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A dispute has arisen about the jockey booking for late entry Weregoingtogetcha in Saturday's Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate at Hastings.
Racing Integrity Unit stewards will investigate whether Palmerston North trainer David Hayes had made a firm booking with Pukekohe apprentice Lee Magorrian for Weregoingtogetcha after receiving a written complaint on Thursday from his agent Mike Brown.
Brown claimed Hayes had confirmed Magorrian would be riding Weregoingtogetcha with him last Sunday and had also done the same with Magorrian's master, Pukekohe trainer Shaun Clotworthy.However, on Tuesday, Hayes told Brown he didn't want Magorrian and booked Matamata jockey Michael Coleman for the Group One performer.
Brown was unhappy with the situation, not only with Magorrian losing a Group One ride and the spinoffs that came with such an opportunity for an apprentice, but also that he could easily have secured his jockey a strong book of rides at Avondale had he not been engaged to ride in the Hastings feature.Brown said Magorrian did not want to be involved in a raceday hearing to decide which jockey should ride the horse, as that wouldn't be the ideal buildup for a Group One ride, but he felt the jockey deserved the equivalent of Coleman's fee and earnings from the race.
Hayes preferred not to comment on the matter until it was dealt with, but told New Zealand Racing Desk he had spoken to Brown to see whether Magorrian was available but had not made a booking.