Requests to televise the high-profile More Joyous stewards’ inquiry have been denied with racing officials keen to hold the hearing in the same manner as any other.
Racing NSW received applications from television networks to attend Monday’s inquiry featuring John Singleton, his former trainer Gai Waterhouse and her bookmaker son Tom as the main players.
The ruling body’s chief executive Peter V’landys said it was not in the best interests of anyone concerned to make an exception.
“We don’t believe that it would provide the necessary forum for the people involved getting procedural fairness, natural justice and due process,” V’landys said.
“We don’t want any distractions. It’s a very high-profile and serious case and we want to make sure all parties are given every opportunity to present their cases.
“It is a normal stewards’ inquiry and it’s not appropriate for it to be filmed.
“We had a number of TV stations wanting to do live coverage but it is a serious inquiry and we want to concentrate on that.”
Stewards opened an inquiry into the poor performance of the Singleton-owned and Waterhouse-trained More Joyous after she finished second last in Saturday’s All Aged Stakes at Randwick.
Waterhouse said the mare had received an antibiotic on Thursday morning but she did not believe it was an issue she needed to tell stewards about.
The inquiry escalated after stewards became aware of public comments by Singleton who announced after the race he had sacked Waterhouse as his trainer because her son had told people More Joyous had a problem and could not win.
Former jockey Allan Robinson has revealed himself as the person who told Singleton, saying he heard it from ex-footballer Andrew Johns.
Robinson and Johns have been asked for statements which will be tendered to the inquiry but V’landys said it would be up to the stewards whether the pair would be asked to appear in person.
Tom Waterhouse has denied saying More Joyous could not win. He said his pay-out on the winner All Too Hard was a “strip-out” and a win by More Joyous, who he backed, was a $300,000 better result for him.
V’landys said stewards were scrutinising betting records on the race from all wagering operators.
He refused to speculate on what, if any, charges might result from the inquiry.
“The stewards will determine what rules if any have been breached,” he said.
“No-one has been charged. It is an inquiry and stewards will determine what action, if any, to take after that.”
