Board support for RV stewards: Williams

Lloyd Williams has called for more support for RV’s integrity unit.

Six-time Melbourne Cup-winning owner Lloyd Williams is a proud Melburnian and Victorian but says he would like to see a couple of Sydneysiders run racing.

Williams says Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’Landys and its recently retired chairman John Messara were ideal candidates to run racing in Victoria after the success they have created in NSW.

“Look at the way they stand up for it (racing in NSW). I don’t see anyone standing up here,” Williams told radio station RSN927.

“They’re going to keep taking a little bit away (from us) unless we start standing up.”

His call comes as Racing Victoria stewards investigate an alleged doping scandal emanating from the scratching of Lovani at Flemington last month.

Williams says one of the first things he would ask V’Landys to do as chief executive would be to come out and say he fully supports integrity in racing.

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He also says support is needed from a board level for RV chief steward Terry Bailey and outgoing executive general manager of integrity services Dayle Brown.

“If you haven’t got great integrity here and supported by the board and the chief executive then you haven’t got racing,” Williams said.

“The quicker they do that, the better.”

Williams said the only one he’s heard supporting integrity is Victorian racing minister Martin Pakula.

“What the board needs to do now is come out, and what they didn’t do previously, is raise their hand and say integrity is a major issue in racing,” Williams said.

“I would like to see the board come out like the Peter Armytages (former VRC chairman) in the past and come out and support the stewards and say we are going to make sure this racing is (run) at the highest possible level.”