Stewards News 2

[Messenger]

PP has an UNBELIEVABLE article today - suggesting/claiming that stewards went to the Stewart stable on Saturday to conduct a without notice stable inspection but that they were refused entry and told if they did enter then the stable would scratch all their runners AND that the stewards backed off after phone calls were made. Furthermore it is reported that they demanded that a certain vet not come near their horses on the night and that he didn't (as instructed)

This cannot be true. It is however such a massive allegation that it needs to be denied by HRV

[Showgrounds]

PP has an UNBELIEVABLE article today - suggesting/claiming that stewards went to the Stewart stable on Saturday to conduct a without notice stable inspection but that they were refused entry and told if they did enter then the stable would scratch all their runners AND that the stewards backed off after phone calls were made. Furthermore it is reported that they demanded that a certain vet not come near their horses on the night and that he didn't (as instructed)

This cannot be true. It is however such a massive allegation that it needs to be denied by HRV

I don't know why you say the rumour CANNOT be true, Kev. What is true is there has been no report made public from the inquiry conducted into the stable inspection the day before the Maryborough Cup and the scratching of two horses that had been treated inside the allowable timeline.

And the stable has form with pulling horses out of major races. Don't you recall the Ballarat Cup fiasco in December 2014, when the Stewart stable withdrew its 4 runners - Restrepo, Beauty Secret, Guaranteed and Philidelphia Man - after the stewards declared the sulkies to be used not in accordance with the HRA standard. David Aiken also pulled of his two runners.

While the reasoning reeked of HRV pig-headedness (a directive to all trainers announcing their intended racenight inspections would have prevented the debacle) it demonstrated a willingness of the Stewart stable to take on the authorities. They could easily have borrowed 4 compliant sulkies on racenight but, instead, scratched their runners from a Group One race. I have often wondered if all the connections of the scratched horses were 100% in agreement with the decision that left them out of pocket?

This was an early example of the stable dictating the terms to the stewards, so PP's report is clearly not a first when it comes to acts of defiance that would see other trainers rubbed out.

[trish]

That's opened a can of worms. Big , hungry , carnivorous worms!!!

[Messenger]

I believe that the Ballarat fiasco was considerably different, not totally but significantly. It also does not follow that because Ballarat happened that this report actually happened
I said it cannot be true because IF it is then harness racing in Victoria may be beyond redemption - certainly not with this administration

[Showgrounds]

I believe that the Ballarat fiasco was considerably different, not totally but significantly. It also does not follow that because Ballarat happened that this report actually happened
I said it cannot be true because IF it is then harness racing in Victoria may be beyond redemption - certainly not with this administration

There might be a bit of wishful thinking on your behalf, Kev, but the Ballarat fiasco is proof the stable has a history of telling authority to go take a running jump. The current administration? The one that has sent harness racing broke in Victoria? Surely they wouldn't crumble when threatened by the States's most successful stable? That would be a PR disaster. Again.

[trish]

https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/...tewart-tonkin/

Wonder if this happened??

[Messenger]

It never happened, I think it was being driven by one of their owners with horses in both codes

[Messenger]

Today PP has doubled down on that part of his Monday article which stated that the Stewart stable threatened to scratch their horses if a certain vet came near them at Melton and that the vet was instructed to steer clear of their horses.

Of course you cannot have stables telling officials how/if they may do their job so if it is true then the person who instructed the said vet to stay clear would have to immediately resign their position

Will we hear more? We have yet to hear anything about the Maryborough Cup scratchings due to raceday treatment so don't expect too much. No doubt the Maryborough matter is waiting its turn in the queue but these matters are too delayed if best practice integrity is the aim

[Showgrounds]

The Chief and 86 are stuck under the Cone of Silence!

[Showgrounds]

The fall-out from the random stable inspection in September of the Stewart stable has resulted in Emma being dq'd for 6 months. Read the report here:

https://integrity.thetrots.com.au/ne...-emma-stewart/

We now await The Stewart Saga 2, the sequel. The refusal of the stable to allow an inspection by HRV stewards and bring in its own vet into the stables. The cover-up is always bigger than the crime, get the Coke and popcorn ready for this blockbuster.