Nothing to see here: QRIC to keep review into Beaudesert protest howler secret

Queensland’s top integrity official has been sent a “please explain” as frustration builds over the decision to keep a review into the controversial Beaudesert protest confidential.

Quade (Jag Guthman-Chester, circled) was elevated from second to first after stewards deemed he was tightened by Beachside Babe (Andrew Spinks, yellow cap) at the 300m. Picture: Screengrab/Racing Queensland

Queensland integrity officials have declared they will not release the full report into the farcical upheld protest at Beaudesert in March, saying only their brief summary of the controversy will be made public.

The Queensland Racing Integrity Commission said the much anticipated report handed down by former Victorian chief steward Des Gleeson will remain confidential, but confirmed the recommendations from it have been implemented by stewards.

It comes as the brief summary provided by QRIC, which offers no opinion from Gleeson on whether the correct decision was actually made, received scathing reviews from the industry and demoted trainer David Murphy, saying it has only confused the situation further.

• OPINION: Protest howler upstaged by bewildering ‘review’

The Thoroughbred Alliance has issued QRIC commissioner Shane Gillard with a please explain over the issue and said it has only embarrassed Queensland racing watching it play out.

“(We are) extremely disappointed and confused with the outcome of the review done by QRIC into the protest decision from Beaudesert,” Australian Trainers’ Association Queensland representative Cameron Partington said.

The Stewards at Beaudesert have had an absolute howler here we reckon.

Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/yFchYNj3Px

— The Leg Up Australia (@TheLegUpAus) March 30, 2024

“It’s very rare for a protest decision to garnish so much industry (and outside industry) interest, hence the Alliance felt QRIC had a need to explain the decision and support it or otherwise.

“We are all fully appreciative that an individual’s judgement and human error can influence decisions — in the same way a referee can in many sports.

“What the industry deserves to know, is if there was a judgement error made, or was the decision comfortably in the reasonable range which could have us to expect similar situations to produce a similar result.

• ‘I almost fell off my chair, it was bizarre’: Trainer fumes over protest howler

“QRIC felt the need to seek outside expertise to review the decision which at no doubt came at a cost to the industry, this was surprising, but not as surprising as the statement released explaining the outcome of the review by Mr Gleeson.

“We are very confused as to how to interpret form the statement if the decision made to uphold the protest was supported as reasonable, or otherwise.”

Partington said the industry deserve to know if QRIC agree with the decision as it could set a precedent for other trainers involved in a protest.

“We could expect to see a significant increase in protests lodged, and the apparent easily defendable appeal against being charged with a frivolous protest that would be available,” he said.

Originally published as Nothing to see here: QRIC to keep review into Beaudesert protest howler secret