Barbeque-gate: ‘choice words’ text exposes Racing NSW fracture

A simple invitation for a steak and a couple of beers with friends from Richard Pegum to Peter V’landys has become the ignition point for Barbeque-gate laying bare the powerplays within racing in NSW.

It will become a reference point for the pandemonium about Racing NSW, which is now a public reality after Chris Barrett’s Sydney Morning Herald article on Friday.

The barbeque invitation and response charcoaled the friendship between Pegum and V’landys, but it all comes back to evidence given to a review of Racing NSW earlier in the week.

The evidence given by the NSW Trainers Association to the Brad Hazzard inquiry into the powers of Racing NSW, found its way to the racing regulator within 24 hours.

It was at odds with what Racing NSW thought the trainers should and would say. It was damning on some governance issues.

How Racing NSW found out about the evidence of Pegum, chief executive Richard Callander and board member Brett Cavanough, who is a trainer at Scone, to Hazzard and two senior public servants remains unclear.

The fact is they did and responded with so much passion in what is undeniably another blow to Racing NSW and the inquiry.

Racing NSW have decisively, and once and for all, lost the perception battle.

The trainers’ representatives, like many before them in the past couple of weeks, fronted the inquiry on Wednesday.

According to Barrett, the evidence given to the inquiry was robust but did not include any personal attack of V’landys, who has led Racing NSW for two decades.

By Thursday, an infuriated V’landys was firing off a text message retracting Pegum’s invite and added a couple of choice words for him.

The fiasco plays to the thoughts and fears of many, who have decided not to give evidence.

Pegum is not in a paid position at the trainers’ association, and holds the chairmanship because of his passion for racing and has an undeniable business acumen.

He has worked closely with V’landys within racing and the NRL expansion into Papua New Guinea and was left shocked by the rebuke.

The fiasco is not a surprise to many other key racing identities, who have been on the other side of a heated V’landys missive.

Those who have faced the Hazzard inquiry are reminded that at the beginning of their evidence, they do not have Parliamentary privilege and that their evidence could be reported in the future.

Most believe it’s confidential and will not be leaked back to Racing NSW, which is the centre of the review.

The committee is well-briefed and has requested examples of instances where Racing NSW has overstepped its mark, as well as direct questions pertaining to its chief executive and board.

The feeling from those who have given evidence is that the panel draw more out of witnesses than they are willing to reveal.

The panel has a particular interest in the governance of the racing regulator and has floated the idea of splitting its commercial powers and integrity powers, which is not favoured by most within the industry.

The terms of reference for the review are tight, but Betsy has been told there is a belief that those running the inquiry are getting a general consensus that a stronger governance model is needed at Racing NSW, and funding remains a major point of conjecture.

Racing NSW officials met with Hazzard on Thursday as he continues his inquiry, which report back to the government next year.