A divide between Racing NSW and sections of the state’s thoroughbred training cohort has deepened after claims the regulator breached privacy laws by distributing an email that identified licensees who were yet to meet new mandatory financial documentation obligations.
The email, which disclosed that more than 115 trainers had yet to satisfy the regulator’s requirements to be relicensed, requested “further evidence to demonstrate your ability to meet financial obligations as and when they fall due”.
Sent on Wednesday afternoon, the email addresses of all recipients were displayed rather than being blind copied, leaving the perception that those trainers may be at risk of not being relicensed for the 2025/2026 season.
The email asked for official bank statements and/or company financial documentation by close of business on Thursday, although it also listed August 8 as the deadline, adding to the confusion.
It is understood that some aggrieved trainers who appeared on the email distribution list are considering taking the matter to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
In a letter to impacted trainers following the errant email, NSW Trainers Association chief executive Richard Callander wrote that “hopefully, for most of you, it will be a straightforward request to help tick the final box for renewal”.
When contacted by The Straight, Callander claimed Racing NSW had shown “overreach” with some elements of its handling of the new licensing requirements placed on trainers.
“We fully appreciate Racing NSW have got the interest of all racing in hand, but we certainly believe that there's been an overreach in some of their requests and we believe it should have been handled a lot better and more individually, rather than obviously that email yesterday going to everyone, which is disappointing,” Callander said.
“It has put people's names in the public eye that may not have had any issue by filling out a simple form. Everyone's been blanketed under the same thing, but we can't look back, we've got to look forward.”
The Straight reported in May that Racing NSW was demanding proof of trainers’ financial viability ahead of the new racing season.
“This is, in our view, a necessary step to continue to uphold the integrity, safety and welfare of the racing industry,” Racing NSW operations manager - integrity Michael Cleaver wrote to trainers at the time.
“It will also allow for earlier intervention where a trainer may not be meeting their obligations and provide a greater opportunity to avoid training businesses from failing.”
One trainer who received Wednesday’s email suggested that “it seems that at the moment there is a complete lack of trust with participants” from Racing NSW.
“I think that we need to turn the negative of the email yesterday into a positive for all trainers,” they wrote in response.
“We need to, with the help of the trainers’ association, highlight the flaws and inadequacies of RNSW and our complete lack of confidence in their decision-making abilities …
“We all have different stories, we all have different business models and we can’t all be measured on the one metric which they are currently doing.
“As Kerry Packer famously said, ‘you would be a fool if you didn’t minimise your tax as the government certainly doesn’t spend it well’.”
Tim Rowe
Callander said numerous stables were facing financial hardship but it was up to the industry to keep as many trainers viable as possible.
“People are doing it tough across the board and the trainers are doing it tough as a group right across the board,” he said on Thursday.
“Yes, we're going to have the trainers that are flying and have got money and there's going to be trainers that are battling.
“There's golf pros that have got millions and there's golf pros who are working bar jobs to play in pro-ams and we're going to make sure that the little trainer isn't overshadowed and that they can carve out a living in racing.
“But we've also got to have the best interest of the whole industry and not just individuals.”
Racing NSW chief operating officer Graeme Hinton was contacted by this publication on Thursday.
In The Sydney Morning Herald, Hinton rejected claims that “anybody’s privacy was breached”.
“The email was clarifying that more information was needed and not advising of any final determination or judgment,” he said.
“We are requiring trainers to illustrate much greater financial resources as part of the licensing process as animal welfare is our top priority.
“This is to ensure horses are provided with the proper nutrition and feed and importantly have access to a vet if in pain.”
It is believed the sender of the offending Racing NSW email, a young member of the regulator’s licensing department, has been counselled and protocols will be put in place to ensure other instances do not occur again.
“We need to, with the help of the trainers’ association, highlight the flaws and inadequacies of RNSW and our complete lack of confidence in their decision-making abilities" - a NSW thoroughbred trainer
Callander also stood by the sanctioned administrator.
“He's a young man who's made an error with an email. I think the last thing we want in anything is to draw attention to one individual and cause them any harm,” he said.
“I've been a big advocate for respecting other people and certainly not bullying. The young man made a mistake. He's been upset totally about it and he's been addressed about that by Racing NSW.”
