Night Cox Plate "On Backburner For 5 Years"

B&R reports: Moonee Valley Racing Club "has put a night Cox Plate on the backburner for the next 5 years" reported The Herald-Sun. MVRC chief executive Michael Browell confirmed the "board had decided to lock in a 5.35pm start for the Cox Plate until 2016" & the club "would revisit an evening Cox Plate when the Moonee Valley track redevelopment was complete" (which is expected to be in time for the 2016 renewal). While "many expected Moonee Valley would swing to a Cox Plate under lights once its contract with sponsor Tatts expired after this year's race", Browell said the club was "looking to sign a 5 or 6-year Cox Plate sponsorship deal, with the race locked into a 5.35pm timeslot". (Feb 24)

Qld Bookie suspended over mobile TAB bets

B&R Reports: Racing Queensland stewards yesterday suspended bookmaker Lindsay Gallagher's licence for 1-month & fined him a total of $6,000 following an inquiry into "use of his personal mobile phone to take bets" at the Brisbane Racing Club meeting at Doomben on Saturday January 29, the "recording of those bets into his ledgers" & the fact that "Tabcorp records indicated an account in Mr Gallagher's name had been utilised to make bets between September 2010 & November 2010 whilst Mr Gallagher was operating as a bookmaker which do not appear in his ledgers". (Feb 23)

Jockey Phillip Wolfgram 1-Month Drug Ban

B&R reports: Queensland Racing stewards suspended jockey Phillip Wolfgram for 1-month after finding traces of Phentermine (an appetite suppressant which can affect the central nervous system) in a urine sample taken at Toowoomba on January 29. (Feb 18)

Typhoon Tracy to Darley's Street Cry

Stallions reports: "Following the announcement that six-time Group 1-winning Red Ransom mare Typhoon Tracy has been retired from racing, it has been confirmed that the outstanding Horse of the Year will be covered by Darley stallion Street Cry in 2011.Sire of the sensational 2010 US horse of The Year in Zenyatta, plus local G1 winners Shocking and Whobegotyou, Street Cry is a world-class sire with 12 individual G1 winners to his credit amongst 44 Stakes winners globally."

US Trainer Dutrow 90-Days drugs ban

New York stewards suspended leading trainer Richard Dutrow for 90 days "for a positive drug sample (to the Class 3 medication Butorphanol) in a winning horse from a race at Aqueduct & for possession of hypodermic needles in his barn," reported bloodhorse.com. (Feb 18)

Brisbane Stewards probe jockey tactics

Breedingracing.com: "Stewards Probe 'Tactics By All Riders' In Brisbane Race: Racing Queensland stewards announced an inquiry 'into the riding tactics employed by riders in Race 7 at Eagle Farm on Wednesday & the betting activities associated with that race will be reconvened next Thursday' (February 24). This timing 'will allow stewards to gather further information in respect of betting activities'. The rider & trainer 'of every horse in the race have been required to appear, along with a number of bookmakers & at least one punter'. Stewards also confirmed 'further parties may be required as more information comes to hand'. In the race, 5YO gelding Ibalance scored by a neck from 7 other runners over 1200m (with both the equal-favoutites Falls Creek & Vaarwel unplaced). (Feb 18)