Demons’ footy boss bounced over Caulfield
Melbourne Football Club’s public stance they are moving closer to a deal to train at Caulfield has been described as ‘’fanciful’’.
Betsy recently wrote about how a deal between the Melbourne Football Club, the Melbourne Racing Club and the Caulfield Trust who manages the racecourse precinct is in trouble.
The football club wants a $100m training complex built on the site.
There are many issues that threaten to scupper the deal – the main being the football club’s insistence a tunnel is built underneath the racetrack [which would shut racing down for at least a year], not to mention an unwillingness to share an administration facility.
Running the football club’s process is Racing Victoria board member Paul Guerra, who is also the Melbourne Football Cub CEO.
There are serious fractures emerging on the racing side of the deal – many at the MRC have dwindling interest in sharing the site with the football club.
Which is why comments from Guerra on SEN on Tuesday caught the interest of many within racing.
“We are close to what we ever have been before (with Caulfield) but still not close enough to announce. But when we can, that will become the new home for Melbourne Football Club,’’ he told SEN.
“We always look at alternates. Once we’ve announced Caulfield – the negotiations are at a delicate stage – we can then start to look at how long is it going to take us to move into Caulfield by the time we get approvals and then build. Then what might be available in the interim.”
Close? Closer to dead than happening, is how one insider described the situation. The definitive nature of Guerra’s remarks caught a few by surprise. While a few in the footy world may see it as a given, many in government and racing do not.
Those who we spoke to yesterday described the comments as ‘’desperate’’, another described the remarks as ‘’fanciful’’. Racing powerbrokers remain unconvinced football should come to Caulfield.
There haven’t been any discussions since Betsy revealed how far apart the parties are.
But while the football club’s feasibility study may be close to release, the reality is that there is little chance of any Sherrin’s being kicked at Caulfield in the medium term.
Clark departs club after Weir scoop
In terms of scoops, it was a good one.
Bruce Clark wrote for his own site a couple of weeks ago about the comments of chief steward Rob Montgomery in regard to Darren Weir.
In short, Montgomery gave his personal view at a Thoroughbred Club lunch that Weir should never be allowed back following his animal abuse charges. You can read his yarn here.
Montgomery’s view is widely shared throughout Racing Victoria, but it is unusual that an administrator would be so forthcoming in their view [and that’s not a criticism, racing is a sport bereft of opinion].
Montgomery expressed his views under what the club had stipulated were Chatham House rules – in other words, it’s all confidential and cannot be repeated.
Clark knew the comments were newsworthy and also knew the club’s policy that essentially nothing could be reported, but decided it was in the public interest to publish them. He had support, we are told, by some in the room.
The story did the rounds of the media, but drama has continued in the background.
The club, in its wisdom, decided to make moves to expel Clark from its club, writing him a letter telling him as much. Apparently, they even claimed they were now having trouble attracting guests because of the yarn. From the information we have in front of us, it seems an extreme reaction.
Clark resigned acknowledging he had breached their rules. Betsy understands neither Montgomery nor Racing Victoria complained to the club about the yarn. While a few at RV may wish he hadn’t answered as honestly as he did, he is still viewed as a high-regarded operator.
Clark isn’t the first journalist to face the task of breaking Chatham House convention to break a yarn, nor will he be the last. There a a few who agree with Clark’s departure, but others who support him given the newsworthiness of the comments and his work for the club previously.
The club were contacted for comment but perhaps now media shy, did not respond.
Wrong horse, but an honest mistake
Bringing the wrong horse to race undoubtedly raises suspicions. There’s a few famous cases where it’s happened.
But as far a recent event at Pakenham, Stewards put it down to an innocent mistake.
According to a Stewards’ report from last Thursday, Seymour trainer Gordon Strang made an honest error when he bought 6-year-old mare Toscana Rising to the races, instead of his gelding First Tosen. Strang, who has five horses in his stable, apologised but was fined.
‘’Withdrawn at 7.41pm by order of the Stewards after it was established that Toscana Rising had been presented in the mounting yard instead of First Tosen,’’ the Stewards’ report said.
‘’Trainer Gordon Strang pleaded guilty to a charge under AR99(1)(a) for failing to ensure the correct horse was presented on course. G Strang was fined the sum of $1000. In assessing penalty, Stewards took into account his guilty plea, his excellent record, his genuine remorse and that it was an inadvertent mistake.’’
An insult no more
We thank TAB chief trader Tim Ryan for being an avid reader of Betsy after he called out Chris Roots on radio this week after the experienced journo labeled Warwoven’s $6 Golden Slipper favourite price “as an insult to punters.”
But a couple of days later, Warwoven isn’t favourite at TAB and out to $8 in Slipper betting.
Again, what’s the point of Racing Australia?
The fiasco surrounding the new colours of Everest and Melbourne Cup winner Brae Sokolski raised a one consistent question on Wednesday – why doesn’t Racing Australia deal with the requests from owners about their colours?
Short of it is Sokolski registered new colours [which included a symbol incredibly similar to an Israeli flag] in Queensland, so technically they could be used around the country. Stewards in NSW say the colours were attempted to be registered there but were rejected. RV were forced to deal with it during the week because of a decision made up north.
A gruff Paul Erikkson, the RA CEO, told Betsy on Wednesday that colours had nothing to do with Racing Australia.
Which sounds ridiculous – why isn’t there a central agency in racing to take care of this kind of request so issues like this don’t continually pop-up?
Like a Racing Australia? The answer, from one cynic , is ‘’because they’ll almost definitely f*** it up’’.
