CHRIS MUNCE will not have to return to Hong Kong next week for the continuation of a stewards inquiry over the "tips for bets bribery scam".
Munce is due to complete a 20-month jail term this week and the Hong Kong Jockey Club has acceded to a request that the hearing into his activities while riding in Hong Kong, which was adjourned before he was found guilty and imprisoned for gaining cash advantages for tipping winners, be held via a video link.
A representative of Munce cited difficulties due to the champion jockey being on probation in NSW on release from prison as the main reason for him not to return to Hong Kong. There were also concerns that Hong Kong immigration may place a restriction on Munce's return to the country.
Munce is required to attend the Sydney offices of Racing NSW at 1pm on Monday for the inquiry with Hong Kong stewards, who will be in their Happy Valley headquarters. Mandela magic Trainer Mike Moroney grabbed a slice of the carnival riches yesterday when Mandela won the Werribee Cup, run at Geelong.
The win was a welcome boost to Moroney, who said he was light on for numbers this spring, and recently aborted the spring campaign of group 1 winner Eskimo Queen after she finished 10th in the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield.
Mandela won the Geelong Cup two years ago, earning a start in the Melbourne Cup in which he ran ninth. The seven-year-old had been struggling to find his best form this preparation, but yesterday he charged to the line to edge out the Peter Snowden-trained Imvula, with Reggie third. Hayes turns to Ollie David Hayes has called on champion jockey Damien Oliver to ride Largo Lad in its last ditch attempt to sneak into the Melbourne Cup by winning Saturday's Saab Quality at Flemington.
Oliver takes over from Craig Williams, who was aboard the gelding when it was unplaced in the Moonee Valley Cup. Bart Cummings has booked Michael Rodd to ride Moatize in the Saab. Moatize must win the race to secure a Melbourne Cup berth.
Rodd will get a feel for his Melbourne Cup mount Ice Chariot when he rides the stayer in the Mackinnon Stakes on Saturday. Split in the ranks If the mail is correct, the Australian Trainers' Association needs a new name. The NSW arm of the national body has been banned from attending the ATA's annual general meeting to be held in Melbourne tomorrow. The NSW mob have raised several concerns in recent times, with the ATA's financial status causing divisions. Fall won't stop Dye Shane Dye will fulfil his Victoria Derby engagement on Carnero at Flemington on Saturday despite missing yesterday's Canterbury meeting after a track fall at Randwick on Tuesday.
Dye was riding a horse for trainer Bob Thomsen when it suffered a heart attack and crashed through an outside running rail. Dye said apart from some bruising and stiffness he got through the ordeal intact. STC close in on Kembla The Sydney Turf Club took the first formal steps towards buying Kembla Grange and forming a partnership with the Illawarra Turf Club when representatives from both clubs met at Canterbury yesterday, reports Chris Roots.
The partnership was a casualty of the TVN-Sky Channel war in 2005 but the clubs started discussions about a strategic alliance again earlier this year and finally sat down together yesterday.
The STC has a tacit agreement with the State Government to purchase the land containing Kembla Grange racecourse, and both clubs are keen to push forward.
"We had talks and want to work towards a partnership which will advance our mutual interests," ITC president Peter De Vries said.
"Part of that agreement would be the STC acquiring Kembla Grange racecourse, which would not only have benefits for both clubs but also the NSW racing industry.
"The STC have indicated they would want Kembla to continue to be locally run so that there is a strong racing presence in the Illawarra."
De Vries and three ITC directors met STC chief executive Michael Kenny and four of their directors with the proposed strategic alliance to take the same form as in 2005.
The STC would not only purchase the crown deeds on Kembla Grange land but also inject millions of dollars to redevelop the track and training facilities. High on the agenda for any redevelopment of the site would be a synthetic racetrack inside the course proper.