Opinion: Was Moody Right Or Wrong To Spray McDougall?

Peter Moody has been around racing for several decades so he should have known better than to send out an audio message with his damaging thoughts regarding Blaike McDougall’s ride on Accountability last Saturday.

Moody didn’t hold back in his spray and overstepped the mark when he got personal.

He later acknowledged this in a tweet he sent out on the Moody racing Twitter account which read: “In view of an audio report from myself to clients in regards to jockey Blaike McDougal I wish to publicly apologise to Blaike for this unprofessional and unacceptable behaviour toward him. I have also privately done this. Unlike the client, Blaike will continue to be part of MR”.

In these days of modern communications, trainers need to be careful with the content of their criticism as a jockey could have the option of being able to make a formal complaint or even take legal action.

There is no issue with telling the owners that you were unhappy with the ride and why but to attack Blaike’s character with insults is completely unprofessional and unwarranted.

Moody should have just stated to the owners that he thought it was a poor ride and left it at that.

It’s also not like the old days when trainers could give a jockey a barrage of abuse straight after a race and then walk away. As some more senior jockeys have stated the best spray was when a trainer didn’t talk to them after a race.

Moody was obviously frustrated and should have taken a deep breath before sending that out to a group of owners as it clearly only takes one of the owners to pass it on and put it on social media.

Interesting that Amalgamation has already been moved to the Maher and Eustace stable.

Was the spray right or wrong? Tell us in the comments below or join over 130 punters in our group chat via the button below