TOP trainer Danny O'Brien yesterday rejected suggestions that his criticism of the Flemington surface on Saturday was motivated by a personal feud with course manager Mick Goodie, reports Michael Lynch in The Age.His report adds: The Flemington-based trainer said that he and other trainers and jockeys were entitled to use social media and other communication tools to make their views known about what they considered an unsatisfactory racing environment. He said putting the issue on the public ag
TOP trainer Danny O'Brien yesterday rejected suggestions that his criticism of the Flemington surface on Saturday was motivated by a personal feud with course manager Mick Goodie, reports Michael Lynch in The Age.
His report adds: The Flemington-based trainer said that he and other trainers and jockeys were entitled to use social media and other communication tools to make their views known about what they considered an unsatisfactory racing environment. He said putting the issue on the public agenda was the best way for it to be addressed. ''To say that it's personal is wrong. Mick Goodie came to my wedding and helped me set up the turf track at Barwon Heads [O'Brien's other training establishment on the Bellarine Peninsula]...This is about the surface of the course and the lack of kikuyu grass, not personal feuds.''
Saturday's meeting was marred by horse deaths, jockey falls and other injuries to horses. O'Brien's critique is based on his contention that without kikuyu grass the track does not race fair, with ''fast lanes'' of better ground emerging. This means that jockeys ride in bunched fields as they search for the optimum path, which can cause interference. It often means that races can be won by the horse which finds itself on the best bit of the track, not necessarily the best horse. (www.theage.com.au)