THE SUNSHINE COAST NEWSPAPER COLUMN - A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY IS NEEDED TO CLEAN UP THE GAME

By Graham Potter | Sunday, March 6, 2016

Graham Potter writes a weekly column for the Sunshine Coast daily. Due to demand from those having trouble accessing the paper these columns are now also published on HRO courtesy of the Sunshine Coast daily.

The practice of horse-trading is as old as the hills.

Stories of infamy and legend abound but the overall connotation of horse trading throughout the years has never been a particularly favourable one. So, when the ugly side of this age old activity reared its head in a racing context recently it didn’t exactly shock people to the core.

One investigation, following the sale of a horse to Hong Kong, now has an important sequel with serious charges relating to possible dishonest and/or fraudulent actions being laid against a well-known racing media identity and a racing manager from the country’s leading racing stable. A jockey’s alleged involvement in the sale is subject to a separate charge.

Just who received what, in terms of monetary payment, when the proceeds of the sale were originally disbursed is the main point of issue. The numbers are not in dispute. It is which payments were ‘appropriate’, for want of a better description, ‘and which payments were not ‘appropriate’ that is the crux of the matter.

The situation speaks directly to the core of the integrity of the sport.

While these cases have yet to run their course, the true racing enthusiast has already had cause to cringe at some of the excuses that were immediately brought into play.

“It’s racing’s dark little secret,” exclaimed one of the accused. “It (secret commissions and kickbacks) happens every single day in racing in every sale.”

To suggest, if this is indeed the correct interpretation of those claims, that in every sale on every day a deal takes place in an arguably underhand manner which leaves culprits open to charges related to dishonest and/or fraudulent actions ... as in the current cases in question ... is a view that not only lacks credibility but stands as a direct insult to those who deal in bloodstock and who do the right thing.

In one sense, that claim in itself could be worthy of a charge of bringing racing into disrepute.

And even hypothetically, if ever that claim was true, where does that make it right?

It appears nobody is game enough to take it on the chin alone anymore and own up to their individual responsibility.

It was the same with the series of cobalt sagas. Who acknowledged blame? Oh yes, the blame actually lay with the rule. It was just a stupid rule as several trainers discovered and pointed out ... only after they were allegedly caught out.

The average racing enthusiast is sick and tired of the weekly parade of suspects, particularly those who are flabbergasted when accused and devastated when the outcome goes against them. Enthusiasts are as weary of the delays, the loopholes and the lawyers.

Protocol has its place but when it is counter-productive to the actual aim of the exercise something needs to be changed.

Racing clearly now needs to adopt a zero tolerance policy.

Severe penalties need to be in place for proven serious indiscretions. Swift justice needs to replace the current snail system and all of that has to compacted into a deliverable package which will send the unambiguous message to everybody, importantly both inside and outside racing, that authorities are not only intent on CLEANING UP THE GAME but will do whatever it takes to do so.

Starting with the case at hand.