AUSTRALIA
Trainer John Sadler suspended
TRAINER John Sadler was suspended for six weeks on Monday after comments and gestures he is alleged to have made towards stewards at Sandown on November 18th when his horse Observational was withdrawn from the Eclipse Stakes.
Sadler pleaded guilty and his charge was heard by Racing and Disciplinary Board chairman Judge Bowman.
The stewards alleged Sadler made comments to chief steward Terry Bailey in telephone calls on the morning of the race and in person, again towards Bailey and deputy chief steward Robert Cram, at Sandown that day.
Observational was scratched following an elevated TC02 reading in a test the previous day, raising stewards’ concerns the horse had been treated within one clear day of the race, which Sadler denied.
Sadler claimed he has been unfairly treated because of ongoing investigations involving attempts to treat another horse Lovani with an illegal substance, that horse’s trainer Robert Smerdon also operates under the Aquanita Racing banner.
Aquanita provides management and administration services but the individual trainers remain independent and responsible for their own stables.
President of the Australian Trainers’ Association, Robbie Griffiths, came out in support of Sadler.
Griffiths said: “To have a trainer suspended for the charges – six weeks seems a bit harsh.
“I was shocked and disappointed that it has come to this when John has been so well respected by all of us for so many years so this is really disappointing”
Sadler has been given a week to arrange his affairs before the suspension commences and is considering lodging an appeal to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Sadler is suspended from December 25th until February 5th.
Winx returns
WONDER mare Winx, whose winning sequence now stands at 22, is back in training.
After winning her third consecutive Cox Plate victory in October, Winx went to her usual farm for five weeks off and then some pre-training.
“They have done a wonderful job with her and she has come back refreshed and her feet are in really good condition,” Waller said.
She has begun her last two campaigns with the Group 2 Apollo Stakes in February followed by the Group 2 Chipping Norton Stakes and George Ryder Stakes.
No decision has been made yet on whether she will travel to Royal Ascot but some preparations have been made.
“She came back to Rosehill on [last] Thursday and we updated her inoculation, so everything is right up until at least June,” trained Chris Waller added.
“It keeps the option of going overseas available but we will not make a decision about whether she travels for a while yet.”
Some of her owners had said they would be more tempted to target an unprecedented fourth Cox Plate.
“She’s back in the stable but I’m not sure yet where she will start off,” Waller said. “And there is no decision yet whether she goes overseas.”
McEvoy injured
KERRIN McEvoy is set to miss the next couple of months after breaking the middle bone in his right hand when Sugar Bella bolted on him at Randwick last week.
The jockey lost his irons as the mare bolted and was able to pull her up with a broken hand.
“The horse just jinked sideways on the way to the barriers, my fingers got twisted and I heard a crack,” McEvoy said.
“I’m going to have surgery and the doctors will put in screws or a plate,” McEvoy said.
FRANCE
Soumillon’s new record
CHRISTOPHE Soumillon set a new European record for the number of wins in a season last Saturday at Lyon le Soie after he rode a four-timer.
During the week he improved his total. which is now 305 and breaks the record of 300 winners in a French season set up by Pierre-Charles Boudot last year. The Belgian began the afternoon at Deauville where he had a winner before dashing down to Lyon.