The relationship between Australian horse racing’s warring states has sunk to a new low, with Racing NSW set for a courtroom showdown with Racing Victoria and three other states in a bid to uncover alleged secret documents.
Racing NSW has served papers on Racing Victoria, Racing Queensland, Racing South Australia and Racing and Wagering Western Australia, embroiling the country’s biggest racing powerbrokers in a potentially lengthy and costly legal battle.
The matter is due to be mentioned before the NSW Supreme Court on February 15. It is also the first day of business at the Asian Racing Conference, to be held in Melbourne.
The unprecedented action has further divided Australia’s fractious thoroughbred industry, which has bickered for years over shifting feature race dates, prizemoney levels and a dysfunctional Racing Australia.
Racing Australia, the industry’s peak body charged with running the stud book and formulating the rules of racing, has barely met in recent years, and its voting structure dictates NSW or Victoria have the power of veto over any proposed amendment.
Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys was guarded about the scope of the court case on Wednesday, but confirmed four other principal racing authorities had been summoned to appear in the Supreme Court in Sydney.
Racing Victoria chief executive Andrew Jones, Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys and Racing Queensland chief executive Brendan Parnell.
“We’re seeking documents because we’re concerned about anti-competitive behaviour,” V’landys said.
Racing NSW has launched mega-money races such as The Everest and the Golden Eagle, which has encroached on Victoria’s traditional spring carnival, prompting verbal barbs to be traded across the border.
But it has never embarked on legal action in the Supreme Court, which will take place against the backdrop of the looming autumn carnivals in both Melbourne and Sydney, while Racing Victoria also mulls a move of the Cox Plate to November in a bid to give clear air for the race.
Meanwhile, the immediate harness racing future of potential Miracle Mile star Mahomes is up in the air after his trainer Peter Russo launched a bid for a Supreme Court injunction to allow him to keep training throughout the Menangle carnival.
Russo, who prepares a small team based out of south-west Sydney, has taken Harness Racing NSW to the highest court in the state after the Racing Appeals Tribunal this week disqualified him for more than two years and seven months over a horse he prepared returning a positive swab in 2021.
The penalty had been reduced on appeal from three-and-a-half year and Russo had been training under a stay of proceedings since.
But with huge stakes available in the Chariots Of Fire and a potential Miracle Mile berth, Russo’s case is listed to be heard next Tuesday – only four days before Mahomes’ next group 1 target.
Russo has pledged to fight the charge, believing he hasn’t broken any racing rule and wanted to challenge the Racing Appeals Tribunal’s finding of guilt in December before a penalty was decided.
He’d only been training for less than three years after returning from a five-year disqualification over harness racing’s green light scandal.
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