THE HRO NEWSFEED - JANUARY 3, 2019

By Graham Potter | Thursday, January 3, 2019

SOUTH AUSTRALIA RACING ON THE ROPES: In the continuing fallout from the funding cuts recently announced in South Australia, trainer Lloyd Kennewell has confirmed he will close his Adelaide stable and would now concentrate on Melbourne. When Kennewell opened a stable at Caulfield last year the plan was to maintain interests at Morphettville but, given the cuts, he now believes that option is not sustainable. Kennewell will complete the move by the end of January.

The financial body-blow to the state’s racing came in December when Thoroughbred Racing SA announced a $2.25 million cut in infrastructure funding for its 25 clubs due to the impact of a consumption tax imposed on the Industry's operations and the removal of $3 million in annual funding for the Adelaide Carnival which has forced Thoroughbred Racing SA to cut prizemoney across the three-week signature event. The Chairman of Racing SA said the cuts were "deeply regrettable but unavoidable … because of the way racing is being underfunded and unfairly taxed by the State Government.”

This might seem far removed from the main racing action in the country but it does send a message to other states to be on their guard and take nothing for granted.

TREBLE FOR JAMES MCDONALD IN NEW ZEALAND James McDonald turned a visit to Te Aroha into a successful outing, riding a treble at the meeting. McDonald told NZ Racing Desk that he had not ridden in New Zealand for “probably three years.’ He added, “It’s well documented that Sir Peter Vela has been a great supporter of mine. It’s always good to come back and ride for him.”

McDonald’s first two winners came in the first two races in the card aboard short priced favourites Naval Fleet and Maison Roxanne for trainers Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie. Both horses are owned by Sir Peter Vela. McDonald will return to New Zealand to ride Maison Roxanne on the Karaka Million race-day on Saturday, January 26.

BEN THOMPSON OFF TO SINGAPORE Victorian jockey Ben Thompson has secured a riding contract for the 2019 season in Singapore. He will join the two Melbourne Cup winning jockeys in the rider line-up at Kranji from Sunday. Michael Rodd and Glen Boss have already plied their trade in Singapore for several seasons. Australian jockeys Vlad Duric and Rodd finished first and second in the 2018 Singapore Jockey’s Premiership with 75 and 73 winners respectively.

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