Racing: McAnulty admits offence

Bloodstock agent Rob McAnulty has admitted two breaches of charges of the rules of racing after a series of abusive voicemails and emails to two high-ranking officials.

McAnulty, a New Zealander now based in Queensland, admitted a serious racing offence for the messages left with chief stipendiary steward Cameron George, and a misconduct charge for messages left with New Zealand Racing Board chairman Michael Stiassny.

They followed abusive voicemails left with Stiassny between February 4-6, and with George on February 6-7.

Copies of the charges provided to media yesterday show the voicemails to Stiassny were anti-Semitic in places.

They tell him to "do something good for the industry and piss off", that he can either have "a bloodless coup and walk away or you can have what's happening in Tunisia, Egypt ... where grassroots people are bringing down dictatorships", and that "I'll finish you off".

Among the comments in the messages to George were that "for the chief of the integrity unit you're not showing much", and that he was a "cheating low life".

McAnulty, an agitator for change in the racing industry, said on Tuesday night, in a statement, that he accepted the words used were insulting and abusive and apologised to Stiassny and George.

"This isolated episode grew out of my extreme frustration about the conduct of racing in New Zealand, and in particular the roles of Mr Stiassny and Mr George," said the statement.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing lawyer John Billington QC said NZTR would be seeking a four-month disqualification.

He said the messages were intimidating in places and were abusive both personally to Mr Stiassny and Mr George and to the offices they hold.

A strong penalty was required to send a message to McAnulty, and anybody else considering this behaviour, that it was unacceptable.

- NZPA