THE WEDNESDAY WHINGE has a new look but won’t be dispensing with the theme and focus on the THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY side of what is happening in racing. The Whinge will continue to provide an opportunity for The Cynics to Have Their Say. Thanks again for your support for the most read column on this website and one of the most read on racing websites in the country. Our popularity continues to grow despite the bagging it cops from some high profile officials, especially in Queensland, who cannot cope with constructive criticism of any kind. We encourage supporters – and critics – to continue to contribute but plan to restrict the Whinge to less than 10 of the best items each week. Our message to those who continually bag us is simple: IF YOU DON’T LIKE WHAT YOU READ, THEN DON’T REVISIT THE WHINGE.

TELECOMMUNICATION GODS WILL DECIDE WHETHER IT’S THE WEEKEND OR WEDNESDAY WHINGE NEXT WEEK

EDITOR’S NOTE: BECAUSE of telecommunications upgrades taking place in our region there will be disruption to the letsgohorseracing website from next Sunday until the following Thursday.

For this reason – and due to circumstances beyond our control – we will not be able to publish the Wednesday Whinge until at least Thursday next week. We might even be forced to make it the Weekend Whinge – food for thought there down the track.

Our apologies for any inconvenience that this may cause but keep the contributions flowing as they are welcome and will eventually get a run. What day remains in the lap of the Telecommunications Gods.

‘IT’S TIME TO COMPARE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF DIXON AND BENTLEY BOARDS’

PETER DAVID of the GOLD COAST makes this interesting contribution:

‘I can recall when Racing Queensland was asked what seemed to be a legitimate question about the new funding arrangement for Magic Millions. My memory recollects that the CEO, Darren Condon, responded that it was none of the industry’s business.

Well, as a result of the industry being kept in the dark and the continuing blinding avalanche of good news, the industry is broke. Yes, it is likely it will need a loan as it is struggling to pay its bills on time.

Will the stakeholders cough up?

Magic Millions maybe, perhaps the owners, perhaps the Dixon supporters, including the journalists that pedalled the misinformation!

I contrast the mismanagement of the Dixon administration with that which was brought to the table by the Bentley crew. For example, the Dixon administration was loved by the industry. Lavish amounts of prize money, significant handouts to Magic Millions, more money for breeders so long as it comes from the infrastructure fund (not to worry it is a recurring cost), let the BRC have a $12 million loan (don’t worry that they can’t fund the repayments) and so on it goes. The end result is gross financial mismanagement and a CFO, Adam Carter, preparing to present a budget deficit of $21 million for FY16.

Bentley’s lot was in the gun to be sacked by the LNP. They were unpopular. But they delivered numerous consecutive surpluses for the industry, they commenced buying back key assets for the industry, they had a vision for metropolitan racing, they established an administrative structure admired interstate, they convinced the Government to establish an infrastructure fund, they funded integrity appropriately, they maintained a strong balance sheet, they maintained strong cash reserves, but they did not cow tow to every industry sector. They took a balanced view and when they made decisions the Board understood the business imperatives of the decision. Yes, Bentley’s lot was unpopular but why?

I don’t recall them being a particularly difficult team to deal with. The Board seemed to have a fair balance of experience. The senior admin crew seemed to know what they were doing and also had a bit of experience.

In addition to this, the Bentley lot was heavily scrutinized with what can only be described as the most detailed series of audits ever faced by an entity in this country. At around the time the LNP were misled and called the now infamous ‘White Inquiry’ the Bentley lot had already been examined by the Police, the CMC, the Queensland Audit Office, Deloitte, and Adam Carter the acting CEO. Sometime earlier, the organization underwent two Commissions of Inquiry and then was forced to endure the propped up ‘White Inquiry’ which provided ASIC with a report that shamed the size of the white pages from the 1980s.

ASIC again entered the audit fray and after spending about three years carefully considering the recommendations from the Queensland Audit Office and the White Inquiry, gave the Bentley crew a clean bill of health. Probably a candidate for the Guinness Book of Records most audited organization in this country’s history.

Contrast this with the Dixon administration. One inquiry and what has occurred – four sacked Boards, a CEO stood down, the Chief Integrity Officer stood down, and a financial wreck that will cost the industry dearly and take some recovering from.

Give me the lot that has been examined up hill and down dale and a few more of those annual surpluses please, as I would like to be in this industry for a while yet.’

HOW ABOUT SOME ‘REAL FACTS’ ABOUT RACING IN QUEENSLAND NOT ‘THE SPIN’?

‘BRETT WINTEC’, a regular contributor and constant critic of the Dixon hierarchy, fires a shot at the former RQ Board’s ‘spin doctor’:  

‘I cannot believe the lengths (Courier-Mail Turf Editor) Nathan Exelby will go to in heaping praise on his old mates at RQ, even when information now emanating from RQ paints a very different picture.

Based on my prima facie review of the claims from Exelby, I question the validity of these claims as outlined below:

Dixon and Condon delivered a huge windfall for the Racing Industry with the Tatts deal.

·       Those in the know question whether Dixon or Condon had anything to do with the upside this deal delivered the industry.

·       It is understood that due to the incompetence of the previous Racing Minister that he painted the previous Government into a position where they were required to provide huge taxation relief for Tatts, which subsidized the industry upside.

·       The question doing the rounds within Government is whether Tatts is now paying less than they did previously when combining the returns to the industry and government?· Another question doing the rounds within the industry is whether the conduct of Dixon in locking in a 30 year agreement with Tatts is unconscionable considering the link between modern wagering and technology. Who knows what wagering technology will look like in five years, let alone 30 years?  One thing’s for sure, there will continue to be a migration away from TAB agencies.

Dixon and Condon delivered infrastructure projects for the Racing Industry.

   Firstly, I understand that Bob Bentley negotiated this funding from the Labor Government, not Dixon and Condon.

   Since being involved in Infrastructure projects, Dixon and Condon have delivered a series of disasters – none more so than why Eagle Farm was closed before funding was approved, now leaving the venue closed indefinitely.  Not to mention the disgraceful performance of the Toowoomba, Ipswich and Cairns track upgrades all undertaken by Dixon and Condon.

   Can anyone explain to me why Nathan Exelby is blaming the Labor Government for the Eagle Farm issue? This track was closed in August 2014 by RQ and the previous Government. Why wasn’t funding finalized by the LNP before the election? Did the LNP also have issues with the proposed loan for it not to be approved previously?

 DixDixon and Condon delivered a $10 million day at Magic Millions

   Quite simply, most in the industry don’t want this. We would prefer that this was distributed across bread and butter races, not thrown into one day to be taken back to NSW and VIC. 

   The $10 million will only attract more NSW and Victorian horses, and reduce the number of Queensland horses gaining a start at this meeting.

It has been reported in many blog sites that we should be prepared for prizemoney reductions, as the prizemoney increases applauded by Exelby from the previous Board are now unsustainable. I hope this is only hearsay and doesn’t become a reality. 

I recommend that RQ review the subsidies paid to race clubs. I understand that Dixon increased the payment to the BRC by $1million when he got into power. The removal of this additional subsidy should be the first thing considered before reducing prizemoney. I have read with interest where after being appointed to his new role at the BRC, Bart Sinclair gets to travel the globe on junkets. Why should the industry subsidize his semi-retirement with a big salary and a globe-trotting lifestyle when most in the industry are failing to make ends meet? 

Here’s hoping that the powers to be don’t just take the easy option and reduce prizemoney. They need to look at other extravagances before taking a decision that will impact the vast majority of struggling stakeholders. 

Based on the above, why can’t we get the real story from Nathan Exelby in The Courier-Mail? Why is he continuing to promote his mates?’

‘IS THE INDUSTY GETTING VALUE FOR MONEY WITH THIS KPMG ADMINISTRATOR?’

‘MR PARKER’ of the SUNSHINE COAST continues his series of interesting emails regarding the problems confronting the racing industry in Queensland:

‘IT seems incredible to me that the Racing Minister (Bill Byrne) continues to allow industry funds, or perhaps taxpayer funds, to be used employing a KPMG heavy-fitter as Racing Queensland’s administrator.

Ian Hall is no doubt very qualified to wind up broke companies but he knows nothing about the administration of racing, integrity systems or the operations of a principal racing authority.

This is not to be critical of Mr Hall. However, he does not have the skills or experience to manage the operations of RQ and protect the livelihood of over 30,000 Queenslanders.

While Mr Hall is struggling we have a group of former RQL Board members sitting idle and more than qualified to take the reins in a caretaker capacity until a new Board is in place and structural changes made (this needs legislation to be passed and I hear the Government is having trouble finding someone to draft the changes).

These members of the Bentley Board have endured three Commissions of Inquiry, numerous referrals to the CMC and ASIC, been continually harassed by what maNy regard as false reporting generated by the former Racing Editor at Queensland Newspapers and viciously attacked by the White Commission of Inquiry.

And for what?

They have never been found guilty of anything. In fact, they have been given clean bills of health by the CMC, ASIC and the Queensland Police Service, despite the ‘findings’ of Mr Bell (remember him? – the peacock someone described as playing up to the cameras like an aging B grade film star).

The Bentley administration returned surpluses for nine consecutive years, even when the industry was being devastated by EI, attacks from off-shore wagering operators and corporate bookmakers.

My suggestion – and that of quite a few others in view of what is happening to the industry right now – is put them in again before it is too late to steer the ship until a new Board can be found.

In the same vein, the Government’s former Director of Racing, Mike Kelly, was forced out of his job by former Racing Minister ‘furlong in front’ Dickson and his henchman, the late Bill Carter.

Kelly was widely recognized as one of the best Government racing administrators in Australia and was one of the few Government people who actually knew how the industry operates, is funded and, more importantly, made sure the Bentley Board actually spent appropriate funds on Integrity services.

I hear he is available if they want him back but they’ll have to get him off the golf course.

Kelly’s replacement knows nothing aboujt racing, integrity or drug control and he was responsible for regulating the failed Dixon Board. Why did he allow it to under-fund integrity?

Perhaps someone should ask the Racing Department Director-General why he let this happen. Did he want someone easier to control than Kelly who pulled him on more than once and wouldn’t back down on integrity issues?

I hear that this Director-General may have a few issues of his own on the horizon from the Kevin Dixon days related to law enforcement inquiries. Stay tuned for more on this.

It’s time for the Racing Minister to show some leadership, clean out the duds and bring back some people who actually know what they are doing before the industry slips further into the abyss.

‘HAVE GOVERNMENTS MADE QLD THE SCAPEGOAT STATE FOR GREYHOUND RACING’?

BRENTON WILSON of BRISBANE makes a lot of sense with his latest perspective on the attitude of State Governments of both political persuasions to greyhound racing in Queensland.

‘I will say this loud and clear, “Successive State Governments are responsible for the current state of the Greyhound Industry in Queensland”.

Dating back to 1999 both sides of politics in Queensland have allowed the Thoroughbred and Harness industries to bully the Greyhound Industry, to feed their excess. This started with the initial Product Co and continues today.

Even with the introduction of twilight meetings which saw Greyhound turnover rise dramatically, neither the State Government nor either of the other two codes saw it fair to help support this growth. So rather than allow the industry to grow, tracks like Beenleigh, Lawnton and Toowoomba were closed.

The next decision by the State Government was in its planning of the Gold Coast Hospital. In 2007 it gave the Greyhound Industry limited notice of its intention to close the Gold Coast Greyhound Track, nor the ability to build a new Stadia. They did give $10mn, but that would buy a bit of land, and by the time any geotechnical, engineering, architectural, and Local Council commitments were undertaken, not much would be left to build anything, except maybe a goat track.

Greyhounds Queensland at the time thought outside the box, and were offered a piece of land by the Logan City Council for free. The Industry still needed more money to build the Stadia at Logan, but the State Government weren’t forthcoming.

I wonder what would happen if the State Government decided to take back Doomben or Albion Park, and told the clubs to relocate with minimal notice and only offered half the money to rebuild as compensation. This is the behavior of a major stakeholder, who treats the Greyhound Industry with contempt.

The next step was the formation of RQL, which was supposed to streamline the Racing Industry and solve all the problems. The State Government at the time told the Greyhound Industry if it handed over the 50% share of Albion Park, they would build Logan if they joined RQL. Then they persuaded the Harness Industry by sending a letter to Mr. Bob Lette of Harness from the then Minister for Racing saying if you don’t join RQL then we may reduce your prizemoney and give the Greyhounds their fair share.

The new RQL reneged on these promises, and decided that they were going to sell Albion Park, and build two new tracks at Deagon. Personally, I didn’t have a problem with this plan, which included a new track at Ipswich. It was meeting the needs of the industry.

But you would have to be naïve to think that Harness and their major benefactor weren’t going to fight back, which they did, and through legal avenues stalled the building of a new track yet again. It wasn’t until the election was called in January 2012 that RQL decided we’ll build you a new Stadia at Logan, when it was too late and they were going to lose the election and their jobs.

I wrote a Business Plan for the Greyhound Industry, with a lot of assistance from greyhound participants. One thing I raised was that the Industry was at a ‘Tipping Point’ and if changes weren’t made to support the industry, then there may not be one in 15 to 20 years’ time.

I sat with both sides of politics, including a meeting with (then Treasurer) Tim Nicholls and the then current Shadow Racing Minister Ray Stevens. I had David Brasch attend the meeting with me, and we raised issues with integrity, greyhound welfare, Stadia, Product Co, marketing etc. During the writing of my Business Plan, many participants raised concerns with Animal Welfare. The Industry was acutely aware of the threat of the Animal Liberation movement and that the Industry was exposed.

What did Mr. Stevens and Mr. Nicholls not understand? Did they ask anyone to look at the issues we raised? Did they raise the Tipping Point? I’m not arrogant enough to think that well Brenton Wilson said this, so we should take that on board. But isn’t that what a Democratic Society is supposed to be? You’re supposed to represent the community. The State Government are a major stakeholder in Racing in Queensland, why wouldn’t you take on board all that participants have to say and form it into policy?

In the end, the Liberal National Party won in a landslide, Mr Stevens was not promoted, and Mr Steve Dickson was appointed (Racing Minister). He watched over a pork barreling exercise by a newly appointed RQL, which didn’t come up with one new idea or policy for Greyhound Racing in Queensland.

They did develop a Strategic Plan for Infrastructure, which was biased. The RQL Chairman downsized the Cronulla Park project to approximately $12-$14mn and delayed its start date. Thoroughbred Infrastructure Projects were fast tracked, while a project which had $10mn sitting in the bank since July 2008, had DA Council approval, geotechnical and engineers reports completed, delayed, delayed and delayed.

RQL and the Liberal National State Government were that arrogant they thought they had at least another two elections before they had to be concerned, hence the pork barreling of Thoroughbreds. Don’t forget the $10mn Gold Lotto day for Magic Millions, the $5mn the Queensland Government found to prop up Country Thoroughbred Racing, yet nothing for the other two codes.

If the State Government can find $5mn to prop up Country Thoroughbred Racing, why can’t they find the same money to prop up Thoroughbreds and Harness, rather than restrict the income and growth of Greyhound Racing in Queensland? It is double standards and favoritism, and certainly not in line with their responsibilities as a major stakeholder in racing.

Just over the weekend the State Government found more millions to prop up the Thoroughbred QTIS scheme. With all the negative publicity around the Cobalt issues in racing, how is it that again this industry is rewarded, yet Greyhounds have Cronulla Park stalled again, because 23 participants or 2% were found conducting illegal live baiting?

I suggest that on history alone, this is just another convenient excuse by the Minister and the State Government to prevent Greyhound Racing in Queensland reaching its true potential. Don’t forget it was a Labor State Government that couldn’t figure out a new Greyhound Stadia was going to cost more than $10mn.

All the drug scandals across the footballing codes hasn’t prevented successive Queensland State Government from offering hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money to fund Stadia projects. And it most certainly hasn’t had the social license of these sporting codes questioned, when per capita, far more have been found guilty of illegal activity than that of participants in the Greyhound Industry.

Many greyhound participants including myself have tried over the past few years to raise many issues with RQL and the State Government. What you can see from my article is a systematic ignorance of greyhound participants and industry issues from both RQL and successive State Governments.

The fault lies with those who believe they are above the participants of the Greyhound Industry by ignoring their concerns.

But like anything RQL and the State Government have used the Greyhound Industry as a scapegoat for their own arrogance, bias and incompetence.

The Greyhound Industry has seen significant wagering growth across Australia, except for Queensland. You have to question the motives of RQL and the State Governments in Queensland, when they have produced no initiatives or policies to tap into this wagering growth.

The current Racing Minister had no right to stop the Cronulla Park project. The Labor State Government had a responsibility to replace the lost Gold Coast Greyhound Track, which still hasn’t been delivered seven years later, and has more to do with playing politics than live baiting.

I call on the Racing Minister to reconsider his decision and deliver the project that was promised the Greyhound Industry in 2010 and 2012 by Labor, not the watered down project that the previous RQL Chairman couldn’t deliver.

But I won’t be holding my breath!’

‘NO FAN OF KEVIN DIXON BUT FAR FROM CONVINCED BOB BENTLEY WAS ANY GOOD’ 

GEOFF WHITTAKER of ROCHEDALE weighs into the industry debate in Queensland:

‘I have no problem with you dropping the bucket on (former RQ Chairman) Kevin Dixon and his cronies as I think they were an absolute disgrace.

However, your job as a spin doctor for Bob Bentley is a bit hard to take in view of the overall disaster that occurred under his rule which was as bad if not worse than Dixon’s. My main concern is with the last two paragraphs commenting on the three Inquiries plus the CMC and ASIC.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: There’s only one ‘spin doctor’ in the racing media in Brisbane Geoff and with all due respects it isn’t me. The email you are referring to was contributed by a ‘Stu Wills of Toowoomba’ and read in part:

‘Dixon’s All Codes Board has failed at the first hurdle to turn a profit, grow the industry assets and manage integrity.

The previous Board endured three Commissions of Inquiry, were subjected to numerous referrals to the CMC, were continually harassed by the three of you and your media and political mates on almost a daily basis, with issues that were no more than scuttlebutt hatched in  most cases  in the dunny at the QTC.

Yet the Bentley Board knuckled down and returned surpluses for nine consecutive years.

Fellas, it’s time to give up, accept that the situation is entirely of your own making – three  Commissions of Inquiry, extensive examination of the previous Board’s personal life, computers and corporate decision making and spending upwards of $12 million of industry funds. In all, over 20,000 documents examined by three Commissions of Inquiry, the CMC and ASIC.

Result nothing!

If these highly qualified professionals found nothing what makes you three ‘dumbos’ think you are smarter?’

Now you might say no-one knows Stu Wills in Toowoomba, well the same has been claimed of Geoff Whittaker from the folk at Rochedale. However, there is a Geoff Whittaker from the Toowoomba area – perhaps that’s just a coincidence). But back to your contribution which is welcome and went on:

Concentrating on the last Inquiry conducted by Honorable Margaret White and ASIC, I would like to make the following observations.

Referring to all the entities conducting the inquiries in the latest being the ‘White Commisson” and ASIC, you said the following: “These highly qualified professionals found NOTHING.

1.     If you look at the report handed to the LNP government on 7/2/14 under Recommendations it refers to Bentley and says: “Conduct should be examined by ASIC to consider” and lists 10 separate issues for investigation. Then it refers to Ludwig and lists eight separate issues. This hardly constitutes ‘FOUND NOTHING’.

2.     Your description of ASIC as ‘highly qualified professionals’ is a bit of a reach when they are regularly described in the Press as hopeless with an abysmal track record. (I’m talking about the National Press not the local fish and chip wrapper, The Courier Mail).They have also recently been taken to task by the TV Sky Business Channel program “The PERRETT Report” over a National scandal involving a Stock Broking firm. Hardly a ringing endorsement of the Bentley Board is it?’

‘WHAT’S DIFFERENT NOW FROM LACK OF USEFUL NEWS WHEN DIXON WAS BOSS’?

GEOFF WHITTAKER followed up with another email a few days later relating to the Comment piece by Nathan Exelby in The Courier-Mail concerning industry concerns over Eagle Farm. It reads:

‘THIS (description edited out) has the nerve to suggest that he is concerned about the industry participants.

Maybe he is only worried on behalf of the ‘SILVERTAIL Eagle Farm Trainers’ because they might not get preferential treatment now.

He claims no one is being told anything. Why is this so different to the lack of any useful news since Dixon took over?

The only news to come out of RQ since Dixon came on the scene was the bias crap given exclusively to Exelby telling everyone what a marvelous job Dixon and RQ were doing.

I also notice that your website and Fairfax Media seems to have news from the new Government. Maybe Exelby is having a big sulk now his mate is gone.

Get over it and maybe become a real journalist for a change mate.’

‘THE RQ ADMINISTRATOR NEEDS TO BE CAREFUL WHO HE LISTENS TO’

BILL WHITEHOUSE, an occasional contributor to the Whinge, chimed in on the RQ situation:

‘I am reliably informed that the staff at Racing Queensland didn’t take long to break into celebration mode after confirmation last Friday from (Minister) Bill Byrne that (CEO) Darren Condon would be sacked.

Apparently, ‘Cheap Chuggers’, a traditional Racing Queensland Friday afternoon drinking session (which was apparently put on ice during the Greyhound Commission of Inquiry), was reintroduced at lunch time Friday when news of Condon’s departure was announced.  

Reliable sources suggest that although Friday was the biggest crowd since this was introduced sometime last year, there are still plenty of staff within Racing Queensland who are concerned at the manner in which some senior executives have dropped the Board and CEO after their dismissals.

There is concern within the general staffing ranks that the CFO and GM Racing Operations will say whatever necessary to get into bed with the new decision makers, although some think that these individuals should be shouldering plenty of the blame for the perilous state of the Industry. 

Rumor has it the CFO has jumped ship again and is blaming Dixon and Condon for the current financial issues faced by Racing Queensland, and the general feeling within the organization is that the GM Racing Operations should be ashamed at the race dates he is delivering for the industry and the lack of consideration being given to the appeal of the meetings to punters.

Stories doing the rounds in New South Wales and Victoria suggest that both states are chortling at the rudderless situation in Racing Queensland and that wagering growth on their product has come about due to a lack of interest in the Queensland product.

If this wasn’t so serious it would be laughable, but as a person who works within the industry I urge the Racing Minister to take action to ensure those people making recommendations to Ian Hall have the necessary knowledge and commonsense to deliver positive outcomes for the industry. 

It is important to note that those making the most noise aren’t necessarily the ones with the knowledge and ability to assist during these times of need. 

Racing Queensland has some great staff and if given an opportunity the knowledge of some of the less senior staff might surprise Ian Hall. 

He wants to be careful that the CFO and GM Racing Operations do not stifle any attempts from these staff to be heard. It is up to Mr Hall to extract this knowledge outside of discussions with these two gentlemen.

Good luck Mr Hall, our immediate future depends on your ability to sort the wheat from the chaff (ie: dud staff).’

‘KEMBLA GRANGE GIVEN SKY GOLD TREATMENT AND DOOMBEN THE DREGS’

ALBERT WILLIAMS of REDCLIFFE writes:

‘WITH friends like SKY Channel, who needs enemies?

The loyalty that Sky has been afforded over many years by Racing Queensland certainly isn’t being rewarded at a time when it should be.

One would have thought with the blackout of Victorian racing that SKY would have more time on their hands to provide better coverage of the Queensland product.

Instead it has been much worse. The first Saturday since the big races of the Winter Carnival concluded and one would have thought there was a blackout of Queensland racing as well last weekend.

It’s good to see that the Brisbane Racing Club is going to raise this shabby treatment with SKY and ask why Kembla Grange was given the gold treatment and the Doomben meeting the dregs.

That situation reinforces support for Racing Victoria in heading to Seven for its future major broadcast coverage and rejecting a hefty offer to continue with SKY. It might mean some confusion for punters trying to watch at home with two lots of channels to tune into and probably two remote controls which isn’t good enough but what choice did they have?

SKY is a second rate carrier of the racing product – always will be while Racing NSW are calling the tune. They deserve what they get at present. It’s a crap service for any racing precinct outside Blues’ territory.’   

LATEST SCUTTLEBUTT FROM OUR SPY IN THE SINKING DEAGON BUNKER

OUR SPY from the DEAGON BUNKER files his latest report:

‘THERE is major internal turmoil with those supposedly left in charge of the financially wounded sinking Titanic not seeming to know whether to charge heads first into the iceberg or simply man the lifeboats.

We can tell you that the CFO is still wearing a track to the Administrator’s office with more tales of woe about the financial state of affairs confronting RQ since little King Kev’s Army left the building.

There are also some interesting stories doing the rounds since the stand down of Wade Birch and the mail suggests that the show cause was not directly linked to inaction on the greyhound live baiting front. Word is strong that Birch won’t contest the situation and will ride off into the sunset looking for greener pastures – not sure though where he will find another $340,000 trough like his mentor provided at RQ. Word is strong his job will be taken permanently by the highly respected police officer and investigator who has been appointed in an interim three month capacity.

A market is already being framed on who will be appointed the new CEO of the sinking RQ ship. Believe it or not figuring prominently in the betting is Steve Ferguson who missed the job that his understudy Darren Condon got apparently for expressing his opinion about how badly the dogs were being run to the wrong person on the appointment panel. His words seem somewhat prophetic now. Others in contention for the job are Dr Eliot Forbes, a former vet who worked in racing in Dubai and is now CEO of Tasmanian Racing and the former GCTC CEO Scott Whiteman now the boss of Country Racing Victoria. Word is Scott is yet to be convinced it would be a wise move north but if he was to give a green light to throwing his hat in the ring for the job he would be odds-on and a popular choice to get it. So much for that original mail that if Dixon survived Birch would be CEO!

WHO is the high profile RQ identity currently under a cloud that a taxi driver reported dropping off for a party at a prominent trainer’s residence on the Sunshine Coast when he was well and truly under the weather and in the presence of someone else he shouldn’t have been a few months back?

AND finally surely the word isn’t right that RQ Chief Steward Allan Reardon will be asked to decide before he heads off into retirement whether controversial Victorian jockey Dan Nikolic should be licensed to ride in Queensland. The word from interstate suggests that Dan the Man could look to reinventing his riding career with a fresh start in the north if Victoria decides not to relicense him in the wake of his problems with stewards down there. Tip is his fate might fall at the feet of a not so hostile environment in Queensland. Now wouldn’t that create the scene for some friction between a couple of former stewarding buddies?

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in the above e-mails should not be interpreted as those of JOHN LINGARD, the owner-editor of the letsgohorseracing web-site. That is why he has added an ‘EDITOR’S NOTE’. Every endeavor is made to verify the authenticity of contributors. We welcome any reasonable and constructive responses from parties or individuals.