Trainers boss says it is Aquanita, not Caulfield, which is the problem
Is there a culture of cheating and corruption at Caulfield, the training centre at the heart of the horse doping row which has shaken Victorian racing to its foundations?
The Melbourne Racing Club says no. Some prominent owners say yes.
And the Australian Trainers' Association, the body which represents trainers nationwide, say both arguments are partially wrong – and partially right.
Andrew Nicholl, CEO of the association, says: ''I think its unfair to label all the Caulfield trainers of having a culture that is one of systemic cheating.
''I don't think they can all be tarred with the same brush.''
The cultural problem, says Nicholl, seems clearly to be in one place – the Aquanita business which has now hastily been renamed Neerim Lodge.
''There's no doubt about that where Aquanita is concerned. There's very clearly been a culture there which has happened, developed and enveloped trainers over a long period of time.
''It isn't fair to the other 20 trainers who train there to label them as cheats.
''I don't think they are any better or worse than Flemington, Cranbourne, Ballarat or other training centres. Racing is a microcosm of the world, and we seem to be held to a higher authority. We have very few participants who break the rules, and even fewer who do so with performance-enhancing drugs.
''When somebody like Aquanita breaks the rules it's the industry that needs to defend itself as a whole. Why not Aquanita? In football if someone drink and drives or commits some major offence it's not the industry or the game which has the problem, it's the individual.''
Nicholl says calls to introduce a code of conduct for trainers are unnecessary as they already exist in the shape of the rules of racing, which prohibit doping horses.
He does, however, believe that the culture of trying to get an edge is a reflection of the culture that did exist for decades in Australian racing.
''I think practices which were acceptable for 50 years to optimise performance, whether it be vitamin, therapeutic or drug driven are no longer acceptable now.
''We are seeing some people mired in habitual practices not able to adapt, but this is systemic doping, let's be frank. What eduction will stop this? This is just people cheating.''
Michael Lynch, The Age's expert on soccer, has had extensive experience of high level journalism in the UK and Australia. Michael has covered the Socceroos through Asia, Europe and South America in their past three World Cup campaigns. He has also reported on Grands Prix and top class motor sport from Asia and Europe. He has won several national media awards for both sports and industry journalism.
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