Noodlum

Sorry my mistake it was 15 years ago for a doping offence.

We both agree that the RIU are there to find the cheats. Where differ is the method. I think the "covert method" of hiding in bushes to find "an attempt" at cheating is Keystone Coppish. In McGrath's case it is driven by a failure of a Detective using industry funds to feed his ego. What's more someone who has NO idea about racing. What was done IS NOT the most effective way of finding evidence if wrong doing occurred. The fact is in this case THEY DIDN'T FIND ANY EVIDENCE OF WRONG DOING. FFS the best they had was "ATTEMPTED administration of a prohibited substance". Calculate the cost of that raid? Then transfer that money to the pot that does the real stuff of sampling and testing. What could you achieve then? I'm an ex harness trainer and I find this all a joke.

The point that I was trying to make, and I admit rather obliquely, was that hiding in bushes acting like someone out of a TV crime series does nothing more than create disrespect. If they were truly on top of what you infer is widespread cheating then they should sort their shit out with the testing pre and post race on course. That will be a better deterrent than doing it in a way that anyone with any intelligence and creativity will work out a way around. Geez doesn't take much money now days to invest in cameras and motion detectors or even more simply have someone pruning the hedge! From a confidence in the testing regime respective it has only proven what many suspect and that is it is useless at finding cheats!

As you say it is only semantics. But the information that was laid that McGrath was attempting to tube with TCO2 remains alleged. McGrath pleaded guilty to attempting to administer a substance. Whether it was TCO2, tubed or otherwise remains unproven!

I have read the report - several times in fact. I'm not sure you have. He wasn't FOUND guilty he PLEADED guilty. There is a difference. There was only one charge that concerned cheating. That was the charge of "ATTEMPTING to administer a prohibited substance." There was no proof what that substance was nor how it was administered. The RIU says TCO2 by tubing. McGrath says Air Supply by oral syringe. I'd argue that if McGrath was in a different space he could have defended that charge. He may have failed under the burden of proof principle that the JCA applies but I'd say he wouldn't have failed to defend that charge in court. The other two charges which were both serious arose from his behaviour in response to the raid which when taking into consideration borders on harassment. Most of the harness world have had a gutsful of exDetective Plod Grimstone hiding in bushes as if he works for the FBI! McGrath also pleaded guilty to those charges and based on the evidence he didn't have a shit show of defending them. Although he could have possibly leveraged against the first charge which was purely circumstantial and no more than speculative. The RIU would have to have provided substantial evidence that they had cause to inspect in the first place. But isn't there a bigger issue here? Unless the RIU are more inept and incompetent than we give them credit for if they suspected the horse had been tubed with TCO2 why didn't they wait until it was stabled on course and tested it. Is it because they have no confidence in their testing? Or is the penalty for a positive TCO2 test too light? You could raid all stables and find tubing equipment close to horses that are in training.

Does anyone know if there are changes laid and to be heard against Burrows? He is also a licensed person and based on the evidence presented to the JCA you would think so.

Allegedly ATTEMPTED to pre-race drench.

Galah - would you have had a go at Mckendry if he let the horse go (as you have suggested) and it cleared out by 15 lengths and was swamped with 150m to go? He would have given the same explanation for a different solution. We'd then hear punters screaming what a shit drive. Another aspect of giving a horse its head is you are likely to encourage it to continue pulling in future races. I agree though with your point about stewards requesting that the horse trial to their satisfaction before racing again. They don't take that approach often enough in my opinion.

But Galah doesn't one beget the other? I mean if you look at INCA and the way it has been handled through the RIU using the Police and Court system rather than first through the Racing judicial system (where it has ended up) that it has put enormous pressure on a lot of individuals? The RIU has unlimited resources and they used them and the Police/Court system to drain the finances of their targets. So that must put unfathomable pressure mentally and financially on people. When in that situation you get desperate. Hence my reference to Moody taking a break. You only have to look at the effect it has had on the countries best driver Blair Orange to understand what I'm saying.

I guess McGrath has no money left to Appeal. Shame because I would. A Give-a-little page? You can be excused for thinking that he has been harassed to the point where his judgement was affected especially with bloody Grimstone involved. Perhaps after the INCA debacle he should have walked away for a while like Peter Moody did. But I guess McGrath doesn't have the resources that Moody has. As for the TCO2. It doesn't say much for the TCO2 testing regime if a trainer reckons he can do it and not get caught. In that regard I've seen nothing in the TCO2 reports over many seasons that would indicate McGrath was above the average amongst trainers.

I didn't see anything in Aalaalune's run to inspire confidence to back it anytime soon to win.

Very very good post.

When will they have betting functionality?

Te Akau will be there with bells on. Pike will be hiding who raking his new All Weather Track.

NZ racing trainers for a long time now in both horse codes have used races to get their horses fit. Never used to happen when there was a struggle to get a start. You know those long ago times where trial form mattered? If you didn't have it you were best balloted out. In this post Covid-19 restart shouldn't all nominated horses have recent trial horses before they can get a start? At least the punter will have sighted the horse! That's why punters like OZ Metro gallops - trials that are as good as our races before they are up and you know that most are having a go.

Do you mean incompetence or incontinence?

But maybe they were saving money and they had no presenter on course as they had their feet up in the bunker at Te Rapa? Then again you don't need to be a trained professional to ask some decent questions and point a microphone at someone. Actually why not a fellow not a fellow jockey? They wouldn't have to bend over to do the interview. Perhaps they'll ring her up tomorrow on Radio Trackside. Woops forgot....

But surely with the new super duper HD 8k definition broadcasting system the RIU in their bunker could zero in on the foot rests?

LOL thats really good mikie!

What's more they mortgaged some bloody good race courses to buy the piece of shit they call a betting platform.

We haven't seen much detail on turnovers since Purcell left. Seems RITA/NZTR don't deem it information that stakeholders are entitled to. In my opinion that only creates uncertainty for investment. Why take the risk of buying into a horse in NZ when you have no confidence that stakes will be maintained? I realise a horse doesn't pay its way in NZ unless it is top drawer but it's nice to know what you could get.

You must admit though that Aidan and Brendan would make an average living room look small.

What cost reductions?

Great news. Maybe they read this forum.

Might be the first go by NZTR but geez I'll back Avondale on that one. They have the resources to screw NZTR over.