LEADING Southern District trainer Trevor Sutherland will learn his fate next week.
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Sutherland will front Racing NSW stewards in Sydney on Tuesday after being suspended, effective immediately, late last month.
Stewards have remained tight-lipped about the case and are yet to charge Sutherland but the investigation surrounds the alleged slaughter of retired racehorses by a third party.
Sutherland maintains his innocence and has hired renowned racing lawyer Paul O'Sullivan, who has represented the likes of Damien Oliver, Hugh Bowman and Darren Smith in the past.
The immediate suspension has already come at a big cost for Sutherland, who will have been sidelined almost three weeks by the time the inquiry is heard.
He has already lost a number of horses with Gentleman Max being sent to Keith Dryden, La Sante to Donna Scott, Real Key and Azaryah to Mark Gee and Jungle Book to Clare Cunningham.
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COROWA trainer Geoff Duryea cannot take a trick at the moment.
The week got off to a good start with Racing NSW announcing further easing of the border restrictions, so much so that Duryea will be able to race Front Page and News Girl in Melbourne.
But Duryea reported to Racing NSW stewards this week that News Girl is showing signs of lameness after a track gallop on Saturday.
Duryea advised stewards that News Girl showed signs of lameness in the off foreleg after working last Saturday and it has not improved since.
He plans to have the mare inspected by his vet to find out more and Racing NSW has ruled that News Girl will require a veterinary clearance before racing again.
All going well, Duryea plans to kick off both Front Page and News Girl's campaigns in Melbourne and hit the Kosciuszko at Randwick on October 17 third up.
"I've spoken to the Victorian stewards and they are happy for me to follow the protocols I did last preparation with both of them," Duryea told Sky Sports Radio this week.
"It looks like we've got everything in place now so I just started (on Tuesday morning) ringing the owners so I can put a plan together for them.
"Hopefully it's full steam ahead."
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ALBURY trainer Mitch Beer has vowed to split his trainer's percentage from the Kosciuszko with his staff.
Beer is hoping to get new stable acquisition Redouble into the $1.3 million feature at Randwick next month.
Redouble was sent to Beer specifically for the Kosciuszko and is a $15 chance with TAB for the race.
Beer has decided to split his trainer's percentage, potentially $68,000 if Redouble wins, with his staff.
"It's been well publicised how average it's been. A lot of these staff are still living away from home," Beer said.
"If he wins, it's $68,000 that I don't have now, it's certainly not $68,000 that I don't need but I wish all my staff were on twice what they get paid but I can't afford it. So if he gets a slot, wherever he finishes, I'll go halves with them.
"It gives them a ticket in the lottery as well. If he wasn't the first horse they check of a morning, he certainly is now."
Redouble will trial at Albury on Thursday and Beer will map out a plan from there.
"I don't feel like the horse needs to prove himself to be in a Kosciuszko. His record speaks for itself," he said.
"Once he gets a slot, we can sit down with the slot holders and map out a plan from there."
Beer has not held back from purchasing Kosciuszko tickets himself.
"You couldn't pole vault over them. Every time I wake up I check my jean pockets from the night before and there's some Kosciuszko tickets," he said.
"I'm up to my eyeballs in this thing, I need a result."
Meantime, Sky Call will resume from a spell at Randwick on Saturday.
Beer opted against starting Sky Call with 60 kilograms in the Highway Handicap and will instead kick off the mare's campaign in the $125,000 Benchmark 78 Mares Handicap (1100m).
Glen Boss takes the ride.
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ISSUES around crossing borders did not stop Jerilderie trainer Phil Sweeney from sending three of his stable to race at Morphettville last Saturday.
Bezazzled, Mr Brown Fox and Happy Lad all went around at Morphettville on Saturday.
Bezazzled and Mr Brown Fox both finished third.
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MURRUMBIDGEE Turf Club's next two race meetings will be run without an on-course racecaller.
Anthony Manton will call the next two Wagga race meetings from the Sky Racing studio in Sydney.
Murrumbidgee Turf Club chief executive Steve Keene said it would be the case for the two upcoming Saturday race meetings on September 19 and October 3.
"Anthony's got other commitments in Sydney on Saturday morning but we've been assured that if you didn't know he wasn't on course, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference," Keene said.
"We'll see how that goes and play it by ear."
Off-course calling has been happening in harness racing for months at Wagga, and several other venues across the country.
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COOTAMUNDRA Turf Club will push ahead with its Cup meeting next month.
The club has made the difficult decision to run the meeting for participants only, with the general public unable to attend.
"The Cootamundra Turf Club is very disappointed we can't invite all our loyal supporters and sponsors to this year's event. The races will be broadcast on television, have a bet on the races and you will still be supporting the Coota Turf Club," the club said in a statement.
The $27,000 Cootamundra Cup (1600m) will be the feature of the meeting on October 4.
It comes as Gundagai-Adelong Race Club decided to open this year's Snake Gully Cup carnival to members and their guests and owners only.
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WHAT'S ON
GALLOPS
Thursday: Albury (TAB)
Sunday: Gundagai (TAB)
TROTS
Friday: Leeton (TAB)
Tuesday: Albury (TAB)
DOGS
Sunday: Temora (TAB)