IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published in the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS reports that Racing Queensland is still adding the final touches to the distribution formula for the three codes from the new TAB wagering agreement with Tattersalls.
Butts also reveals how North Queensland’s best ‘Maiden’ shed that status at the weekend and looks to the Super Sunday of racing in Cairns this weekend.
Here is the Butts’ column:
RQ STILL FORMULATING PLAN FOR PRIZEMONEY DISTRIBUTION FROM TAB DEAL
RACING Queensland is still in the throes of formulating a plan for prizemoney distribution over the three codes.
It certainly has been a work in progress since the contentious Tatts deal was first announced several weeks ago.
This is a deal that promises to provide a minimum of $15 million a year.
But the whack-up is the talking point.
And just how much will harness racing receive is the question most asked.
CEO DEFENDS DELAY INSISTING THAT RQ JUST WANTS TO GET IT ‘RIGHT’
CEO Darren Condon defends the delay saying RQ just wants to get the formula ‘right’.
“It is no good making a declaration one week and then having to change it, as West Australia was forced to do when the prizemoney increase it announced could not be sustained,” he said.
Condon is also somewhat peeved at the ‘negative publicity’ that surrounds the Tatts deal.
“Everyone is saying it is a good deal for Tatts.
“That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad deal for racing,” he asserts.
“In fact it is a good deal – and allied with the Racing Information Fee (another $7-8mn a year), racing is going to be a lot better off
“Well, $20mn better off than last year, anyway,” Condon said.
RQ HAS TO FINANCE TOO MANY CLUBS AND TOO MANY RACE DAYS
QUEENSLAND obviously has to finance too much racing. Too many clubs is one problem and too many race days is the other.
It should never be compared with other states and certainly not the Northern Territory, according to Condon.
It is true that the NT is also reliant on funding from Tatts that has the tote betting rights in both South Australia and the NT.
But while Townsville, for instance, relies solely on Racing Queensland handouts of which 70 per cent is provided by Tatts – it is a different scenario in the NT and particularly Darwin.
There was a general display of surprise, if not envious resentment, over the prizemoney on offer for Darwin’s two-day Cup meeting at the weekend.
Apart from a $200,000 Cup, twice that of Rockhampton and Townsville, the Palmerston Sprint carried prizemoney of $135,000, almost twice that on offer for the Cleveland Bay, and Rocky’s time-honoured Newmarket.
The envy was also because every minor race on Saturday was worth $21,000 and on Monday they each carried prize money of $30,000.
“The Territory has only a handful of tracks and far fewer race days than Queensland.
That is why Darwin can offer such prizemoney.
“It cannot be compared to Queensland,” is the RQ CEO’s explanation.
So now you know!
NORTH QUEENSLAND’S BEST MAIDEN FINALLY BREAKS HIS DUCK
IT was a long time coming but North Queensland’s ‘best’ maiden, Rocket Bill Rebel, finally cracked it for his maiden at Middlemount on Saturday.
Billy has been a beaten favourite many times in his 23 career starts and has been placed, without winning at Eagle Farm, Ipswich and several times on his home track Mackay, Rockhampton and Townsville, where in fact he was placed over the recent carnival.
But it hasn’t been all that bad for connections. Billy has earned $38,325 – more than many horses that have won three or four races.
On Saturday he was the first leg of a winning treble for his much-travelled trainer John Manzelmann and jockey Adrian Coombe.
Little sister Tracey and her jockey-husband David Simmons spoiled the party when they won the last race with Top Button relegating big brother John’s well backed favourite Le Chat Botte to fourth.
CAIRNS GEARS UP FOR SUPER SUNDAY AT CANNON PARK
THE big Cairns double-header will be conducted this weekend, with both the Cup and Newmarket being run at Cannon Park’s Super Sunday.
Already Group winning jockeys Blake Shinn, Robert Thompson and Mark Pegus have claimed a spot in the jockeys’ room.
Shinn, who rode in Darwin on Monday, will be on the three horses trained by Sydney-based David Pfeiffer, who now has a satellite stable in Toowoomba, and has followed the North Queensland winter carnival with mixed success from Rockhampton through to Cairns.
Thompson, of course, is no stranger to north, especially at this time of year and will have the pick of rides for the leading Atherton stable of Janel Ryan, and Pegus, another who doesn’t mind the northern climes, had five rides before the noms had closed.
The party starts on Friday with a massive seafood luncheon in the Silks Pavilion to be followed by the Calcutta in the upstairs Members’ Lounge.
Another interesting visitor for the carnival is the highly-rated Sydney jockey Peter Robl who recently announced his retirement from the saddle after an horrific fall six months ago.
Robl, a long-time friend of Shinn (and partner in crime) is just ‘coming along for the ride’.
And, no doubt to escape the chilly winds of the Sydney winter!
Runaway winner of the Townsville Cup, Payteevee, will no doubt head the weights for the Cairns Cup on Sunday ahead of Ladrotto who is expected to improve on his Townsville Cup failure for which he had a chequered preparation.
The 2012 Cairns Cup winner Cash Attack, the grand old grey, has failed in all runs this campaign and is expected to have his last start on Sunday before retirement.
IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A BALL AT HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL – JOIN GEOFF LANE
IF Hong Kong in December – for the best racing carnival in the world – is on your bucket list, we have a great tip.
Join Geoff Lane’s tour.
The former Golden Boy of Melbourne racing (currently a stipe on the Gold Coast) took a party over for the Hong Kong carnival last year – and I know they had an absolute ball.
Ambassador Travel has secured him again this year to host another tour – and why not?
G. Lane rode in Hong Kong in the late 1960s, was then appointed official starter for the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club (bowler hat and all) and later became a successful trainer.
He is known and most of all highly respected by all in Hong Kong racing from the stewards to the strappers – and he knows every short cut in the old colony as well.
And if you go, here is the latest batch of Aussie horses that have just landed at Sha Tin to commence a new career in racing – Chinese style. They’ll even learn the language!
AL'S KITCHEN (Al Samer / Alice's Restaurant), ROCKABILL (Fastnet Rock / Sidereus Nuncius), WORTHY HONOUR (Marwina / Toy Version), SHAWANO (Redoute’s Choice / Savannah Success), LUCKY HAPPY (Testa Rossa / Wednesday Rocks), SUGGESTABILITY (Any Suggestion / Court Ballet), CONYMINE (Bianconi / Susie Mine,) DALLAS COWBOY (Bon Hoffa / Rondalla), AZTEC EMPIRE (Choisir / Costa Grande), DUBLE ON THE ROCKS (Dubleo / Dare To Defy), RICH GOAL (Holy Roman Emperor / Richly Deserved), LARRIKIN EMPEROR (Holy Roman Emperor / Skylark), DELIGHTFUL FEELING (Jet Spur / Perfect Feeling), GLOBAL ICON ( Snippetson / Star Acclaimed) and RHYTHMIC CAT (Tale Of The Cat / Dance Move).
COLUMN COURTESY OF TERRY BUTTS AND THE NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, one of Australia's leading rural newspapers.
TERRY BUTTS can be contacted by e-mailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
