Rugby league great Andrew Johns has dismissed claims that bookmaker Tom Waterhouse tipped him off about the fitness of a horse two days before a Sydney race meeting.
High-profile businessman John Singleton has accused Waterhouse of telling people that More Joyous – a Singleton-owned mare trained by his mother Gai Waterhouse – could not win Saturday’s All Aged Stakes at Randwick racecourse.
On Tuesday, Johns moved to distance himself from reports that Waterhouse had spoken to him about More Joyous prior to the ANZAC Day NRL match between the Sydney Roosters and St George-Illawarra.
“As is the usual practice before matches, Tom and I engaged in some light-hearted discussions concerning rugby league and racing,” Johns said in a statement.
“I took the opportunity to quiz him about Saturday’s big race meeting at Randwick, asked him what he liked and if there were any specials.
“Tom replied that he didn’t like It’s A Dundeel, More Joyous and All Too Hard.
“The conversation was largely about It’s A Dundeel.”
Johns said there was no discussion “at any stage” about the health or fitness of the highly fancied More Joyous, which finished seventh.
He said he had stressed this point to Singleton.
Former jockey Allan Robinson has reportedly said he rang Singleton about More Joyous after speaking to a friend who had spoken to Johns.
Robinson said Johns had been told by Tom Waterhouse “not all was right” with More Joyous, News Ltd reported on Tuesday.
Following the race, Singleton announced he was ending his 35-year association with Gai Waterhouse.
Singleton removed seven horses from the Waterhouse stable on Sunday and said he would announce new trainers in the coming weeks.
Gai Waterhouse was at the Warrnambool race meeting in western Victoria on Tuesday where she spoke at a private lunch, but declined to comment on the affair.
