Sandwiches could leave trainer banned
IN ONE of horse racing’s weird news stories, Torquay trainer Bryce Stanaway has been accused of intimidating staff and could be banned from racing at Pakenham… all over sandwiches!
Stanaway scratched three runners from Sunday’s Pakenham meeting after claiming poor treatment of trainers after he was unable to purchase a sandwich at the course.
Michael Hodge, Pakenham Racing Club chief executive, said Bryce Stanaway directed “an aggressive tirade of criticism” at catering staff in the trainers room and that the behaviour “would not be tolerated by the club”.
Stanaway has his own version of events, however, and claims that any suggestion he had been aggressive over the lack of sandwiches was a “complete lie”.
He stated the issue was not with the shortage of sandwiches, but the way trainers were being treated at the course.
He claims Hodge “went off his head” after he “politely and calmly” suggested that trainers should be afforded the same catering conditions as jockeys, “who were treated like kings”.
Stanaway also claims that Hodge told him to take his horses home, so that’s exactly what he did, scratching Entirely Perfect, Trindinian and Travelling Wilbury.
Stanaway reports that he had full backing from the owners, but did expect to get penalised by the stewards.
“One bloke texted me this morning saying the owners would pack me a lunch next time I go to the races,” Stanaway said.
“If Racing Victoria can’t look after their trainers, well the owners are going to have to start. They understand how hard I work.”
Racing Victoria steward Terry Bailey has had his plate full in recent months and calls this recent episode an “embarrassment to the industry”.
“We can’t have a situation where trainers decide something doesn’t suit them and they take horses home,” Bailey said.
Bailey also stated that there was an obligation to the betting public for the horses to run because they had been accepted to compete.
Hodge said unsuspecting staff had been intimidated and the issue for Pakenham Racing Club was behavioural standards in the workplace.
“In respect to going forward, the club will participate in the inquiry in good faith and consider the options available to the club,” Hodge said.
Stanaway could be banned from racing horses at Pakenham, but he admits he wouldn’t go back anyway.
“I wouldn’t go back on principle,” he said. “I’m not going to be insulted by a bloke like that.”