NHA Urged To Clarify Appeal Board Selection

A BLOG FROM MIKE DE KOCK:

The editor of Turf Talk, David Thiselton, published an article on Friday morning entitled, ‘Handicapper Bashing – SA Racing Fraternity’s Favourite Hobby’. In it, he addressed — among other matters — the successful objection lodged by ourselves and Sean Tarry against the handicapper’s ratings of Splittheeights, Grand Empire, One Eye On Vegas and Yippee Kiyay.

Thiselton wrote: “There was the usual flurry of criticism of the handicappers for their rating of the Gauteng Guineas, but the handicappers’ view was not incorrect…” and elsewhere, “In fact, (the handicapper’s assessment) was not a mistake at all, it was just a difference of opinion of the line horse.”

Everyone is entitled to express a view on matters of importance — editors especially so. That is not in question. However, we do not share Thiselton’s view. In our opinion, material facts were overlooked and what we regard as an error was characterised as merely a ‘difference of opinion’.

It gets more interesting: Thiselton published this pro-handicapper article on Friday morning, yet later on the same day sat on an Appeal Board convened by the National Horseracing Authority to adjudicate an objection by the connections of Trust, pertaining to his third place in the same race – and upheld the objection!

Given Thiselton’s publicly stated position on the matter, a legitimate question of perceived conflict of interest arises. It is generally accepted that an Appeal Board should comprise individuals free not only of actual bias, but also of any reasonable perception of bias. Further, Thiselton is in a long-standing personal relationship with the sister of the NHA’s Chief Handicapper, Lennon Maharaj.

We understand that the NHA’s CEO, Vee Moodley, convened this Board. In the interests of transparency and procedural integrity, we respectfully request clarification as to the reasoning behind Thiselton’s appointment.

Should he have recused himself? Or should Moodley have considered the potential optics more carefully? It is essential that the NHA provides clear and transparent reasoning for this appointment as it goes to the heart of confidence in the governance and adjudicative processes of the sport. The matter should be investigated as a matter of urgency.

Photo: Vee Moodley, CEO of the NHA.