LEADING owner Lloyd Williams instructed jockey Michael Rodd not to speak to TVN after Zipping scored his third consecutive Sandown Classic yesterday, reports the Sunday Age.It says: Earlier, Tintern gave the millionaire's new private trainer, Robert Hickmott, his first winner in the opening race, but when TVN approached Hickmott, he said he could not speak to the media and all questions were to be directed to Williams.TVN commentator Steve Moran said it was disappointing that viewers could not h
LEADING owner Lloyd Williams instructed jockey Michael Rodd not to speak to TVN after Zipping scored his third consecutive Sandown Classic yesterday, reports the Sunday Age.
It says: Earlier, Tintern gave the millionaire's new private trainer, Robert Hickmott, his first winner in the opening race, but when TVN approached Hickmott, he said he could not speak to the media and all questions were to be directed to Williams.
TVN commentator Steve Moran said it was disappointing that viewers could not hear about Hickmott's background as he was now training a powerful team of horses.
''I just thought that it was important that those unable to be at Sandown could get some insight into this new trainer,'' Moran said.
Williams then instructed his son Nick, who was representing his father at Sandown yesterday, to tell Rodd not to speak to TVN if Zipping was successful.
Rodd refused to be interviewed but Moran sent another message to Williams that if ''these punters are having their $50 and $100 on their horses surely they are entitled to know something about what is going on. Their money translates into prizemoney for your horses. It's not good enough''.