Trainer Mitch Beer has revealed he was a victim of a torrent of online abuse after well supported favourite Mnementh got rolled at Corowa on Tuesday.
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Punters who took the $1.80 about Mnementh were immediately in trouble after he knuckled at the start and was forced to settle at the rear of the field.
The noted on pace runner flashed home late with claiming apprentice Danielle Scott aboard to finish second, beaten 2.5-lengths.
At least two punters took to social media to vent their frustrations and abuse Beer and Scott.
Beer who is an avid user of social media tweeted a screenshot of the abuse with the comment 'Average day at the races and open the phone to deadbeats like this.'
Beer said while the comments didn't affect him, he was mindful of the repercussions it could have on a young apprentice jockey like Scott.
"It doesn't really bother me," Beer said.
"What does bother me were some of the comments were directed at a young, claiming 3kg apprentice.
"They are out there to learn and yes, the race didn't go to plan.
"But to target the kid on social media is pretty disgraceful."
Beer conceded Mnementh lost its winning chance after bungling the start.
"The plan was to sit second but he knuckled out of the barriers and was almost last," he said.
"It wasn't a great ride after that and Danielle let the horse drift out in the straight and was reprimanded by the stewards.
"But a lot of people on social media don't know much about racing and talk through their pockets.
"It's not real brave to hide behind a computer and fire out cheap shots.
"They are pretty much the scum of the earth to me."
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Beer said his biggest fear was that there could be dire consequences for a trainer or jockey targeted by social media abuse.
"One day they are going to bomb the wrong person at the wrong time," he said.
"And there is going to be a horrible consequence.
"Everyone is entitled to their opinion and people don't have to agree.
"But when you personally attack people and accuse them of rigging races and laying horses on Betfair and calling people spastics and stuff like that, I have no tolerance for it.
"The more people call it out and shame these people doing it, the quicker it will go away."
Beer who is the biggest trainer in the Riverina, said Tuesday wasn't the first time he had been the target of social media trolls.
"I have received emails saying 'I hope your horse breaks down' and 'I hope that jockey falls off next start,' he said.
"At the end of the day we are not celebrities who are out there looking for attention.
"We were just at Corowa, working class people, trying to do our job."
Southern District Racing Association chief steward Jason Shultz worked at the meeting on Tuesday.
Shultz said stewards had the power to penalise anybody found guilty of abusing industry participants on social media.
"I'm not aware of what happened to Mitch but it is a growing trend for people to target trainers and jockeys on social media," Shultz said.
"If we can find the perpetrators we are more than happy to take action."