Chief Stipe Posted April 7, 2022 Share Posted April 7, 2022 Trainer rubbed out over horse swap Francis Finnegan has been disqualified for two years in relation to conduct-related charges. Picture: Racing Photos By Gilbert Gardiner06:31pm • 07 April 2022 Trainer Francis Finnegan has been handed a two-year disqualification for concealing the identity of the horse No Frontiers to make a profit from betting. Cranbourne horseman Finnegan, 37, who returned to his native Ireland last November, jumped out No Frontiers under a false name three times in 2020 prior to the mare’s winning debut at Bairnsdale. Successful bets of $3000 and $1000 – at odds of about $14 respectively – were placed on No Frontiers through Finnegan’s wife’s betting account. The Victorian Racing Tribunal on April 1 found Finnegan guilty of all four charges, the most serious being engaging in dishonest, corrupt, fraudulent, improper or dishonourable action. The panel heard submissions on penalty on Thursday. Stewards asked the VRT for a three-year disqualification for the deceitful conduct, while barrister Finlay Davies, acting on behalf of Finnegan, called for a six to eight month suspension. The VRT settled on the two-year disqualification, along with three separate suspensions – comprising a total of 14 months – for conduct-related charges, including lying to stewards. The penalties are to be served concurrently. Judge John Bowman said Finnegan’s “reprehensible conduct” damaged the image of racing and attempted to “deceive the betting public”. The VRT heard previously Finnegan jumped out No Frontiers at Cranbourne under the name of Avozinha on March 23, 2020 and twice – April 6 and 20 – as Getemhel. Counsel acting for stewards on Thursday described Finnegan’s actions as “unprecedented offending”. “It involved the most elaborate and deceptive course of conduct over a period of a few months,” counsel said. “Mr Finnegan jumped out No Frontiers under a false name on three occasions before winning and profiting from the race in Bairnsdale. “Mr Finnegan and his wife backed No Frontiers and made a substantial profit, as did people associated with Mr Finnegan, and it’s difficult to think of more reprehensible conduct against the betting public.” Finnegan did not attend the penalty hearing on advice from his counsel. Queensland-based jockey Ben Thompson, who rode No Frontiers, was disqualified last year for four months for his role. Finnegan has trained 72 winners from 824 starters. He prepared a Group 1 winner in New Zealand prior to relocating to Cranbourne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted April 9, 2022 Share Posted April 9, 2022 Well Chief I would have thought to keep a balance of information on your site you would have posted both sides of a story by now. I notice that you have only posted the article written by a Journalist that is paid by Racing Victoria to write articles that support them. Because this is how he earns a living to feed his family we can be assured that he is totally unbiased. A very similar situation to the Journalists that write for Jacinda. https://www.racing.com/news/2022-04-08/news-stewards-finnegan-taken-aback-by-ban 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted April 9, 2022 Author Share Posted April 9, 2022 Finnegan 'taken aback' by ban Ryan Reynolds@Reynolds_R 8 April, 2022 Trainer Francis Finnegan (Image: Racing Photos) Francis Finnegan says he's 'confused' and 'taken aback' by a ruling from the Victorian Racing Tribunal to disqualify him from training for two years. On Thursday, the VRT handed down the hefty penalty after a long-running case regarding the incorrect identification of Finnegan's horse No Frontiers in a series of Cranbourne jumpouts in the autumn of 2020. It was argued by Racing Victoria stewards that Finnegan knowingly allowed the filly to have three jumpouts in the name of stablemates Avozhina and Getemhel prior to being heavily backed and making a winning debut at Bairnsdale. While he pleaded guilty to two of the charges, Finnegan had contested another two charges relating to providing false or misleading evidence to stewards and 'engaging in dishonest, fraudulent, improper or dishonourable action or practice in connection with racing' - the latter which brought the most serious sanction of his four concurrent bans. It's the first time the trainer has fallen foul of authorities in a 15-year career in New Zealand and Australia. Speaking from Ireland on Friday, Finnegan confirmed he will appeal the severity of the penalty via the Supreme Court. He said he expected to receive a sanction, albeit something similar to the $5000 fine Darren Weir received from RV in 2018 when he pleaded guilty to listing the incorrect names of seven horses in a set of Ballarat jumpouts. Matt Laurie received a $500 fine for negligently trialing a horse entered as another named horse in a Mornington jumpout in June 2020. A Group 1-winning horseman in New Zealand, Finnegan admitted that while it was an oversight not to update the Cranbourne Turf Club's jumpout results, he had operated within a system that allowed horses to be added or removed from jumpouts with minimal notice. Unlike official trials, for which entries and results are managed by RV, the Cranbourne jumpouts and other local jumpouts are managed and overseen by the individual race clubs. "I did not deliberately run No Frontiers under the name of two other horses - I ran her in a system that permitted change," Finnegan said. "The two original horses which I had nominated for the jumpouts were withdrawn for different reasons and the substitute horse (No Frontiers) was run under with its actual name to be furnished to Cranbourne Turf Club. "Unfortunately, due to the loose system and the timeframe, plus other pressures we have, this didn't happen." Finnegan said he had no intention to mislead punters or bookmakers by making the switches. No Frontiers firmed from a pre-race-day opening price of $26 into $8 ahead of her debut start at Bairnsdale. Her official price fluctuations were $5.50 into $4.80 before drifting out to her official starting price of $8. Finnegan said he backed the filly in accordance with his regular betting habits and pointed to evidence tendered during the investigation that at least one professional punter not connected with the stable backed the horse to win a large sum of money. "I volunteered that I had my normal bet on the filly, which I partly owned and that my wife Samantha, who is an experienced rider, also backed her," he said. "There is evidence that several significant professional punters backed the horse based on their knowledge of previous jumpouts where No Frontiers was correctly identified. "I cooperated with the stewards at all stages and explained that in substituting No Frontiers in the jumpout at a late stage, I was merely following permitted and utilised practice by many other trainers. "No false evidence was given but regrettably stewards have failed to recognise this." In July last year, jockey Ben Thompson was suspended for four months for his role in the saga, having ridden No Frontiers in a jumpout and on debut at Bairnsdale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Finnegan says he's 'confused' and 'taken aback' by a ruling from the Victorian Racing Tribunal to disqualify him from training for two years. On Thursday, the VRT handed down the hefty penalty after a long-running case regarding the incorrect identification of Finnegan's horse No Frontiers in a series of Cranbourne jumpouts in the autumn of 2020. It was argued by Racing Victoria stewards that Finnegan knowingly allowed the filly to have three jumpouts in the name of stablemates Avozhina and Getemhel prior to being heavily backed and making a winning debut at Bairnsdale. While he pleaded guilty to two of the charges, Finnegan had contested another two charges relating to providing false or misleading evidence to stewards and 'engaging in dishonest, fraudulent, improper or dishonourable action or practice in connection with racing' - the latter which brought the most serious sanction of his four concurrent bans. It's the first time the trainer has fallen foul of authorities in a 15-year career in New Zealand and Australia. Speaking from Ireland on Friday, Finnegan confirmed he will appeal the severity of the penalty via the Supreme Court. He said he expected to receive a sanction, albeit something similar to the $5000 fine Darren Weir received from RV in 2018 when he pleaded guilty to listing the incorrect names of seven horses in a set of Ballarat jumpouts. Matt Laurie received a $500 fine for negligently trialing a horse entered as another named horse in a Mornington jumpout in June 2020. A Group 1-winning horseman in New Zealand, Finnegan admitted that while it was an oversight not to update the Cranbourne Turf Club's jumpout results, he had operated within a system that allowed horses to be added or removed from jumpouts with minimal notice. Unlike official trials, for which entries and results are managed by RV, the Cranbourne jumpouts and other local jumpouts are managed and overseen by the individual race clubs. "I did not deliberately run No Frontiers under the name of two other horses - I ran her in a system that permitted change," Finnegan said. "The two original horses which I had nominated for the jumpouts were withdrawn for different reasons and the substitute horse (No Frontiers) was run under with its actual name to be furnished to Cranbourne Turf Club. "Unfortunately, due to the loose system and the timeframe, plus other pressures we have, this didn't happen." Finnegan said he had no intention to mislead punters or bookmakers by making the switches. No Frontiers firmed from a pre-race-day opening price of $26 into $8 ahead of her debut start at Bairnsdale. Her official price fluctuations were $5.50 into $4.80 before drifting out to her official starting price of $8. Finnegan said he backed the filly in accordance with his regular betting habits and pointed to evidence tendered during the investigation that at least one professional punter not connected with the stable backed the horse to win a large sum of money. "I volunteered that I had my normal bet on the filly, which I partly owned and that my wife Samantha, who is an experienced rider, also backed her," he said. "There is evidence that several significant professional punters backed the horse based on their knowledge of previous jumpouts where No Frontiers was correctly identified. "I cooperated with the stewards at all stages and explained that in substituting No Frontiers in the jumpout at a late stage, I was merely following permitted and utilised practice by many other trainers. "No false evidence was given but regrettably stewards have failed to recognise this." In July last year, jockey Ben Thompson was suspended for four months for his role in the saga, having ridden No Frontiers in a jumpout and on debut at Bairnsdale.
Chief Stipe Posted April 9, 2022 Author Share Posted April 9, 2022 39 minutes ago, Tony said: Well Chief I would have thought to keep a balance of information on your site you would have posted both sides of a story by now. Instead of sniping fill ya boots explaining to us the "other side" of the story and why the penalty handed down was unjust? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Centaur Posted April 10, 2022 Share Posted April 10, 2022 Used to happen fairly often in NZ with my direct knowledge back in the eighties. The informal nature of jumpouts meant sometimes all that was disclosed was the stable nickname. Even nowadays I have doubts about the real identity of those participating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted April 10, 2022 Author Share Posted April 10, 2022 1 hour ago, The Centaur said: Used to happen fairly often in NZ with my direct knowledge back in the eighties. The informal nature of jumpouts meant sometimes all that was disclosed was the stable nickname. Even nowadays I have doubts about the real identity of those participating. And you wonder why punters have more confidence betting on OZ horses than NZ horses? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey Posted April 10, 2022 Share Posted April 10, 2022 18 hours ago, Chief Stipe said: And you wonder why punters have more confidence betting on OZ horses than NZ horses? Ain't nobody wondering that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted April 10, 2022 Author Share Posted April 10, 2022 37 minutes ago, Huey said: Ain't nobody wondering that. Can you use the sarcasm font? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holy ravioli Posted April 11, 2022 Share Posted April 11, 2022 On 4/10/2022 at 12:32 PM, The Centaur said: Used to happen fairly often in NZ with my direct knowledge back in the eighties. The informal nature of jumpouts meant sometimes all that was disclosed was the stable nickname. Even nowadays I have doubts about the real identity of those participating. A tried and proven formula by kiwis over the years in Aussie to get a ..'stake'. Laming,Jones and...others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted April 11, 2022 Author Share Posted April 11, 2022 11 hours ago, holy ravioli said: A tried and proven formula by kiwis over the years in Aussie to get a ..'stake'. Laming,Jones and...others. Not in this decade or probably the last. OZ are looking after the integrity of their product which is reflected in their wagering turnover. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.