are in that grade or just below the best open class horses can race here every meeting for usually $25,000 at never below $20,000, which makes them very viable.” The new stake levels will catapult Alexandra Park further ahead of the pack Australasian wide but their greatest problem is still field sizes. “It is remarkable, we can’t attract rating 40-50 horses for plenty of meetings now racing for $14,000 whereas trainers will race at Cambridge instead for a lot less than that. “And the thing about it is, they are still racing the same horses, rating 40-50s, who are hardly the stars of the game. “So I think some trainers and owners could look at their attitudes to racing here and hopefully this will help with that.” The ATC will not raise stakes for their actual premier meetings but the most comforting part of Carter’s announcement is that it isn’t reliant on the New Zealand Racing Board reaching its financial targets, which are being hampered by the delays to the race fields legislation being passed. The money will come from the completion of the of the two major real estate developments at Alexandra Park, with their commercial and residential spaces. The first tower has already been significantly delayed but almost all the owners of the apartments pre-purchased are sticking with the development as they have increased in price since they were originally purchased. “The delay is unfortunate but were circumstances beyond our control but we are confident we will have the first building open in the New Year. “And with that money coming online I want to thank the board and management who have worked incredibly hard to make this all happen.” The latest series of stakes increases means Alexandra Park have almost doubled stakes in five years.

Leading Sydney jockey Kerrin McEvoy has been suspended for failing to ride out favourite Galina in a… View the full article

Premier Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan has been quick to use local knowledge to have top Queensland ho… View the full article

Alexandra Park have reaffirmed their previous commitment to increase stakes by $40,000 per meeting n… View the full article

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News Flying Spur dies at 25 Wed, 09 May 2018 AAP Turf The 1995 Golden Slipper winner and champion sire Flying Spur died last night aged 25, Arrowfield Stud has announced. Flying Spur was trained by Lee Freedman to win the Golden Slipper, and he added the Australian Guineas and All Aged Stakes to his Group One tally before being retired to stud. Bred at John Messara's Arrowfield Stud near Scone in the New South Wales Hunter Valley, Flying Spur carried the farm's famous racetrack silks before joining his birthplace's stallion roster after standing his first season in Victoria. A son of breed-shaping stallion Danehill, Flying Spur made an immediate impact at stud, ending 1999-2000 as Australia's leading first-season sire. Flying Spur claimed the general sires' premiership in 2007, the year his daughter Forensics won the Golden Slipper. Declining fertility led to Flying Spur's retirement from stud duties in 2012, but his legacy continued this season as the sire of the Caulfield Cup winner Boom Time. "One of the pillars of Arrowfield, he signs off like the great Australian Sir Donald Bradman on 99 stakes winners," Arrowfield posted on Twitter.

The 1995 Golden Slipper winner and champion sire Flying Spur died last night aged 25, Arrowfield Stu… View the full article

Multiple stakes-winning filly Dijon Bleu has been sold to overseas interests. View the full article

Doomben 10,000 favourites Redzel and In Her Time have drawn middle barriers for the Group One sprint… View the full article

The well-related Cyber Attack showed the benefit of a spell when he made the perfect return at Te Aw… View the full article