“[Racing NSW chief executive] Peter V’landys has neither refused or accepted my application but instead sought independent assessment of my metropolitan licence upgrade application – what I can only imagine is a first,” Edward wrote.
“Given that Dad has withdrawn his appeal, there is no extension provided to continue training at Leilani Lodge. I am left to believe RNSW are acting against the ATC’s permission for me to train at Leilani Lodge and my attempt to honoour my father’s accounts with his clients.”
Edward had relocated his horses from Hawkesbury to join his father at Randwick, where they had hoped to rekindle their former training partnership under his business Myrtle House.
Those aspirations were derailed due to Anthony’s financial woes, which became apparent when his company Rosscarbery Holdings was placed into voluntary liquidation with unpaid bills to suppliers and staff owed superannuation.
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Edward had trained under a provincial level licence at Hawkesbury, but Racing NSW has been assessing his capability to handle a larger operation in the city.
“I have contacted the stewards and informed them that I will training at Hawkesbury,” he wrote to owners. “I have contacted some owners, but not all about these steps and I have been encouraged by their support.”
Anthony has had more than 50 horses in work at Leilani Lodge including his most recent group-1 winner El Castello, which took out the $2 million Spring Champion Stakes at Rosehill in October.
It was his 32nd win at that level, an honour roll that includes the Victoria Derby and Tancred Stakes with Fiveandahalfstar, the Champagne Stakes with She’s Extreme, and Zavite in the Ranvet Stakes. He has had 969 wins, his first coming in 1992.
Bart Cummings, who died in 2015 aged 87, trained champions such as Saintly, So You Think and Beau Zam at Leilani Lodge.
