Chief Stipe

Amazing photos: Racing officials count cost after extreme flooding Flood damage at Albion Park following the deluge of rain. Picture: Supplied. By Trenton Akers 03:49pm • 28 February 2022 2 Comments Southeast Queensland race clubs face a nervous wait to examine the extent of the damage caused by incredible flooding following a three-day deluge which saw more than 700mm of rainfall, wiping out all racing across the weekend. Incredibly, while a number of large training centres such as Eagle Farm saw significant flooding to their infield stables, there were no reports of animals in distress as flood waters rose. Such was the amount of rainfall, Doomben recorded its heaviest ever reading on the penetrometer on Friday morning. Eagle Farm trainer Rob Heathcote had floodwaters up to his knees during the worst of it on Sunday, leaving everything – including his horses – stranded. READ: RACENET IQ FORM ANALYST MARK GUEST LANDS $520,000 BIG 6 AT CAULFIELD Eagle Farm trainer Rob Heathcote’s stables after flooding. Picture: supplied “There’s nothing we can do because there are no spare boxes,” he said before a huge clean up effort began on Monday with help from the Brisbane Racing Club, with an emphasis on dry saw dust to put into the stables. While Eagle Farm and Doomben went under, it is expected Brisbane’s premier greyhound and harness facility Albion Park will be the worst hit, with officials bracing for up to two weeks without racing due to damage. Situated right next to the Brisbane River, Albion Park was quickly inundated by Saturday and Brisbane Greyhounds chief executive Luke Gatehouse says he expected the floodwaters to peak at around 4m. “In 2011 it was 4.4m and it was like the end of the world,” he said. “We won’t be getting in there for a few days (to inspect) it would seem. “I think it was 4m this time, so we will see, but there is more water coming down the river and it is pretty bleak at Albion Park purely because of where it is. Flood damage at Albion Park following the deluge of rain. Picture: Supplied. “We are anticipating everything, in 2011 all of the boxes went completely under and I think they probably won’t go fully under this time but it will still get to the electrics and that is the biggest issue, we run on electric systems. “The underground cabling at Albion Park isn’t that flash either because of the tidal plane we are on. “The track will be washed away so we will have to do a rebuild there and our source of sand will probably be having a similar issue to us – they have their own issues. “It won’t be a quick return I think, we do have a plan in place and our contractors and suppliers are ready to go but.” It is expected however that harness racing could potentially return quicker than greyhounds at the track. Flood damage at Albion Park following the deluge of rain. Picture: Supplied. Meanwhile, with thoroughbred meetings transferred to the Sunshine Coast poly track on Tuesday and Wednesday, Racing Queensland executive general manager of operations Adam Wallish said they would go ahead, along as participants were able to safely travel to the track. “We can’t have participants in horse floats driving through the conditions so that is what will determine those meetings, the poly track itself will be fine,” he said. Wallish also said officials will be on the lookout for diseases which may have made their way into the racing surfaces through the extreme flooding.

Or both. What does the evidence say?

Agreed. He is either incompetent or has no ambition.

Of course it isn't. But double or more the $200 Crawford had to pay and well that's a huge penalty for a Junior Driver trying to get started in the game. There is definitely a case for a funded advocate. Not the Molloy type that goes off on tangents costing those he "helps" thousands. Wait till you see the bills he has run up become published.

I wonder if it was a company car?

Cops investigate suspicious blaze at Jockey Club boss' home Sam Sherwood13:12, Feb 28 2022 JOSEPH JOHNSON/STUFF Canterbury Jockey Club chief executive Tim Mills pictured in 2012. Police are investigating a suspicious car fire at the home of Canterbury Jockey Club’s chief executive. Emergency services were called to the blaze at the club’s house on Racecourse Rd, Christchurch about 12.30am on Monday. Chief executive Tim Mills said he and his wife were woken to the sound of a tyre exploding. “I leapt out of bed, saw flames and [an] orange glow out the window and my wife rang the fire brigade.” Mills rushed to get his garden hose and saw the back left tyre of his work car on fire. “I managed to get around with the hose and get things slightly under control by the time the fire brigade arrived. The car was damaged and the side of the house was scorched, but it was one of those things that could’ve been a hell of a lot worse,” Mills said. “The fire brigade did say we weren’t far away from it being a lot more significant.” A police spokeswoman said the fire was being treated as suspicious and the investigation was ongoing. Mills said he did not want to speculate as to why someone would want to set fire to his car, which was currently being repaired. “It’s hard to imagine a reason why anyone would want to do something like that,” he said. “I would just hope that there’s someone out there that knows something and have got enough courage to realise that what was done was particularly stupid and dangerous and [they] should be held to account for it.”

That's just nominations. The final field may well be smaller. Arguably if it had been held on Boxing Day the numbers might have been less. The numbers are indicative of a bigger problem not just related to the timing of the event.

Agreed @Brodie but it gets really expensive for some. Perhaps you should donate 10% of your TAB winnings to a fighting fund for those Drivers and Trainers that don't belong to a big stable? If Crawford had pleaded not guilty then it would have likely proceeded to a non-race day hearing. The RIB would have got their analyst to download and view all the HD video from every angle. Another Legal Eagle for the RIB would have turned up and 50/50 Crawford would have been found guilty. Wham! $300 fine plus $1,000 costs. I agree someone should fight back but even the top Drivers go "to he'll with it I'll just write a cheque!" Ends up cheaper.

But they don't have an equal chance do they unlike a Lotto ball. Otherwise they would all be paying the same price. For a start don't 1 in 3 favourites win? You can't say that about a Lotto ball.

Ok so they have made a Regulation that links to two sub-rules of 869 i.e. 869 (3) and (4) which are extremely vague. So does "easing another runner down the track" mean you can push your wheel in front of the other sulky? That aside how did the horse on the outside "not have clear passage during the race"? Arguably it had "clear passage" just it was three wide!!!! Geez a good bush lawyer could have had a field day arguing the case for Crawford!

116 horses trialling tomorrow at Foxton. Some nice well bred 2 year olds stepping out. Will it be abandoned? Should the Taranaki Jockey Club move there? https://loveracing.nz/RaceInfo/50937/Meeting-Overview.aspx

How does the move to March limit the number of colts? I would have thought it would be in their favour. For that matter is the NZ Derby a race you really want to target with a Colt?

Yeah well @Freda if it was done in a gallops race Noel McCrutcheon would say well done to the Jockey holding his line!

The horse galloped because the outside horse tried to push him down to the pegs. Another 20 metres and there wouldn't have been a gap on the inside. For the situation that was described in the judicial decision there ISN'T an applicable rule. What I do see is a trend where Drivers are just rolling over and not bothering to contest anything when charged.

But the rules don't actually state what you describe. Certainly not the rule that Crawford was charged under.

Are you seriously comparing the odds of winning Lotto where every number (horse) has an even chance of winning with picking the winner of a horse race? Mind you that might be how you pick your race winners.

What rule says that? Certainly the rule under which Crawford was charged doesn't say that.

I just had a look at the rule under which Crawford was charged 869 (4). It states: Now I can't see how this rule applies at all to how Crawford drove his horse. If anything the driver trying to push him in should have been charged. I guess if you pleaded guilty you can't appeal but Crawford now has a black mark against his name that will mean any infringements in the near future will carry penalty weighted more because he has infringed in the past. Staying in the one out train when those leading it are going to improve their position is good proactive and competitive driving. So what if a competitor is posted three wide! Happens all the time in gallops and I'm surprised that Noel McCrutcheon adjudicated in this fashion. I suspect that this is another charge initiated from the RIB "Bunker" i.e. someone sitting in a studio watching the video and applying a theoretical view of the rules.

So why wasn't the driver of the horse in front of Crawford also charged? He had space inside him.

You could argue that Crawford DIDN'T break his horse the other driver did.

Are you not allowed to stay off the rail in the one out train when there is a space inside you?

Hawera HRC 23 February 2022 – R6 – Jordan Crawford ID: RIB7558 Respondent(s): Jordan Crawford - Junior Driver Applicant: Mr A Dooley - Stipendiary Steward Adjudicators: Mr N McCutcheon Persons Present: Mr Dooley, Mr Crawford, Mr S Abernethy assisting Mr Crawford Information Number: A18253 Decision Type: Adjudicative Decision Charge: Failed to Concede Position Rule(s): 869(4) Plea: Admitted Animal Name: HIGHVIEW ROCKN ROLL Race Number: R6 Hearing Date: 23/02/2022 Hearing Location: Hawera Racecourse Outcome: Proved Penalty: Junior Driver Jordan Crawford is fined $200 SUMMARY OF FACTS Mr Crawford admitted a breach of Rule 869(4) in that he failed to concede his position to “OUR GRACIE” passing the 1600m which resulted in his horse “HIGHVIEW ROCKN ROLL” breaking and losing considerable ground. Mr Crawford in the presence of Mr Abernethy said that he understood the Rule, charge and confirmed that he admitted the breach. Mr Dooley showed film replays and said that “OUR GRACIE” had a clear advantage over “HIGHVIEW ROCKN ROLL”, but that Mr Crawford attempted to hold his line when he should have gone down to the marker pegs. He added that as a consequence “HIGHVIEW ROCKN ROLL” galloped. Mr Crawford and Mr Abernethy said that the films showed clearly what had happened. DECISION As the charge was admitted, together with the video evidence, it was found proved. PENALTY SUBMISSIONS Mr Dooley said that Mr Crawford is a Junior Driver with a clear record. The Penalty Guide was referred to. Mr Abernethy asked that his record and Junior Driver status be taken into account. REASONS FOR PENALTY All matters relating to penalty were addressed with a fine of $200 considered appropriate for the breach of Rule 869(4). PENALTY Mr Crawford was fined $200.

You only have to watch the first 400m to see what happened. Jordan Crawford was charged with holding his line and not going down to the marker pegs and breaking his horse up HIGHVIEW ROCKN ROLL.