Gai Waterhouse enters the Racing NSW fight
Gai Waterhouse, one of the highest-profile thoroughbred racing trainers, says she is opposed to Russell Balding being handed a longer tenure as Racing NSW chairman, exposing a deepening rift between the powerful agency and the industry it is administering.
On Monday, NSW Racing Minister David Harris said he would introduce new legislation that would extend statutory maximums for Racing NSW board members, allowing Mr Balding to stay on for another two years.
Champion trainer Gai Waterhouse. Eddie Jim
It would be the third time legislation has been introduced to accommodate Mr Balding, who leads a board that oversees one of the industry’s most powerful figures, Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’Landys.
Ms Waterhouse, who runs her stables in Sydney and is an ambassador for the Victoria Racing Club, was critical of an effort by the NSW Trainers Association to support Mr Balding ahead of the government’s final decision.
“I was not consulted by the NSW Trainers Association when it sent a letter supporting Mr Balding’s chairmanship term extension and have not spoken to anyone who was consulted,” Ms Waterhouse said.
She also backed other racing identities – including former stockbroker and Racing NSW chairman John Messara and Harvey Norman chief executive Katie Page – in publicly opposing the extension.
”I would not have supported it and agree with John Messara and Katie Page that it would reflect bad governance,” she said in a statement. “I also think that it is very important that any refresh of the Racing NSW board selects directors that have good experience and knowledge of racing.”
The NSW government decision has put in the spotlight governance at the powerful racing body, which oversees the commercial and regulatory
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