Did you think the fallout from the Interdominion Grand Final was over and done with?
Think again. Terror To Love won last week's Auckland Cup in record time, prompting driver Ricky May to make the cheeky comment that the cup champion was happy to be back on a ''good track''.
But that was nothing to what is unfolding across the Tasman in the last few days
The good news for horse lovers is that I'm Victorious, who was pole-axed by the sulky wheels of Mach Beauty in the home straight of the group 1, has recovered well from surgery to severed tendons and looks like he will be able to live out his days back in Western Australia.
. . . got interesting
The most dramatic development, though, is the indication from some of the connections of I'm Victorious that they plan to launch legal proceedings against not just Mach Beauty's driver, Lauren Panella, but also against the Harness Racing New South Wales stewards for allowing Panella to drive under a stay of proceedings.
Panella had been suspended for a similar incident at Menangle on February 22, when she shifted out when driving Yayas Hot Spot, striking the leg of a rival with her sulky wheel.
Sound familiar? Was the eight-week suspension handed to Panella for the Interdom incident enough?
In my opinion - no. She was reckless in the extreme when she pulled out of her spot behind Smolda, barely glancing over her right shoulder to see who was there, and - considering she was driving under a stay of proceedings for a remarkably similar incident - you would expect her to take more care, even in the charged atmosphere of a group 1.
What this does, however, is take racing off the tracks and into the courtroom.
Do we want harness racing, and racing in general, becoming an equine version of the 1980s America's Cup courtroom battles? In a perfect world, no, but when a horse's career and life is put at threat by a recidivist offender, I can't say I blame the connections.
Tayler-made
Just a note to acknowledge and congratulate my predecessor, Tayler Strong, on 50 years in racing journalism. Tayler has been quite helpful to me since I started in this job, which is a mark of the man. Speaking of 50s, this week also brings up the half-century for my counterpart at the Southland Times, Jamie Searle.
Lazy Fiver
Le Sol let me down at Gore on Sunday, finishing ninth, although less than five lengths behind Village Club. I'm finding it hard to go past Ima Geegee for a bit of value in race eight at Wyndham on Sunday.
