Chief Stipe

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Toowoomba trainer Ben Currie has been granted a stay of a suspension arising out of a show cause hearing earlier this week, freeing him to resume training immediately. Since Monday the state’s leading trainer had 80 horses detained in their stable boxes after being ordered by stewards not to work them. Currie was suspended after a show cause hearing before Queensland Racing Integrity Commission stewards. He had been asked to show why he should not be stood down after seven charges including allegations of jiggers and shock therapy were made against him last Friday. Currie was suspended until his matters were determined by an internal review which only deals with the show cause suspension and not the substantive charges. He then went to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal yesterday seeking a stay of the stewards’ order pending the review. After a five-hour hearing, Member Robert Olding granted a stay and said he would publish his reasons at a later date. The stay is in place until five working days after the result of the internal review is known, which will be probably be in the middle of next month. Currie’s counsel, Jim Murdoch QC, told the QCAT hearing his client had been suspended without being convicted of anything or even entering a plea to the seven charges. He said Currie would be pleading not guilty and denied he had ever used a jigger or instructed anyone to use a jigger on a horse. Murdoch said Currie had run Currie Racing since 2009 and it now had 85 to 90 horses, 15 full-time staff and many casual or contract workers. “The decision has a direct impact on Currie, his family, his employees and contractors who rely on Currie Racing,” Murdoch said. He described the suspension as “draconian” and aimed at ruining Currie’s business. Murdoch outlined the basis on which the stewards’ decision should be stayed. He said the stewards could be found to have an apprehended bias against Currie after chief steward Peter Chadwick has discussions with QRIC Commissioner Ross Barnett before the hearing. He said Chadwick should have recused himself from the hearing because Barnett has been quoted in a media release last Friday which was highly damaging to Currie. Murdoch said two applications by Currie to defer the show cause had been denied when he should have been given at least 28 days to prepare his case. He further alleged stewards had not been properly delegated to preside on the show cause hearing and had given no proper reasons for their decision. View the full article

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Please don't bring family and especially children into your argument.

Why? It's yet another tax that funds socialist mismanagement.

Riccarton Race Scratchings R1: R2: R3: 6,10 R4: R5: 8,10 R6: 8 R7: TAB Meeting #6 with the first of 7 races starting at 12:22pm Doubles: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7 Trebles: 2-3-4, 5-6-7 Quaddies: 1-2-3-4, 4-5-6-7 Track conditions: Good 3 Weather: Fine Rail: Out 5m Track: Left hand 2400m Length of straight: 400m Race 7: Best bet VOUCH she looks like a ready […] Want to read this content? For free user content sign up here Free Online Content View our subscription options and get behind The Informant paywall Already a member? Login here View the full article

Riccarton Race Scratchings R1: R2: R3: 6,10 R4: R5: 8,10 R6: 8 R7: TAB Meeting #6 with the first of 7 races starting at 12:22pm Doubles: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7 Trebles: 2-3-4, 5-6-7 Quaddies: 1-2-3-4, 4-5-6-7 Track conditions: Good 3 Weather: Fine Rail: Out 5m Track: Left hand 2400m Length of straight: 400m Todays $50 Betting Strategy Race 4: $24 Quaddie / 1-3-4-7 / 4-9-12-13 […] Want to read this content? For free user content sign up here Free Online Content View our subscription options and get behind The Informant paywall Already a member? Login here View the full article

Well that's sexism and fatism because we all know if you have your shirt untucked you look slimmer.

The old bend was the origin of Morty's JCA case. The bend had a negative camber and poor soil structure. On a track worse than dead and with light rain if you were improving about 5 wide or more on that bend you were likely to go arse over tit. One stipe refused to officiate when those conditions were prevailing. Taken about 3 years or more to rectify the problem! Curious can probably remember more of the detail.

Madam Bettorfly was knocked down to Mitch Kerr for $45,000 on Wednesday. She has some illustrious new owners. A bunch of high-profile New Zealand sportsmen, including numerous All Blacks and a Black Cap are among the shareholders in a newly-formed syndicate. The 40-person group were pulled together by North Canterbury trainer Mitch Kerr and his cousin, Sam ‘Lashes’ Casey, a radio personality also popular for his pre-match motivational speeches for the Highlanders. Casey isn’t new to ownership – he’s been lucky enough to own the ill-fated The Dorchester and rising star Smokin By, both winners on the last two New Zealand Cup days. Looking to capitalise on that momentum, Kerr and Casey got together and pulled in 38 mates of theirs and they’ll race a Bettor’s Delight filly purchased at Wednesday’s National Yearling Sale in Christchurch. Among them are current All Blacks Jordie Barrett, Ben Smith and Aaron Smith and fellow rugby players James Lentjes, Hayden Parker, Joe Wheeler, Rob Thomson, Gareth Evans, Tom Franklin, Richard Buckman, Ash Dixon, Craig Miller and Marty Banks. Joining them is Black Caps bowler Matt Henry and Canterbury Wizards captain, Cole McConchie and “whole bunch of old school mates from St Bede’s College and close friends of mine”, according to Kerr. Kerr says he hopes this will be a workable platform to raise harness racing’s profile and introduce a whole bunch of new people to the game. And it was a stressful process, too. “Doing such a big syndicate was daunting to start off with. “It was a big process that took a lot of time and effort. “But I think the industry needs help and with guys like this, and word of mouth, it should be a real boost. “The whole idea of buying a filly is that hopefully most of them stay in and breed her after she’s finished racing, too. “It’s all bloody exciting and I’m very proud that we’ve pulled it together like we have.” Casey said he and a few of his mates, like Lentjes and Parker, have already been having a blast racing Smokin By, and they can’t wait to bring in more mates to experience the thrill of harness racing. “The sales rolled around and we thought it would be a good idea to get as many young blokes as we can to take a small share in a horse and enjoy the ride. “That stemmed from The Dorchester and Smokin By providing us with back-to-back wins on Cup Day the past two years which were both great days. “We thought it be great to have a lot of our mates experience that sort of thing with us. “The aim is to hopefully get together twice a year and hopefully cheer home a winner.” Jordie Barrett is a first-time owner but is a big fan of cup week and that fueled his interest in racing one. “I always mark down Cup week on my calendar and if this horse wins during Cup week it’ll be a cherry on top. “Plus, one of those owners’ ribbons is a great conversation starter.” Marty Banks is a known racing fiend so it was a natural progression for him to jump on board. “I love the thrill of backing a winner so I can imagine owning one will be even better! “And it’s a good bunch of lads together to paint the town red once we do just that as well.” Joe Wheeler is channeling a classic New Zealand mantra. “Kiwi blokes are all about rugby, racing and beer, so now I’m an owner I can proudly represent that slogan.” Kerr went to $45,000 to secure the filly, a close relative of Adore Me, Christen Me and Dream About Me. “I thought we were very lucky to get as the price we did. “She was a standout; had the pedigree on the page and I loved how she looked. “She just had everything going for her. “I had marked out three for the boys and when she was there within the budget, it was a bit of a no-brainer.” Casey will manage the syndicate, which is yet to be named, and the filly may yet undergo a name change from her current one of Madam Bettorfly. “I’ll leave it up to the boys whether they want to change it,” said Kerr. “Lashes is pretty keen to have his piece in there so I’d say it might happen.” View the full article

The top 10 has been confirmed following a public vote for the A$5 million All-Star Mile at Flemington on March 16. Ten of the 14 places in the field were decided by a public vote, with the other four being wild cards – the first of which, Happy Clapper, was announced this morning. View the full article

Despite his recent Group One win over the 1400 metres at Caulfield, the Tony McEvoy-trained Manuel remains well down the pecking order in markets on the Futurity Stakes at Caulfield. That does not faze McEvoy, who is confident the last-start CF Orr Stakes winner can make his mark again in Saturday’s weight-for-age Futurity, which has attracted nine individual Group One winners among the 12-horse field. Manuel dictated terms in front to post an upset in the weight-for-age Orr on February 9 at $21, holding out Kementari, Land Of Plenty and Brave Smash among others. Manuel opened $26 in an early final field market for the Futurity yesterday and trimmed slightly to $23 with star Godolphin mare Alizee the $2.60 favourite. Five horses who finished behind Manuel in the Orr are above him in the early market. “They are dismissing him at their own peril,” McEvoy said. “He was very strong through that 1400 metres second-up so I haven’t done much with him. I’ve just kept him sweet and happy and in the same spot. He’s really bright and well. He hasn’t gone backwards, and he might have even got a bit better.” The Orr Stakes was Manuel’s first attempt at a Group One race at his 23rd start, and his performance did not shock his trainer. “We were a little bit bullish about him,” McEvoy said. “His first-up run in the Australia Stakes was very good and he had improved out of that. We thought we had a sniff of a chance in the race and that’s how it turned out. “I told the ownership group before his first start as a two-year-old in the Maribyrnong Trial that I thought we had a Group One horse on our hands. It sadly took him until five to realise it, but he has got there.” Land Of Plenty, equal second with Kementari in the Orr, races for the Peter and Paul Snowden stable for the first time on Saturday and was second favourite yesterday at $6 while Brave Smash, a close fourth in the Orr, has blinkers on for the first time this campaign and was next in line at $7. Brave Smash is aiming for back-to-back Futurity wins. View the full article

The Auckland Racing Club is pleased to announce a partnership with Waikato Stud, who is joining its stable in the capacity of a Group-race sponsor during Auckland Cup Week. The $100,000 Group Three sprint feature on New Zealand Derby day next Saturday, the opening day of the carnival, will be run as the Waikato Stud Plate. ARC chief executive Paul Wilcox says the club is thrilled to reignite a partnership with Waikato Stud. “We are absolutely delighted to welcome the Chittick family and Waikato Stud back to Ellerslie,” he said. “You just have to look at the recent New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales results to understand that they are leaders in their field – something that we here at ARC are continually striving to be. “We look forward to seeing the signature green, blue and white colours of Waikato Stud displayed proudly on course on Vodafone Derby Day and in the years to come.” A race Waikato Stud are familiar with, having previously sponsored it, Waikato Stud owner Mark Chittick says it is an obvious fit to renew the partnership, with both organisations having a keen eye on chasing success. “At Waikato Stud our mantra is that success is our motivation, the driving force behind what we do,” he said. “This fits perfectly with ARC who are the leading race club in New Zealand and who put on the best week of racing in the country – Auckland Cup Week.” Waikato Stud takes over the sponsorship of the Group Three race from Godolphin Australia (Darley) – an arm of one of the world’s biggest racing and bloodstock operations. Having sponsored this race since 2005, they could not renew their contract due to global alignment requirements. Mr Wilcox acknowledged the support of Darley and thanked it for the ongoing support it has provided the club over the years, wishing it all the best for future endeavors. Run over 1200 metres, the Waikato Stud Plate is one of four black-type races to be run on Vodafone Derby Day, Saturday 2nd March, at Ellerslie Racecourse as part of Auckland Cup Week 2019. View the full article

Yes I agree however I do think the Greyhound code lets themselves down in the image that they often portray. I think the issue is not the individual but the image of professionalism. How often do you see handlers (do you call them that?) going around to the start with their shirts hanging out? In the photo there is one. I'm guessing she is a woman and tucking your shirt in doesn't count. This thread will be locked soon.

Yeh? I realise a short one liner is sometimes preferable to one of Thomass's diatribes but are there any other clues?

No it was turning into a shyte fight between the galloping and dog codes. I don't like fighting amongst ourselves as the industry have bigger issues. As it stands you will agree I have a broader tolerance for most things than any other forum. Please respect that as it comes with its own issues that I have deal with.

Rule Number(s): 507 (1)Mr Close was charged by the Stewards for breaking a driving engagement in race 2 at the meeting the Fasttrack Insurance Mobile Pace. Stewards lodged an information alleging that Mr Close was in breach of r 507 (1) in that he “…failed to arrive on course on time to fulfil his driving engagement on NIGHT ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 507 (1)Mr Smith was charged by the Stewards for breaking a driving engagement in race 2 at the meeting the Fasttrack Insurance Mobile Pace. Stewards lodged an information alleging that Mr Smith was in breach of r 507 (1) in that he “…failed to arrive on course on time to fulfil his driving engagement on DREAMINSOVER ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

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