IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published in the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer, TERRY BUTTS, reveals how racing in the bush is on war footing amid fears that there are plans to cut many country clubs.
Butts reports on some amazing information emanating from a meeting between the Country Racing Association and Interim RQ CEO Ian Hall and how the Racing Manager for RQ continues to put his foot in his mouth and make a goose of himself in the presence of stakeholders.
Here is his column:
MOVES TO RELIEVE ‘BURDEN ON INDUSTRY’ BY CUTTING COUNTRY CLUBS
THE boys in the bush are getting restless. Time is running out with a decision on the future of country racing due by the end of this month – with the implemntation of any new policy to commence on January 1.
The 300 country Queensland clubs are under threat of extinction and their recognised carer, the Country Racing Association, is well aware that some decision-makers in the Government Office of Racing believe that country clubs are a burden on the industry – and must go.
When Labor was last in power, and racing was conducted under Bob Bentley, there were 600 clubs. They reckon they have had their carve up and any more cuts will be mean ‘war’ on a dimension far greeater than the merging of country councils a few years back .
Stakeholders in the west, the far north and even Townsville area have been urged by the CRA to contact their local Members of Parliament and immediately start rattling the political cage.
EVEN THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER CHALLENGED RQ’S LOSS
THE Country Racing Association had a meeting with Ian Hall, acting CEO of Racing Queensland recently and made him aware of some salient facts, some of which he might have been hitherto unaware.
They told the CEO his figures about the supposed $28 million loss last year was more like $11 million – and, wait for it, the Chief Financial Officer at RQ agreed!
Revenue from Australian TABs and córporate bookies hadn’t been factored in to the $28mn black hole, of which harness was responsible for $7mn of that loss. The gallops lost around $4mn.
Country racing chiefs believed it was better to go the meeting with RQ with an offering – rather than a list of requests – and so they did.
The CRA agreed to support the removal of Series races (saving for RQ $1.6mn), to support the removal of the 6 per cent QTIS bonus to breeders, remove bookmakers’ fees currently paid by RQ ($1.8mn), and suggested an increase in starting fees for city races and also recommended the $100,000 prizemoney for fillies and mares races be reduced to standard metro prizemoney.
“That would be another saving or more than $2 million,” a country racing spokesman said. “That’s half the debt recovered.”
The same person asked for projected figures for a five-year plan. Hall said there wasn’t one.
Really!
DECLAN CONTINUES TO OUTDO HIMSELF IN EYES OF THE INDUSTRY
BUT before the meeting ended there were concerns expressed about Hall’s advisors and some of the remarks made were hardly comlimentary.
“Some of their (the advisors) ideas and suggestions were ridiculous and yet they are advising Hall who in turn advises the Minister on the future of racing all over Queensland,”said a senior member who attended.
A comment that reportedly riled most however was unfortunately uttered by the current RQ Racing Manager, Declan Martschinke, in response to a CRA member stating that if there was no bush racing many of the older ex-city racehorses horses would go to the knackery.
“Isn’t that just prolonging the inevitable,” was the amazing response from the marvellous Martscinke, who some refer to as a ‘legend in his own lunch-time’ at RQ.
CHANGING OF RULES HELPING RACING TAKE A GIANT BACKWARD STEP
WHILE racing generally across the nation is seen by some to be taking a giant leap backwards, the governing body (for want of a better description) Racing Australia (formerly the ARB) is hell-bent on changing age-old racing rules.
And there is considerable doubt being expressed about the benefits of the latest draft that effect race day treatment of horses.
How absurd is it that horses can’t have ‘mud’, formerly known as ‘antiflo’, rubbed onto their ageing joints within a day of a race. It’s absolutely puerile.
It is not used as a cure and certainly doesn’t affect performance. So why? Only the redoubtable ARB knows that answer.
Drugs such as Cobalt, EPO and even a milk shake are administered purely for monetary reasons – some might say greed – to gain an edge, and stewards rightfully continue their vigilance.
But it can be argued that the use of ‘mud’, and intravenous or over the tongue treatment of electrolytes and vitamin supplements, particularly in North Queensland where horses travel long distances in extreme weather, are used primarily and solely for the well-being of the horse.
There is a distinct difference.
NEW RULE PROHIBITS INJECTIONS OF ANY TYPE DURING ONE CLEAR DAY
TRAINERS were made aware last month of the new rule that prohibits the use of injections of any type in horses during the One Clear Day prior to racing.
In part the new rule states:
(a) Injection includes, but is not limited to, the insertion of a hypodermic needle into a horse;
(b) It is not necessary to establish whether any substance was injected, or the nature of any substance injected.
If a horse is racing on a Saturday, the last time that the horse may be injected is midnight on the Thursday prior to the race.
The One Clear Day ban on injections prior to competition includes, but is not limited to, the administration by injection, whether intravenously, intramuscularly, subcutaneously or any other route, of the following medications and substances.
Importantly it is noted that, for the purpose of proving a breach of AR.178AB, it is not necessary to establish what (if any) substance was injected, or was attempted to have been injected, into the horse.
Question we ask is how will the stewards determine exactly when a horse has been injected – unless there is blood seeping from a fresh injection?
Marks on a horse’s neck from needles can stay for weeks, especially if a drop of two of Vitamin C goes outside the vein. A mosquito too, can leave a deposit that can look deceptively like a needle mark.
Stewards (or the ARB) might have a struggle with that one. If there is such a requirement as an onus of proof, that is.
And really what is wrong with giving a horse an amino acid or vitamin paste the night before a race?
Answer: Nothing.
MEDIA RELEASE FROM RQ INTERIM CEO HAS HAD THE REVERSE EFFECT
THE Media Release on Friday from RQ’s Interim CEO Ian Hall has done little to calm the waters between himself and the Cairns Jockey Club.
Hall stated in his latest advice that proposed repairs to the Cannon Park Racecourse were being considered as part of Racing Queensland’s Infrastructure program.
But the Cairns Jockey Club Chairman John Piccone, in a letter to Racing Minister Bill Byrne on October 1, was highly critical of RQ’s position on the issue.
Mr Piccone said that some weeks before the Cairns Cup carnival in August sub surface water was permeating up through the track in the form of springs. The CJC expressed concern, and received the following reply:
Racing Queensland does not own the racecourse and we do not own the water table underneath it…..
Oops! But that’s not all.
In another swipe at RQ, Mr Piccone recalled a reaction by an RQ representative, at an Industry Consultation session held at Cannon Park on August 25, who when questioned on the lack of RQ representation in the region replied:
We don’t want too many people involved – it just gets too messy.
Said Mr Piccone: “This kind of consultation, or lack thereof, simply demonstrates the attitude of Racing Queensland towards the industry in North Queensland.”
Hall referred to the same meeting in Friday’s release. He said at a meeting conducted between RQ officials and representative of the Cairns Jockey Club in Cairns on August 25, the club advised Racing Queensland of some track issues and an inspection was undertaken. Subsequently RQ received a request for an allocation of infrastructure funding to make repairs to the track.
He said that Racing Queensland had not rejected any proposals for funding the repairs of the Cannon Park racing surface.
“The Cairns proposal, along with several other applications for funding, will be considered as part of Racing Queensland’s state-wide infrastructure program and the Cairns Jockey Club has been advised of this position”, said Hall.
Hall then went on to say “Media reports connecting the resignation of the Cairns Jockey Club CEO and Chairman to issues surrounding the track are matters for the Cairns Jockey Club.”
Well that’s not quite what Mr Piccone said on Cairns ABC radio last week, and on this contentious issue he has solid local support.
Quite frankly Cairns needs an answer - now.
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..
