http://www.smh.com.au/national/milli...31-11eykp.html
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It is not what you call good PR but very scant on detail and seems to do little more than accuse people of being in a betting syndicate
Its been going on for years.its just easyer to do nothing kev, most people in the sport knows what really goes on.
I am not saying there is no basis to it Jack just that the article seemed afraid to say much. It makes one sad
It's a bit odd how they name some accused people who have not been convicted (owner, trainer) but do not name "a stable hand who has been banned from racing for 13 years for doping horses in 2009".
If this task force had information in 2004............ That's 10 years ago. That's along time allow something like this to gain a foot hold.
Victoria has now joined openly New South Wales in the black eye department.
Seems crazy to openly name a couple of the accused when no charges have been laid, A 10 year investigation is like forever and by mentioning it, This will give any other persons involved a chance to hightail it out of there and cover their tracks if this information is correct.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/cr...0910-fjdk.html
Kev, The Age do do articles on harness racing :) :p
Funny, I just finished looking for it as I missed it yesterdayQuote:
Originally Posted by aussiebreno
LOL it was FRONT PAGE
The title 'Agencies target heavy punters' sounded like a story about Betting agencies and I skipped over it in my hurry to get to the Sports section!
I always read the paper from the back as well Kev unless there's something Major happening.
The same story gets re-hashed every year always around Melbourne Cup time.
Always uses the terms "reputed, suspected, no evidence, etc".
It did ring a bit of a bell Paul. I thought it may have originated from Sydney to dampen the Melb Cup or be a supposed attempt at 'balance' by The Age - like their 'Flogging A Dead Horse' (about what happens to horses post racing) in the middle of today's sports section
A much nicer piece on p21 of the Herald Sun today concerning the Light Horse and a connection to harness racing.
Do we all get a bit sick of the print media using whatever chance they get to bag harness racing? Remember the article last year re Vinnie Knight? That bloke ever back his claims up? Nope. Couldn't...all bullsh%t.
** NB ** Have no personal connection to any of those mentioned in article other than saying 'Gday' to some of them at the trots. **
Read the 'news' again. Seems like they got a short statement from Mr Perna and added all the usual crap to it. Suspected?? Reputed??
I try to cut and paste below. Tried ignore the 'suspected', 'reputed' stuff (not much left after that!) and add some comments in red. A heap of 'suspicions' and 'no evidence'. Leave us alone Fairfax et al! What a load of frog sh&t!
Law enforcement agencies have targeted a suspected crime syndicate deeply involved in Victorian horse racing and with ties to the AFL. The syndicate has wagered millions-of-dollars over the past decade on thoroughbred racing, harness racing and AFL games, often using leaked information from sport insiders.
A bunch of blokes got tips and punted on them.
The group's network includes thoroughbred and harness racing trainers, jockeys and drivers, bookmakers and AFL identities, including officials who have worked at three clubs.
A bunch of blokes got mates that work in the racing industry.
Law enforcement reports seen by Fairfax Media describe the syndicate as "heavily involved in the horse racing industry" and in suspected drug trafficking. The reports reveal the syndicate's activities were first detected a decade ago as part of a police operation codenamed Jalop which identified "drivers being paid to fix races and high profile trainers being substituted by lesser known trainers to achieve better TAB odds".
10 years ago??? Nothing done?? Maybe cause they were doing nothing wrong? Any chance we can see these ‘reports’? Why was nothing done?
Documents show those targeted by law enforcement agencies in connection with the syndicate's activities include slain gangland figure Mark Moran's brother-in-law, Paul Sequenzia, harness racing trainer John Nicholson and convicted drug trafficker Hass Tibia, who part owns a horse training facility in Sunbury.
Any chance we can see these ‘documents’? All targeted but nothing done? How come? Maybe cause they did nothing wrong?
Despite being the focus of law enforcement investigations and scrutiny by racing stewards, the syndicate's operations have not been curtailed and its betting remains significant.
They having a punt. Something illegal about that?
A betting slip belonging to Mr Sequenzia obtained by Fairfax Media reveals he turned over $93,000 in one day's betting across all major Sydney and Melbourne race meets.
He’s having a punt. Something illegal about that? How Fairfax get their hands on somebodys 'betting slip'?
The group targeted in 2004's Operation Jalop is not the only wagering syndicate suspected of using improperly leaked inside information to maximise betting returns on harness races. However, Fairfax Media can reveal that those involved in suspicious activities can soon expect far greater attention due to imminent information sharing agreements between Victoria's Racing Integrity Commissioner and three law enforcement agencies.
No mention of the other wagering syndicates? If, in fact, they existed.
And now we get to what was actually said before they implanted all the regurgitated crap above and below…
Racing Integrity Commissioner Sal Perna told Fairfax Media on Friday that agreements to receive highly sensitive information from federal and Victorian police were "with a bit of luck, months away". An agreement with the Australian Crime Commission is already in place. Mr Perna said the ability to receive information from police, such as conversations recorded by phone taps, would help root out any criminal elements corrupting racing.
That's it! That's what he said!!! And they turned that into this article!!
And then back to the usual crap...
Mr Sequenzia, who co-owned champion Australian pacer Sushi Sushi until it was put down in April, faced court in 2004 on drug trafficking charges which were later dropped. Mr Nicholson has previously been convicted for fraud and has previously been investigated for race fixing. Another syndicate member is a stable hand banned from racing for 13 years for doping horses in 2009.
Why is any of that relevant?
Law enforcement reports into the syndicate's activities suggest it has a strong reach into the harness racing industry. One confidential report asserts that syndicate members "all have numerous betting accounts with a high turn-over wagering". Industry sources said that as the regulation and policing of thoroughbred racing strengthened in recent years, harness racing has been targeted by betting syndicates.
‘Industry sources’, ‘law enforcement reports’ (where nothing was enforced) and even a ‘confidential report’! Confidential to who? Targeted harness racing? Maybe coz of sprint lane?
Penalties for improper conduct in harness racing have been minimal. One harness driver, who is an associate of a suspected syndicate member, this year received a fine of only$2000 from Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) for serious betting offences.
Harness Racing said in a statement that police chief commissioner Ken Lay had the power to ban people from the race track and it also had the ability to disqualify people from the industry if they had been convicted of a crime. Harness Racing said it "will continue to use this power in appropriate circumstances". Syndicate members have also been targeted by customs officers for their suspected importation of chemicals used to make ecstasy and ice. Law enforcement reports reveal some members are suspected to have been "involved in the manufacture of amphetamines".
Horse ownership records show Mr Sequenzia and his associates have owned at least 30 thoroughbred or harness racing horses, including some of the nation's top trotters.
Something illegal about that?
The syndicate runs its gambling operation across multiple TAB, Betfair and other accounts and via licensed and unlicensed bookmakers, including a Sydney identity reputed to be Australia's biggest punter and SP bookmaker. The syndicate also has contacts working with or closely associated to AFL clubs, including a mid-ranking interstate club official and a former Western Bulldogs identity who left the club after concerns were raised by AFL officials. There is no evidence these AFL identities are leaking information.
So why is that relevant to the article?
Why no mention in press of BC3 and Black Caviars half brother.. oh yeh its Cup time.
After 10 years of investigations, A conclusion to this enquiry should have been found. Time to move on.
As always highly critical of the industry when they feel like it but still happy to take paid advertising from racing and gambling outlets in the same breath.
The ever increasing cover price and shrinking thickness of The Age gives a fair indication of the deteriation of what was once a slightly decent publication.
I wouldn't wipe my ah... floor with it!
No doubt a bit of old, supposed-news for filler. If we paid for anything to go into their paper eg Melton fields, they would bin every bad harness story they have. The Age will do anything for money nowadays, if we paid for it they would use a poster promoting the trots for their front page.
fairfax media .....no more needs to be said.
paul you really need to take your rosed coloured glasses off, if you only knew who theses people are and what their capable of you wouldn't be taking the piss out of this story.Quote:
Originally Posted by Toohard
Me and my mates get together and pool money to have a punt. I know people in the harness and thoroughbred industry. Should I be worried?
I agree with you Paul, if these syndicates are doing anything illegal, they would have been pinged by now. If they are winning, good luck to them. Obviously better punters than the rest of us "mugs"
Gday JackQuote:
Originally Posted by jackthepunter
Rose coloured glasses? You miss the point. I already said I don't know them. Sounds like you know them better than me. From reading the papers?
But that's not the point.
My point is the bullsh&t 'journalism'.
There is one bit of 'news' in that whole article,
"Racing Integrity Commissioner Sal Perna told Fairfax Media on Friday that agreements to receive highly sensitive information from federal and Victorian police were "with a bit of luck, months away". An agreement with the Australian Crime Commission is already in place. Mr Perna said the ability to receive information from police, such as conversations recorded by phone taps, would help root out any criminal elements corrupting racing."
That's it. By itself is it news? Nope. Would it get a second glance? Nope.
So what do they do to make it more 'interesting'?
It's racing time. Everyone looking for a racing story, So they rehash the same crap they've been rehashing for 10 years or more! Where is the news? The article deserves a lot less than me taking the piss out of it! It's just cut and paste and re-word the same old crap. Same old 'suspected' and 'reputed' crap.
Rose coloured glasses?
Maybe remove your block eyes.
If you want to believe what you read that's your business.
"you really need to take your rosed coloured glasses off"
"Maybe remove your block eyes. "
That's one each !!! Leave the personal digs at that thanks!!
My apologies Jack.
As Fairfax journalists are so 'knowledgable' about harness racing people, am looking forward to reading their story tomorrow about how a couple of well known harness racing identities are now winning Melbourne Cup owners. A chance for them to say something positive about harness racing.
Also looking forward to snow at Christmas and life on Mars......
watch it paul, don`t ruffle the great teeeee ceeeee`s feathers ,the lord and master will delete you.
I guess all worked out pretty well in this case then. https://imagicon.info/cat/10-3/smile4.png
Happy Monday DonchtQuote:
Originally Posted by doncht