GALLOPERS NEWS

20.10.11 A Dangerous Precedence

Peter Moody, trainer of Black Caviar

..... Today Chief Steward of Racing Victoria, Terry Bailey,  acceded to a request by leading trainer, and trainer of champion mare Black Caviar Peter Moody in regards to the barrier positions in the Schweppes Stakes due to be run at Moonee Valley on Saturday. Moody alerted Bailey to the fact that drawn directly next to Black Caviar's outside was a noted barrier rogue Here De Angels who has already had two Stewards barrier bars placed on him in the past. In fact, Here De Angels was actually barred from racing in the state of Victoria about 12 months ago. And here we had the rogue drawn next door to the glamour mare which Moody argued may upset her should Here De Angels go off as he is accustomed to do when in the barrier stalls.

Moody argued that because Black Caviar was  the peoples champion & racing fans across the length & breadth of Australia wanted to see the mare continue on her winning streak, an exception should be made & allow her to be spaced away from the noted barrier rogue, keeping her clear of Here De Angles when in the barriers on Saturday.

Please do not get us wrong here, we love Black Caviar, we will be cheering her & willing her to win her 15th successive race on Saturday, & Here De Angels or no Here De Angels, she will win again.

Nevertheless, this seems to Gallopers a very dangerous precedence to set because as far as we are aware, changing barriers after the barrier draw has been carried out has never happened before in Australia. Sure, this is an extenuating circumstance. Imagine the outcry if Here De Angels went berserk, as he can do, a fraction of a second before the starter presses the button to open the barriers & interferes with Black Caviar causing her to miss the start. Imagine if Black Caviar, because of this interference missed the start by 10 lengths & suffered her first defeat because of this interference. Imagine the outcry from the racing public, especially those who know nothing about horse racing who only want to see a champ win again. There would be such a tumultuous outcry that it would probably damage & harm the entire horse racing industry. Imagine even worse, if Here De Angels went berserk in the barrier & injured Black Caviar, maybe a career threatening injury.

And Gallopers certainly do not want any injury to Black Caviar nor do we want to damage or harm the racing industry, why would we, we make our money from it. Non racing people think ill of this industry, believe races are rigged, a most uninformed view to say the least. The best advertisement for our industry is a champion that cannot be beaten, ever. And Black Caviar is our champion, & she is the one putting our industry back in the limelight & giving it more credibility than ever before.

Nevertheless, this precedence now set by Racing Victoria may open a can of worms of which that Pandora's box would have been proud. Are we going to see every trainer complain now when their horse is drawn next do a horse that has barrier bars inflicted upon him? And how far down the scale will it go? Will Stewards accede to these requests in every group race? Will they accede to this request in a Maiden at Galargumbone? Where will this start, & where will this end? And did Racing Victoria think about the repercussions of this precedence prior to making this paramount decision.

Black Caviar will be winning the Schweppes Stakes on Saturday at Moonee Valley. Whether she suffers interference in the barrier stalls or interference at the 600m or in the straight, Black Caviar will still be winning.

We just shudder to think who will be the next trainer asking the same question as Peter Moody has asked this week, & where will it end? 

Gallopers 20.10.11

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