The Chinese Year Of The Dog is fast developing into the year of living dangerously for our beleaguered National Horseracing Authority.

Under fire – Lyndon Barends (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
On his second anniversary in the position of Chief Executive Officer, Lyndon Barends’ hot seat has had the temperature turned up a good few degrees by snowballing events on an almost weekly basis in recent months.
The difference between horseracing and politics is that talk and promises actually have limited shelf lives in the sport of kings. That’s maybe because governments borrow and print money, while the hard-earned cash and passion of ordinary folk keep horseracing going.
Mr Barends came into office almost two years ago to the day.
While the press release from the NHA Board announcing his arrival contained the usual waffle and cream associated with such communications, the oversell appears to be coming back in lumps to haunt the institution supposedly vested with maintaining the sport’s integrity.
Read more in the latest SP Digest – click on the image below