Breeding & Racing Magazine

NSW Stewards To Clarify Passenger Ownership

Following attention-grabbing headlines in The Daily Telegraph, Racing NSW chief steward Ray Murrihy confirmed "a transfer in ownership of promising galloper Passenger was made more than a year ago". Murrihy told racenet.com.au: "At this stage there is no reason to think anything is amiss, but I would certainly like to clarify the situation because there has been a lot of speculation. The transfer was affected over 12 months ago." The 3YO colt Passenger (Redoute's Choice-Perfect Draw, by Whisky Road) flashed home from the tail of the field to score a 2-lengths victory over 1200m at Canterbury Park in Sydney on debut last week for trainer John Hawkes; he had been a $950,000 yearling purchase by controversial owner-punter Eddie Hayson from the draft of Broadwater Farm at the 2005 Inglis Australian Easter Sale. Murrihy confirmed he had spoken to both original trainer Paul Perry & Hawkes yesterday morning, but had yet to contact "all parties". However he emphasised: "There is no reason to be instigating an inquiry. It's a matter of clarifying the ownership: that's the direction we will go down." Ms A. Hyder was listed in last week's Canterbury racebook as the current owner.