- Shelia Laxon and John Symons still pursue $ 464,000 in profits
- Husband and wife coaches claim the award was paid in an incorrect account
The champion coaches behind the choice of the winner of the Melbourne Cup last year, Knight's Choice, are demanding the victory races for depositing their six -digit prize in the wrong bank account.
Shelia Laxon and John Symons launched this week a legal battle in the District Court of Queensland, claiming that they would still receive a penny of their profits of $ 464,000 to three months of the race that the nation stops.
The strange range assaulted home to claim the prestigious 3200m as a long length 80-1 last November in a fairytale victory after a masterful trip with Dolan on board.
Although the gelding rider of Group 1, Robbie Dolan, and the owners have already been paid, Queensland coaches based in Sunshine Coast claim that their part of the $ 4.4 million prize never arrived.
Instead, Racing Victoria is accused of transferring the funds to an ancient bank account that they had in the archive of the husband and wife of their time working under the flag of Esprit Racing.
However, the couple separated from Esprit years ago and never appeared as directors or shareholders of the entity.
According to reports, they have chosen to sue Racing Victoria to recover the substantial prize instead of pursuing Esprit, since the only company director has just come into liquidation and called insolvency experts Jirsch Sutherland.
Laxon and Symons initially expressed concern for their prize for the Association of Australian coaches of Queensland in December after realizing the banking bungle.
The winning coaches of the Melbourne Cup, John Symons and Sheila Laxon, are demanding Victoria races after an administrative error resulted in their $ 464,000 prize to disappear
It is alleged that the payment was deposited in a bank account that the coaches no longer have access (in the photo to the right, the choice of Knight after winning the Melbourne Cup)
“John and Sheila raised this matter with the ATA Queensland a few weeks ago when the prize money error was recognized for the first time,” said Queensland representative at Cameron Partington to Racenet.com.au last month.
'In turn, I involved the Federal Office of ATA and the CEO Stephen Bell given the role of Racing Victoria here to be responsible for the Melbourne Cup awards payments and the importance of the problem.
'In the last week, it ties it at the state and federal level has been in constant dialogue with John, Sheila and both Racing Queensland and Racing Victoria, encouraging all parties to work together to solve the error.
'It is an extremely unfortunate situation that is undoubtedly causing the enormous stress of John and Sheila at a time when they should still be enjoying the celebration of their success.
“We hope that the parties can solve the problem quickly to ensure that John and Sheila receive the financial reward they deserve and have the right.”
The governing body of Horserming Victorian said this week that he had tried to recover the money out of place, but so far he had not been able to rectify the situation.
“We cannot comment in any detail since the issue is now the issue of procedures,” Racing Victoria said in a statement.
“However, keep in mind that RV has paid all the money of the Melbourne Cup award as necessary, including the bank account registered with us by Mrs. Laxon and the MR Symons coach, Prizemoney Payments in Victoria.
Champions trainers Sheila Laxon and John Symonds with their Melbourne Robbie Dolan Cup winning jockey
“We have taken the steps to us to help Mrs. Laxon and Mr. Symons recover the money from what RV has subsequently advised is her previous account.”
Racing Victoria has received 28 days to notify the court if he intends to defend the action.
Speaking after the Melbourne Cup last November, Laxon said that Knight's choice had been raised as a sprinter before re -training castrated as a editor.
“We knew he had an incredible sprint on the side of the extreme choice,” Laxon said after the race.
'So I think you need to have sprinters and teach them to be stay. That is my theory anyway.
Although it was the first victory of the Symons Melbourne Cup, his wife became the first woman to train a winner after Ethereal secured the award in 2001.