QUIRK A LIGHT AT END OF TUNNEL FOR CRITICS OF NEW RQ BOARD 

CONFIRMATION that former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk would remain on the new-look Racing Queensland Board has been greeted with much relief, especially in the outback.

That is where stakeholders have felt let down by the LNP Government. Having a previous RQ Chairman who was based in the south-east and they rarely saw in the country was bad enough. Appointing a Sydney-based Chairman made them feel even more disenfranchised.

There was speculation that Quirk had become disenchanted with the direction RQ was heading under the previous Labor-appointed Board that new Racing Minister Tim Mander left there for far too long. In the eyes of many, his decision to stay, will ensure thoroughbred racing through the State of a voice on this new look Board not to mention ‘keep the newbies honest’.

LGHR received this email from a high profile Chairman of a Race Club outside the south-east corner who asked not to be identified fearing repercussions for expressing his opinion at the Minister’s decision to appoint Sydneysider Matt McGrath to head the new Board. This is what he had to say:

‘Whatever happened to the LNP protecting the interests of country racing, especially those living in the outback? They appoint a lady lawyer from Townsville that most have never heard of to represent us. When was the last time she attended a race meeting in Longreach, Mount Isa or Cooktown? Has she any idea of the problems confronting us?

‘When Mr McGrath conducted his Review, it was a whistle-stop tour of the outback. Most stakeholders got the impression he couldn’t depart the region quick enough. How can someone from Sydney possibly understand the concerns of racing in the bush? Has he got any idea that at some meetings up to 20 or more horses have to be scratched because there is no jockey to ride them? God help us under his leadership which will no doubt focus almost entirely on the city and the south east corner.’

If the LNP Government and Racing Minister Mander were serious about protecting the interests and providing a future for racing in country and outback Queensland they would have appointed someone who understood our problems – like former trainer Craig Smith not some lady lawyer from Townsville that no-one has ever heard of.’

 

CONCERNS ABOUT QLD BUSH RACING FROM SOMONEONE WHO CARES 

LGHR believes that MATT NICHOLLS, former Editor of the North-West Weekly and a long-time supporter and fighter for the rights of country and bush racing, would have been a worthy choice as Country Representative on the new-look Board.

The Review was well aware of his credentials and ideas – they spoke with Matt – but perhaps he was too keen to criticize for their liking. Here’s an open letter that Nicholls has written to the Acting CEO of Racing Queensland, Lachlan Murray, who the new Chairman has anointed for the full-time job which shows how out of touch he is with what stakeholders in the north really want.

Matt writes:

Dear Mr Murray,

I’m writing because I am deeply concerned about the current outlook for country racing in Queensland, particularly across the western parts of our state.

My greatest concern is the welfare of participants – especially trainers – who are the heart and soul of racing in the bush.

Last week, one of Queensland’s most prominent country stables was forced to evacuate all of its horses as floodwater inundated their property. Barcaldine trainer Bevan “Billy” Johnson and his wife Mel were unable to attend either the Mount Isa or Charleville meetings on Saturday because they were desperately trying to save their home and stables from rising water.

I have attached a video posted by Mel Johnson for your reference. 

When I contacted Mel on Monday morning, she confirmed there had been no contact from Racing Queensland to check on their welfare. 

Frankly, that is disappointing.

Late last year, you were quick to visit Warwick – with journalist Ben Dorries in tow – after the club was hit by a severe storm. Yet in the face of widespread flooding and disruption across western Queensland, there appears to have been no similar effort to rush to visit participants in the bush to see firsthand how they are coping.

Even along the coast, from Cairns to Bundaberg, racing has been battered by severe weather this year. The obvious question from participants is simple: what has been the response from Deagon?

So far, we have seen very little.

With fuel prices soaring, what assistance has been offered to race clubs and participants to ensure meetings can continue?

Prizemoney in the bush has been stagnant for years, meaning trainers and owners are effectively going backwards as inflation and cost-of-living pressures bite.

Richmond trainer Shryn Royes had to drive through floodwater on the Flinders Highway just to reach Mount Isa for Saturday’s meeting. She didn’t arrive home until today (Monday) after the road between Julia Creek and Richmond was closed, forcing to camp up in Julia Creek with her horses.

Royes said rising fuel prices now mean she will have to pick and choose which meetings she attends, with freight costs also driving up her weekly feed bill.

Kim and Shane McGovern believed they had a genuine winning chance at Sunday’s Townsville meeting. But with the highway closed, they were forced to take the long way around from Mount Isa to get there.

In searching for cheaper fuel, the McGoverns misjudged the closing time of a service station and were forced to camp overnight until it reopened, ultimately running out of time to reach Townsville, resulting in the scratching of both horses.

Meanwhile, race meetings are dropping like flies.

Cloncurry had to shift its meeting to Mount Isa. Winton will not race at the end of this month. Boulia has cancelled its Easter meeting. One can only imagine the concern at clubs like Einasleigh about whether their annual meetings will survive.

Last week, the Laura Amateur Turf Club in Far North Queensland was completely inundated, putting extreme pressure on the volunteer committee to get prepared for its monster June program.

Which leads to the obvious question: as the head of Racing Queensland, what are you doing to help?

I understand you are scheduled to attend a Rural Racing Roadshow in Longreach this Sunday. I sincerely hope you arrive with practical solutions and meaningful support to help participants through what is clearly an incredibly difficult period.

Because the people of the bush are not looking for more talk.

They are looking for leadership, support and action from an organisation that many feel has lost touch with participants outside the south-east corner of the state.

A travel subsidy for horses would be a start.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss any of these issues with you. But these days I’m just a concerned citizen. The people you really need to listen to are the trainers, owners, jockeys and volunteers who keep country racing alive.

Kind regards,

Matt Nicholls
 

IF McGRATH APPOINTS UNDER-PERFORMING MURRAY TO CEO ROLE IT SHOWS A LACK OF RESPECT FOR THE OBVIOUS - MARY COLLIER 

WHAT a disgrace – LACHLAN MURRAY is the bloke that new Board Chairman Matt McGrath regards as the most suitable to fill the shoes of the CEO at RQ.

It poses the question from many in the outback: ‘Does RQ or Lachlan Murray care about us? Does he know the plight we are facing? Why then have we not heard from him?’

Of course, Ben Dorries, emerging as the ‘spin doctor’ for the new RQ Chairman, has been conspicuous by his silence as well. Not a word written by him in The Courier-Mail or Racenet – unlike his big-noting visit to Warwick last year on the coat-tails of his ‘mate’, Murray. (That was until this morning when our story hit a nerve and he did his job which we praise him for).   

Racing knows Dorries for what he is. Big Ben wasted no time defending McGrath from the critics who are suggesting he did the Review with the hope of landing a top job and it worked. When it comes to an opportunity to build Brownie Points with officialdom, Dorries is front and centre. No doubt he’ll win another Award for services to ‘suck-up’ to those in charge of racing in Queensland.

His defensive story of Matt McGrath’s appointment as RQ Chairman was ‘finger down the throat stuff’ to most stakeholders. What Dorries failed to mention is that two of the best people in key roles in RQ are likely to be lost to the industry because they cannot see eye-to-eye with McGrath and his Racing Review recommendations.

We’re talking about QRIC Deputy Commissioner, steward extraordinaire Kim Kelly, who LGHR understands finds some of the integrity recommendations of the McGrath Review impossible to implement.

And, believe it or not, after being appointed to lead the implementation of reforms of the McGrath Review, we understand Mary Collier is hitting more hurdles than she can cope with. One wonders if this is because she would make a far better CEO of RQ than Lachlan Murray who McGrath has basically admits he wants in the job.

They have one thing in common – a desire to see the Point of Consumption Tax reduced for their mates in the corporate bookmaking industry. This would have happened but for high profile MP’s putting a road-block in front of the Racing Minister’s plans. Are McGrath and Murray the duo racing in Queensland needs? Certainly not, but like it or not, we’re stuck with both of them – or so it seems.

McGrath told his new ‘spin doctor’ Dorries: "I didn't do the Review to get a role at the end of it. I will spend a week-and-a-half in Queensland every month. I'm not going to try to win people's trust, I will make sure I earn it and that's the most important thing for me."

In the eyes of many it wouldn’t matter whether he moved to Queensland full-time. There were plenty hoping to catch up with him at the QTIS Jewel Day on the Gold Coast last Saturday.

If Matt was there they say he proved to be the ‘invisible man’. Many are asking why SKY hosts Bernadette Cooper and Paul Joice did the presentations for the feature races. Where was the new RQ Chairman and his golden boy Lachie from RQ?

 

WALLER SHOULD STICK TO TRAINING WINNERS, MAHER NO 1 TIPSTER

THERE’S a reason bread and butter punters prefer to follows tips from the Ciaron Maher stable to those from rival Chris Waller.

In his Preview Show, Waller and first lieutenant Sir Charles Duckworth tend to talk in riddles and when they do declare one it seems to get beaten.

On the contrary when Jack Turnbull, the tipster for Maher, declares one, it more often than not salutes.

The last two Saturdays the big tips from the Waller stable have been long-time loser Militarize and Buckaroo despite a setback. Militarize has now failed two weeks in a row and hasn’t won for 550 days.

It is history now that Buckaroo, who missed an important start with a cough a week earlier , had not recovered fully when he was beaten out of sight by heavily-backed stablemate Birdman in the G2 Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield.

‘Wallyworld’ didn’t suggest Birdman couldn’t win – in fact the stable scratched the Australian Cup hopeful from Rosehill to stay in Melbourne. But they were quick to highlight the fact that Buckaroo was the better horse based on his close second to Via Sistina in the Cox Plate.

It was a bit rich though when the little Petal representing the Waller stable in Melbourne told RSN in a post-race interview that Buckaroo ‘raced very well’ when it went like a ‘busted bum’. She must have been watching a different race.

Of the big team that Maher had racing on Saturday, Jack Turnbull didn’t hesitate to declare Salty Pearl the best of the day. The grey was heavily backed and duly saluted.

That’s the difference between tips from the Waller stable and those from Maher. The latter are reliable – the former rarely win and when they do punters have to decipher what Chris and Charlie really mean as they continue to talk in riddles.

 

BUCKAROO PULLING UP WITH A COUGH WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH

UNLIKE their counterparts in Sydney, the Victorian Stewards arguably treated the Waller stable differently following the failure of Buckaroo but did they go far enough?

There’s a general belief – from the punting fraternity right through to rival trainers – that Waller gets too much start in Sydney because of his domination of racing there. The mainstream media is terrified to question form reversals from stable runners and upset wins by stablemates of drifting favorites.

Racing Victoria Stewards were quick to pounce after Buckaroo performed poorly in the G2 Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday won by his heavily-backed stablemate Birdman, which was beautifully ridden by Ben Melham.

Rival jockey Jye McNeil reported that Buckaroo travelled well in the early and middle stages, however, did not run on as expected and tired over the latter stages. A post-race veterinary examination revealed a throat condition. A veterinary clearance is required prior to being permitted to race again. 

Waller made no secret that Buckaroo had been scratched from the Group 1 All Star Mile at Flemington the previous week because of a throat condition. Despite being placed in G1 company at four of his last five start, the seven-year-old has not won now for 550 days.

Surely there was some requirement that the stable be certain Buckaroo was over the throat condition before allowing him to start on Saturday. Nevertheless, he wasn’t as vets reported after the Peter Young.

Rather than reporting that they would follow up with the stable, should the RV Stewards not hit Waller with a please explain or even a charge considering Buckaroo started when he still obviously had a problem.

That most certainly wouldn’t have happened in Sydney where without the Waller stable numbers, one wonders where racing would be. Just look at the farcical situation in the G2 Sky High Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday where Waller had seven of the nine original acceptors (the other two were from the Waterhouse-Bott barn).

After scratching Birdman to race at Caulfield and Trinity College, Waller had five of the seven. The Preview Show suggested he couldn’t separate Soul Of Spain $3.8 which ran second and Wootten Verni, the $2.6 favorite, which dropped out to beat two home.

The race was won by Vauban, having his first start since finishing sixth in the Melbourne Cup which, incidentally, co-trainer Adrian Bott told Melbourne Radio on Saturday morning was the stable’s best of the day. It seems that even he is a better judge than Waller.

 

RACING ROYALTY TURNED OUT AT RANDWICK - TERRIFIC INITIATIVE 

AND on a positive note, we received this contribution from SYDNEYSIDER PETER MAIR:

THE Australian racing industry, at its grass roots, welcomes all comers – that sense of a fraternity of equals was on open display at Randwick on Sunday afternoon.

Billed as an opportunity to meet the ‘royalty’ of Sydney racing –  barbequed food, free of charge, washed down with $5 beers – the couple of hundred that came were not disappointed.

On the contrary, including world-class players, trainers and jockeys turned out in remarkable numbers. Seemingly all of them were there and happy to be there -- willing to meet the people, enjoyably posing for selfies and responding to questions. What other major industry, or political party, puts on a comparable open-day for all-comers?

Apart from a very few welcoming words from the CEO of the ATC, there were no formalities. Not needed perhaps – these days, with modern media coverage, punters know the faces and personalities of most player participants. Even so, their being there in-person adds a special dimension.

Hopefully, what was a first time on Sunday becomes a next-time next year and the concept is built into the Sydney racing calendar.’

 

THE WORST KEPT SECRET IN QUEENSLAND RACING IS OUT – BUT PROVOKES A MIXED REACTION - THIS IS NO 'EXCLUSIVE' YOU GOOSE!

DESPITE the daily ‘fish and chips’ wrapper calling it an ‘exclusive’, the appointments of Review Chairman Matt McGrath and his First Lieutenant Kim Daly to the new-look RQ Board was the worst kept secret in Queensland racing.

The industry has waited 18 months for the new LNP Government to replace the control body appointed by Labor and there has been not unexpectedly mixed reaction to the announcement.

The biggest criticism is that McGrath and Daly are among the major beneficiaries of their own Review recommendations. It’s not only a ‘bit rich’ but sounds like ‘jobs for the boys’.

It was supposedly an independent Review but the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission – established on the recommendation of the McSporran Report in the wake of the disgraceful live-baiting expose in the greyhound industry – was a casualty the new Government always wanted.

Lost in the process has been one of the best appointments racing Queensland has every enjoyed – albeit too briefly – in super popular QRIC Chairman Catherine Clarke and one of the most experienced stewards in the world in Kim Kelly (although we are reliably informed that Racing Minister Tim Mander did his best to retain Kim’s services but there were disagreements especially over the need for a separation of powers between administration and integrity).

Sadly, the loss of Kelly (although it has yet to be confirmed) will create criticism of Kim Daly that he arguably doesn’t deserve. Sure Daly’s experience as a Steward (he has been appointed Integrity representative on the new Board) is infinitesimal compared to Kelly but Kim deserves better than simply being declared an appointee because he was an ‘old school mate of the Minister). Perhaps Mander should consider offering Kim a consultancy, similar to what he enjoys with the HKJC and NZ Racing.

Whether the McGrath appointment was the worst-kept secret in Queensland Racing or not, LGHR believes it should not have been an ‘exclusive’ to the CM, which has a circulation that has reached the embarrassing stage. What about radio, TV and other racing media outlets. Only Ben Dorries would declare such a story an ‘exclusive’. What odds he now ‘spin doctors’ the Government’s appointments?        

 

REASONS CRITICS DIDN’T WANT MATT McGRATH TO BECOME THE NEW RQ CHAIRMAN - IS HE A MAJOR BENEFICIARY OF HIS OWN REVIEW? 

THERE are many who believe the appointment of Sydneysider Matt McGrath as Chairman of the new Board is an insult to the many highly experienced and equally competent people who are Queensland-based.

For the record the appointment of an interstate person to the RQ Board is nothing new. LGHR was front and centre at Deagon when Sydney-based Michael Lambert was on the Bob Bentley Board and without a doubt believe he was one of the best appointments ever made.

Lambert was back then Managing Director of ABN-AMRO Australia, part of the ABN-AMRO global investment bank and a former head of the NSW Treasury. His areas of focus and responsibility were Government, transport and the gaming and gambling sectors. He had a background with the Queensland racing industry, having been an adviser to the Government on strategic options for TABQ and the Queensland racing industry and on the reform and sale of TABQ.

One could argue that McGrath’s credentials pale into insignificance in comparison but as Chairman of the Board that he helped create Matt now gets the chance to implement the recommendations of the Review that he conducted.

Archie Butterfly (peterprofit.com) wrote a story on McGrath which best sums up the thoughts of his detractors. It involves statements made by McGrath in a submission to the recent Parliamentary Inquiry into the Sale of Rosehill. It is worth taking a closer look at these:

MM: AS ATC Chairman from 2018-2022, the ATC in unison from Racing NSW had an excellent period where we elevated Sydney racing to the pinnacle world-wide on all KPIs.

THAT is a huge claim that the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Royal Ascot Racing Club, the VRC and the Turf Club that holds the Kentucky Derby would dispute.

MM: AT the conclusion of my four-year tenure, the financial results and the health of the club sat alone whilst all other Australia metropolitan clubs recorded losses on their racing operations.

WHILE that claim may be strictly correct, it is somewhat of a misrepresentation of the actual state of affairs. Both the Melbourne Racing Club and Moonee Valley Racing Club returned profits in 2022, the last of McGrath’s four years in the top job at the ATC, as did the Brisbane Racing Club. That the earnings of these clubs were supplemented by gaming revenue is more of a testament to their foresight in diversifying sources of income than it is a reason to deride their returns as being non-racing derived.

MM: THE ATC in my fours amassed $66mn EBITDA:

EBITDA: Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization is a narrow way for a racing cub or administrator to measure success, as it ignores both the wear and tear to assets such as grandstands, buildings, plant and equipment which will need to be upgraded or replaced, and the cost of interest payments on loans, both of which were substantial under McGrath’s leadership, eg:

2018-19 (-$9.1mn); 2019-20 (+$6.9mn), 2020-21 (+$12.5mn) & 2021-22 (+$7mn). TOTAL profit: $3.3mn.

Pictures don’t look right without frames though, so let’s look at the real picture when you add in all the MONEY THAT THE ATC BORROWED under McGrath’s watch.

At 31 July 2022, the last full financial year under McGrath as Chairman, the current liabilities of the ATC (HOW MUCH IT OWED) exceeded the club’s current assets (HOW MUCH IT HAD IN CASH) by $31,335 million. In other words, the ATC was $31.3mn in the red, cash v debt.

When McGrath inherited the Chairmanship of the club from his predecessor Laurie Macri the ATC’s current assets exceeded its current liabilities by almost $22.15mn. This means that the ATC’s cash-debut position declined by $53.4mn under his leadership.

MM: AND in the FY22 Report, the ATC had a record $38mn in cash at bank

THIS is the most laughable McGrath boast of all.

What he failed to disclose is that $24.9mn came from a Racing NSW loan that he left the ATC to pay off after he was long gone and another $10mn that was borrowed from the bank.

The cash from both of these loans landed in the ATC accounts in McGrath’s last year in charge. Without this borrowed money the ATC would have had just $3.1mn in the bank, a record low.

It is also interesting to note that the ATC’s debts to lenders grew almost $24mn in the period that McGrath was Chairman of the Club, rising from $42.6mn to $66.5mn.

LGHR respectfully suggests that Matt McGrath is a great self-promoter who has been anointed by Racing Minister Mander on the recommendation of the ‘man he admires most in racing and rugby league’ Peter V’landys. Here’s hoping RQ doesn’t now become just another notch in the belt of PVL.

As for what sort of debts a newlook McGrath-led RQ Racing Board will accrue, only time will tell.

 

EARLY REACTION TO MINISTER’S NEW BOARD HAS NOT BEEN POSITIVE 

IT hasn’t taken long for the news of the Board appointments to filter through. The LGHR phone, text and email service has been running hot and sadly the reaction has not been positive.

HERE’S what MATT NICHOLLS, one-timed Editor of the North West Weekly newspaper and a long-time follower of racing in outback Queensland had to say:

‘YOU may not have seen this yet – the news has only been reported in News Corp outlets so far – but Racing Minister Tim Mander will today announce a new-look Racing Queensland board.

Leading the charge will be NSW-based Matt McGrath, who chaired last year’s review into racing in Queensland. Almost none of his recommendations have been implemented since it was handed to Mander, while several of the key proposals were quickly rejected.

Despite that, McGrath – who lives in Sydney – will now be installed as chair of Racing Queensland.

Also joining the board is Mander’s former schoolmate Kym Daly, a former steward who was also involved in the review. Daly is expected to fill the integrity role.

But perhaps the most baffling appointment is Michelle Morton, who – according to reporting by Ben Dorries – will represent regional and country racing.

Morton is Townsville-based, but I’ve been covering racing in North Queensland for more than a decade and her name has never crossed my desk.

A quick Google search shows she’s a lawyer and sits on the board of the Townsville Hospital and Health Service.

A few messages to North Queensland participants this morning confirmed the same thing: she’s virtually unknown in local racing circles.

So how exactly is she now the champion for country racing on the Racing Queensland board?

Others to join the board include Gary Cunningham as an owners' advocate, former Liberal politician Jane Prentice (no surprises there) and professional spin doctor/consultant Sally Branson.

Taken together, these six appointments send a pretty clear message – that the minister and the decision-makers in south-east Queensland have little understanding of, or interest in, the realities of country racing.

Participants in regional areas should be furious.

If Mander truly cared about bush racing, the Country Racing Panel would have been retained – and given real authority – with one of its members sitting on the Racing Queensland board.

Instead, country racing gets a lawyer with seemingly no connection to it.’

   

BATTLE BETWEEN BRC & GLEESON FAMILY TRAVELS THE FULL CIRCLE 

LGHR continues to receive requests for an update on the behind-the-scenes battle involving the Gleeson family and their concerns over alleged integrity issues relating to the Board of the Brisbane Racing Club.

What we can report is that the matter has now turned the full circle and been hand-passed from Racing Queensland to the Racing Minister, at their advice onto the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission who say they don’t have the power to act and now to ASIC (the Australian Securities and Investment Commission) where it started over a year ago and they have done next to nothing.

You may remember that LGHR reported that a complaint to the QCCC was being investigated. Technically that was wrong despite us possessing the knowledge that a complaint had been made and an assurance from an insider at the Parliamentary CCC (which oversees the QCCC) that any legitimate concerns by an industry stakeholder (a la Wally Gleeson or his son Simon, who resigned as a director of the BRC) would be fully investigated. We assumed this was happening.

It wasn’t but not because the QCCC ruled the complaint had or didn't have any substance. Their decision was that they did not possess the powers to investigate this issue because the BRC is not considered to be a Unit of Public Administration.

(Under the Crime & Corruption Act 2001 the QCCC can only deal with conduct that occurs in, or affects, the Queensland public sector which generally includes Government Departments, the Queensland Police Service, Councils, public hospitals and health services and publicly funded universities).

The QCCC advised that the complaint related to the conduct of employees at the Brisbane Racing Club, which has been determined not to be part of the Queensland public sector, that is, it is not considered to be a Unit of Public Administration. For that reason, the CCC has no authority to investigate it.

 

HAS RQ OR RACING MINISTER ANY IDEA OF HOW THE QCCC WORKS? 

THIS outcome raises more questions than answers. It seems that even the lawyers are confused.

Apparently, Racing Minister Tim Mander and former Racing Queensland Chairman Steve Wilson were wrong in advising the Gleeson’s to take their concerns to the QCCC? 

Some are asking if the Act in NSW mirrors that in Queensland, how is it possible for Racing NSW to currently conduct an investigation into the Australian Turf Club (Supreme Court decision pending today) when RQ are unable to do so involving the Brisbane Racing Club?

Supporters of the Gleeson’s have posed an interesting question: “If the CCC doesn’t have the powers to investigate allegations against the BRC, why then isn’t the CCC investigating Racing Queensland (as a Unit of Public Administration) for not doing the job they can’t?

Wally Gleeson now wants a ‘please explain’ from Minister Mander who for some inexplicable reason is not prepared to meet with him face to face - stop hiding behind a rock Minister and do your job.

Have you forgotten Wally's lifetime involvement with the industry as a Corinthian winning jockey, owner and prominent breeder, not to mention a Member of the LNP who worked hard to see his local MP Kerri-Ann Dooley elected in Redcliffe at the last election.

Ms Dooley requested a meeting on behalf of Wally and his wife Jill with the Minister but received this 'weak-kneed' response from his Office which read in part:

‘Thank you for your email of 23 February 2026 regarding the request from your constituents Mr Wally and Ms Jill Gleeson for a meeting to discuss allegations of corruption against the Racing Queensland Board.

‘Corrupt conduct is serious as it undermines public trust, the integrity of decision making and confidence in public administration. I encourage anybody with allegations of corrupt conduct, in any context to provide details of their claims to the appropriate investigative agency, ensuring independence, accountability and legislative compliance matters are handled correctly.

I can confirm that the Department of Sport, Racing and Olympic and Paralympic Games has been in contact with Mr Wally and Ms Jill Gleeson to discuss this matter.’

Gleeson explained that he rejected an offer to meet with ‘with a Department lackey (apparently Michael Duff, son of the late training great Pat, good luck to plans to sell Deagon if he has any influence on the decision). ‘I want to meet with the butcher – not the block,’ Wally said.

The wording of the Mander letter that ‘details of any allegations should be provided to the appropriate investigative agency’ suggests he is referring to the QCCC. It’s time the Minister or his advisors were made aware that the QCCC’s supposed inability to address the issue. 

In the light of the unexpected stance of the QCCC and the ‘bad advice’ from the Racing Minister and Racing Queensland, the matter has been referred again to ASIC – but no-one’s holding their breath for action at the station there.

A complaint was lodged with ASIC a month ago but no response has been received. ASIC hasn’t even asked for details which are required when submissions are first made. Gleeson supporters are questioning now whether this is a ‘closed shop’ as well.

TIME WILL TELL!

 

HERE’S HOW LADBROKES TREATS PUNTERS WHO DARE TO WIN 

THERE is yet another complaint concerning a CORPORATE BOOKMAKER – when will it ever end? To make matters worse, it’s one of the biggest that you would expect better of:

MY name is MICHAEL HAY and I am writing to formally raise a complaint regarding Ladbrokes withholding payment of a winning bet placed on Sunday, 8 March 2026.

Firstly, I would like to state that I am simply a social punter. I do not bet professionally or regularly, but when I do have a bet, I back my judgement and have a proper wager.

On Sunday 8 March, I backed Spies On – Race 2, Number 10 at Sunshine Coast. The horse had caught my attention at its prior start. Due to heavy rain, I was stuck at home on my property near Longreach and could not get into town.

When the original fields first went up for that meeting, I had intended to have around $2,000–$3,000 on the horse, either each-way or to win depending on the price. However, the meeting was abandoned and I shelved the idea and thought nothing more of it.

Then on Sunday the same horse Spies On was running again, this time on the poly track at Sunshine Coast. Early in the morning I looked at the markets and saw the price around $1.45–$1.50, which didn’t really seem worth having that sort of money on.

Later in the morning, about 30 minutes before the race, I revisited the market and started looking at margin betting, something only a handful of bookmakers offer. Historically I’m what you would call a mug punter and usually bet small, but I had liked the horse’s first-up run.  After some deliberation I decided to have a good bet.

Approximately five minutes before the race, I successfully deposited $3,000 in my Ladbrokes’ account. I had two successfully placed margin bets on Spies On.  To my excitement and joy, the horse won comfortably by more than three lengths.

After being stuck out on my property near Longreach, I was obviously pleased with the result and went to withdraw my funds. However, my account was immediately locked by Ladbrokes, and I was informed that they would not release the funds unless I provided further identity documents.

They requested bank statements, identification and a selfie photo, which in my opinion is quite an invasion of privacy for a recreational punter who has simply placed a winning bet.

Nonetheless, I complied and supplied everything requested:

• Bank statement• Photo identification• Selfie verification photo all within a 24 hour period of their request.

Despite providing everything requested, my winnings are still being withheld. This is despite being told via phone conversation with a Ladbrokes’ customer support that once my identity documents were received the monies would be able to be withdrawn right away.  

What makes this situation even more frustrating is that there is currently a Federal Court case involving bookmakers and Ladbrokes’ parent company Entain, where millions of dollars lost by a gambler are being challenged because bookmakers allegedly failed to check where the money was coming from. In that case, a former financial planner was reportedly able to gamble tens of millions of dollars despite earning around $130,000 a year, raising questions about whether bookmakers ignored obvious warning signs about the source of funds.

Yet here I am, a social punter who has simply had a winning bet, being asked to provide bank statements and personal documents before I can be paid. It seems that when someone is losing large sums of money, bookmakers are happy not to ask too many questions, but when a punter wins, suddenly the checks begin.

This behaviour is extremely concerning. In Australia the understanding has always been simple — you place a bet and if you win, you get paid. I find it unacceptable that bookmakers can accept a wager and then delay or withhold payment after the result.

I am asking that the appropriate racing and wagering authorities investigate this matter and step in if necessary, as this type of conduct undermines confidence in the wagering industry.

I respectfully request that my winnings be paid immediately.

As Australians, we grow up believing that when you have a bet and your horse wins, you get paid. I am simply asking for that basic principle to be honoured.

COMPETITIVE PERSPECTIVES ON THE FUNDING OF RACING IN NSW 

ANOTHER contribution from SYDNEYSIDER PETER MAIR makes for interesting reading:

‘RacingNSW is presenting itself as, in essence, a successful public company. A business going from strength to strength, even more so in comparison with 'public-companies' running racing in other states.

As the Chairman of RNSW says:

NSW racing is strong. It is financially secure. And right now, it is delivering record returns to the people who give this sport its heart and soul. One of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of a public company is the dividends it pays to its shareholders. In the racing industry, the equivalent KPI is the total returns paid to participants. These figures represent far more than statistics. They reflect real income supporting thousands of owners, trainers, jockeys, stable staff, breeders and industry participants whose livelihoods depend on a strong and growing racing industry.

From a broader community perspective, purloining the concept of 'company dividends' may be misleading. Guardians of the public purse could recast the allocation of public funds to RacingNSW as a bi-partisan agreement unfairly favouring a racing gambling community comprising ten per-cent of the adult population.  It is no wonder that the funds distributed by RacingNSW are at record levels – ear-marked funds given to racing from the public purse are also at record levels.

The racing funding model is a simple one – the higher the racing tax-take and the more money gambled on racing (and sports), the more money flows automatically to fund racing. And that is the rub: considering the interests of the other 90 per-cent, is funding racing with 'off budget' entitlements the best use of these public funds in the general public interest.

In the event the limited scope of the current inquiry into the NSW racing legislation is under pressure to be extended to include the very critical issues expressly excluded – the independence of RacingNSW and funding arrangements for the NSW racing industry.

Let the mind wander to the prospect of parliamentary scrutiny of the allocation and distribution of public funds by RacingNSW -- perhaps following a performance-audit of RNSW by the NSW Auditor General. AG's reports are "tabled" in Parliament, making them public documents that the media and the community can access immediately.’

 

 

WHEN WILL RACING IN QUEENSLAND SEE A RETURN ON MILLIONS SPENT ON USELESS REVIEW? ANOTHER PLEASE EXPLAIN FOR MINISTER!

THE controversial Queensland Racing Review identified many problems the industry already knew existed but stakeholders are now questioning whether they will see a reasonable return on their multi-million dollar investment.

The reason for that is the Review hand-passed most issues to the Government to find a solution which saw one-time Brisbane Turf Club Chairman Mary Collyer appointed to sort out this basket case. They felt – and rightly so – when it comes to racing, there’s ‘something about Mary’.

Problem is some stakeholders are becoming increasingly impatient and why wouldn’t they be? Take racing in Mount Isa for example which one could argue is suffering second-rate treatment at the hands of a Racing Minister and Government that promised to look after the industry outside the south-east corner.

Could you imagine a major TAB club being allowed to suffer the fate that has befallen racing in the north-west in recent times? Hot on the heels of losing two consecutive meetings to the ‘big wet’, when they finally raced last Saturday owners and trainers were faced with an unbelievable situation where 23 acceptors could not run because no jockeys were available to ride them.

 

THE UNWINNABLE FIGHT THAT RQ CONTINUES TO REFUSE TO ACT ON

GREG BLANCHARD of the Gold Coast, a regular contributor to LGHR, has been fighting an unwinnable battle to secure more jockeys for the bush for as long as he can remember. Here’s his take on the latest unacceptable situation:

‘LAST year I said I was done writing about this but just this once I'll do a Melba.

Mount Isa had 23 horses scratched on Saturday with no riders available. This occurred after having meetings called off due to flooding the two previous weeks.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a friend about an overseas jockey wanting to come to Australia.

I told him about the Mount Isa situation and even sent him a video so that he was able to understand the region. He was fine with that.

I had an encouraging response from officialdom a few weeks ago when I sent his resume but nothing has happened since.

I think of the promises over last 11 years I've written about this made by many about getting overseas jockeys and kids into our Apprentice School. This could help the problem but still nothing on that front.

Surely to goodness with the huge money spent on some tracks over the last decade etc, funding coul.d be provided to get overseas riders here to the bush.’

 

DID THE REVIEW TAKE THE PROBLEM OF LACK OF BUSH JOCKEYS SERIOUSLY ENOUGH? SHOW YOU CARE ABOUT THIS MR MINISTER!

ONE has to ask the question – and it was raised by many with chief thoroughbred consultant Kim Daly – did the Review take the on-going problem of a lack of jockeys in the bush seriously enough.

Looking through the recommendations in their report, many don’t believe they did. But it's not too late or is it?

When you ask who is to blame for this long-running problem, the buck stops with Racing Queensland and the Government of the day.

A succession of CEO’s at RQ has done next to nothing about it. To be fair, Jason Scott tried. Before him Brendan ‘Pins’ Parnell swept it under the carpet and since him Lachlan Murray seems more focused on retaining his role and critics say protecting the interests of his ‘mates’ in the corporate bookmaking fraternity.

Murray is unbelievable odds-on to be CEO of the new body and in the opinion of many, if that happens, RQ will continue to tread water.

He has apparently won favour with the Sydney interloper Matt McGrath, a mate of Racing Minister Tim Mander, who conducted the supposed independent Racing Review and is favoured to be Chairman of the new RQ control body – another joke!      

While the Review recommended expansion of the Battle of the Bush Series along with enhancement of Country Cups and Town Plates what's the point if horses can’t qualify because there aren’t enough jockeys to ride them?

It seems the Review only identified problems the industry knew it already had. There was no suggestion of a solution.

The Government looks certain to put many of these issues in the ‘too hard’ basket and the Minister seems intent on saving money by dismantling QRIS and establishing a new control body where there will be no separation of powers between administration and integrity.

BUT the industry will be run by a ‘jobs for the boys Board’ – not one appointed on ability. It's back to the good old days of the LNP where integrity in Queensland racing was the joke of the country.

 

GOLLAN'S TOUGHEST CHALLENGE OF TRAINING CAREER WITH ANTINO

TONY GOLLAN is arguably confronted by the toughest challenge of his illustrious training career.

On the eve of the last Cox Plate, his stable star Antino was rated one of the best weight-for-age stayers in the land. In the space of a week he suffered a major slump in form and has been unable to regain it.

Mystery surrounds what happened to Antino from the day he sat three wide and ran second to Sir Delius in the G1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington in October.

The seven-year-old beat home Via Sistina in that race and there were plenty of good judges prepared to back him to deny the Waller-trained superstar a second Cox Plate win.

But for some inexplicable reason the wheels fell off or in racing parlance Antino ‘lost a leg’. The winner of more than $3.5mn in stakes dropped out to run last in the Cox Plate.

Victorian Stewards asked for an explanation for the flop which Gollan would have been happy to supply but he was as surprised as them. There were reports that Blake Shinn, who rode the horse in the Cox Plate and subsequent work, thought he was sore.

Gollan decided to call it quits and hope that after a spell Antino would return to his brilliant best. After a plain first-up 8^th in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick, the trainer whose opinion is highly respected told the media he was convinced Antino would reproduce his best in Saturday’s All Star Mile at Flemington.

Alas, after missing the start as he so often does, Antino went woefully finishing over 11 lengths behind the winner, Tom Kitten. Jockey Jamie Melham told Stewards that the horse appeared to resent racing inside horses and failed to respond when put under pressure.

Melham added that she had advised connections that in her opinion Antino may now be better suited racing without the blinkers. A post-race veterinary examination revealed a laceration to the near fore fetlock and a clearance will be required prior to racing again.

But there’s no point racing again while Antino is in his current form. He is simply non-competitive. All the ‘experts’ have their opinions – one is that the horse never recovered from that gut-buster in the Turnbull. Another is that the reason he jumps slowly is that he is feeling some soreness which the vets can’t detect.

LGHR doesn’t pretend to have any veterinary advice and our suggestion probably won’t sit too well with the Gollan stable. But we think he should ‘bit the bullet’ and transfer the horse to his good mate, Ciaron Maher.

No reflection on Tony’s expertise as a trainer but a change of surroundings and a different approach might just do the trick.

The other option of course is to retire him – but that would be giving up, something that isn’t in the Gollan repertoire.

 

FUNERAL OF GOLD COAST BOOKIE NOEL SMITH

THE FUNERAL OF POPULAR GOLD COAST BOOKIE NOEL SMITH will be held tomorrow, MONDAY, MARCH 9, at 12.30 at SOMERVILLE FUNERALS, 129 NERANG-BORADBEACH ROAD to be followed by a WAKE. 

 

WHAT A MESS MINISTER MANDER – NOW WE’RE TOLD THE RQ ACTING CHAIRMAN FEELS 'ISOLATED' & HAS DECIDED TO RESIGN HER POST

IT seems that Racing Minister Tim Mander has managed to loose yet another high profile figure in Queensland Racing.

If the mail LGHR has received is right – and we’re sure it is – the highly respected acting Chairman of RQ, Jane Seawright, has (or will) resign today.

We have not spoken to Ms Seawright, who took over as chair after Steve Wilson bailed. But it is our understanding from those close to the lady that she feels isolated as the new wave prepares to take over the control body.

The LNP Government conducted an important Women In Sport event on Wednesday which unbelievably she was not invited to as Chairman of RQ.

Adding insult to injury Mary Collyer, who is close to the Minister and tipped to be on the new Board (maybe even Chairman) was invited along with Jodie Jones, the harness representative on the RQ Board.

Some of the blame for the ‘demise’ of Ms Seawright, an experienced corporate and commercial lawyer and governance advisor, has been placed at the feet of the RQ CEO Lachlan Murray who many stakeholders cannot believe is now odds-on to retain his position in the new look control body.

So who becomes the new Chairman of the RQ Board that was appointed by the Labor Government? It has taken Minister Mander 18 months to replace it but the body is now in its ‘death throes’.

That will probably be hand-passed to former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, the man who should be Chairman of the new Board or the thoroughbred representative on it, but unfortunately won’t be.

What an incredible situation the racing industry under Mander and the LNP is confronted with. Get rid of all the good people – or force them out – then replace those with a guy who was appointed to conduct a supposedly independent Review but many believe delivered just what the Minister wanted, not to mention the top job for himself.

And if we head back to the days reminiscent of when the two gentlemen racing stakeholders named the ‘two Dick’s’ then God help us. Then Racing Minister Steve Dixon made the ridiculous statement at the time that in 12 months the industry in Queensland would be ‘a furlong in front of Sydney and Melbourne’.

The less said about his RQ Chairman at the time (we're saving a special story for him if he bobs up on the new Board) then the LNP has learnt nothing when it comes to racing and it's just a matter of 'jobs for the boys'.

HAVE YOU THE SLIGHTEST IDEA WHAT DIRECTION THE RACING INDUSTRY SHOULD BE HEADING MR MANDER?

 

THE LNP HAS A PLAN TO ENSURE THE WORLD THAT QUEENSLAND IS THE HOME OF OZ SPORT - THIS TRIP TO VEGAS WAS NO 'JUNKET' 

RACING, Sport & Olympics Minister TIM MANDER has explained in Parliament how his recent visit to the States was not a junket solely associated with the opening of the National Rugby League season.

Tim wasn’t just there to rub shoulders with the man he admires most in ‘racing and rugby league’ Peter V’landys nor was it a chance to learn how much technology has changed since his days as a ‘whistle blower’.

Mander told State Parliament on Wednesday:

‘THERE is no doubt that Queensland is the home of Australian sport and last week I shared that message in the United States as part of our commitment to deliver the Games Queensland deserves in 2032.

Los Angeles is currently preparing for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as being the host city for this year’s FIFA World Cup.

In Los Angeles we did not just meet with executives; we went into the engine room of the 2028 Games. From the LA28 headquarters to the offices of Los Angeles city deputy mayors, our focus was razor sharp: logistics and legacy.

We are not interested in the vanity projects of the former Labor Government. We are learning how LA is utilising 50 venues to deliver a Games that is fiscally disciplined and community focused.

I also sat down with Aecom’s Executive Vice President, Bill Hanway, to discuss the technical blueprint for venue delivery.

At the G’day USA round table my message was clear: The world will be watching Queensland so come over and partner with us. Unlike those opposite, the Crisafulli Government has a plan to ensure that the world knows that Queensland is the home of Australian sport.

Queenslanders love all sport and the popularity of American football is continuing on an upward spiral, particularly with younger sports fans. At a meeting with the NFL Commissioner we had the first of what promises to be many discussions about growing the sport’s presence in Queensland. Who knows? Maybe one day we will host an NFL fixture.

When you build infrastructure such as a stadium that can seat 63,000 people, those are the types of events that you can attract.

I am particularly proud to tell the House that, after decades of absence, Australia House is coming back as a centre for Australian athletes, supporters and local Americans. We found the perfect stage by securing a footprint at Venice Beach.

We have created a permanent billboard for Queensland on the global stage. Venice Beach will be our launching pad to showcase our lifestyle, our trade and our 2032 vision to the world’s most influential market.

After 1,200 days of Games chaos and confusion under the former Labor Government, this Government is restoring Queensland’s global reputation.

 

WHAT A SHAME THE MINISTER COULDN’T SAY THE SAME ABOUT HORSE RACING IN QUEENSLAND - BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR 

SOUNDS really exciting, ‘Tim the Toolman’s’ Olympic dream has Queenslanders on the edge of their seats in anticipation. Pity we can't say the same about his plans for horse racing.

After 18 months in Government, racing in Queensland still has the same control body (minus those including the former Chairman) who have jumped ship.

We’ve had this wonderful supposedly independent Review conducted by an interloper from interstate with one of the Minister’s old school buddies as his main consultant when it came to the thoroughbreds.

The only good thing to emerge after months of waiting is the news that Mary Collyer, a former Brisbane Turf Club Chairman, is heavily-involved in processing the recommendations of the Review. Who knows Mary might even wind up being the Chairman of a newlook RQ?

That’s if there’s room for her after the Racing Minister finds enough spots for ‘mates of the LNP', one of whom is being strongly pushed by a Minister with a ‘racing flavor’ who should be more worried about how badly his portfolio is travelling.

Yes, if the mail from the coalface is correct, it’s going to be ‘jobs for the boys’ and a ‘return to the bad old days of policing racing in Queensland’ when Tim’s job is done.

Many stakeholders and punters believe the LNP Government plans to dismantle the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission is an insult to the McSporren Report which recommended its establishment after the embarrassing and disgusting live-baiting expose in the greyhound industry.

To ride on a platform of integrity and transparency in one hand then undo all the good work that McSporren did is an absolute insult mixed with more than a touch of hypocrisy when the Government and the Minister then say their plans for the industry are based on animal welfare and integrity etc.

Standby for a return to the 'bad' old days of Russ Hinze, the Fine Cotton ring-in, the caffeine crisis – all under the umbrella of an LNP Government.

You shoot the QRIC Commissioner and her Deputies, one of the best stewards in the world, out of a cannon and replace the latter with one of your old school buddies whose claim to fame was he drove at the ‘red hots’ and was member of a Stewards’ Panel which critics claim did next to nothing.

The Government couldn’t send a stronger message if they tried to every crook in the land when it comes to racing: Get ready to move to Queensland. If you think the current Chief Steward is bordering on ‘useless’, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

 

THE WEDNESDAY WHINGE – HAVE YOU SAY ON ALL THINGS RACING 

PREVIOUS BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR ROLES ON NEW CONTROL BODY - TIME FOR LNP TO BURY  'JOBS FOR THE BOYS'

IF racing in Queensland is to enjoy the ‘fresh start’ that the independent Review promised, stakeholders are calling on Racing Minister Tim Mander to give an assurance that previous Board members will be ineligible for appointment to the newlook Control Body.

Their concerns follow rumours emanating from the coalface that a long-serving Ministerial MP, with close ties to the racing industry, has been kicking up for a comeback by one of his ‘mates,’ a former Chairman whose Board was sacked.

Whilst there is no suggestion that the gentleman in question doesn’t have the right credentials, many stakeholders are adamant their needs to be new younger blood on the Board and not yesterday’s men with some skeletons in the closet who qualify under the LNP ‘jobs for the boys’ policy.

The Racing Minister has come under fire for what some in racing are describing as a ‘junket’ in Las Vegas last weekend for the rugby league season-opener. Critics are suggesting he was keen to rub shoulders with ‘racing and football guru’ Peter V’landys who they claims is having too much influence on what is likely to happen in the newlook Racing Queensland.

One assumes this applies to suggestions that Matt McGrath, who conducted the supposedly Independent Review, may even be Chairman of the new RQ Board despite being based in Sydney. If this occurs it will be seen as an insult to the many Queenslanders with as much, if not more racing background and knowledge, who would have been overlooked for the job.

 

URGENT STEPS NEEDED TO CORRECT GOLD COAST TRACK PROBLEMS

MANY trainers and jockeys are far from happy with the state of the Gold Coast track at present.

Clods can be seen flying at recent meetings on the relatively new track and the problem was accentuated last Saturday when Stewards reported that apprentice Leah Martyn needed ambulance attention after copping a big one in the face during the running of a race.

It was a HEAVY 8 track but there has been a problem at the Gold Coast for some time now. Clods are flying whether it is wet or dry. Perhaps the rocket-scientists at Racing Queensland should be investigating whether this is bordering on ‘dangerous’. (They tell us the acting CEO will get the gig full-time under the newlook Board. To say that is going over well with many in the industry would be the joke of the century).

Story goes efforts of the Track Manager to correct the problem are being frustrated by interference from the GCTC and RQ. This was the reason for a high profile curator returning to Sydney in the past.

With the Gold Coast to host the major Saturday meeting in Queensland on March 14 urgent action needs to be taken to ensure the high profile Jewel feature are destined to degenerate into another Racing Queensland joke (come on bike rider, do your job and kick a few bums to ensure this track is ready to go in 10 days time).

 

RACING CAN’T RELY ON WHAT WORKED 20 YEARS AGO – RACING QLD DOESN’T NEED CARETAKERS LOOKING FOR A FREE LUNCH, IT NEEDS DECISION-MAKERS PREPARED TO TAKE CALCULATED RISKS 

MATT NICHOLLS built a huge following in outback Queensland as Editor of the NORTH WEST WEEKLY. But, after shifting to a digital-only format in August 2025, the independent newspaper announced its final closure in early December 2025 due to unsustainable economic conditions.

Matt is far more than a fine journalist, communications and media specialist, he loves thoroughbred and harness racing and has been a great supporter of the gallops in the bush, especially north-west Queensland.

Like many others Matt is concerned about the direction racing in the Sunshine State is heading and has written this thought-provoking opinion piece which contains some excellent suggestions that Racing Minister Tim Mander and the newlook Racing Queensland Board should consider.

Here is the MATT NICHOLLS piece:

RIGHT from the start, I want to make one thing clear: I’m not someone who thinks racing is about to fall over tomorrow.

I’m not interested in cheap scare tactics or blaming activists, politicians or any one administrator.

But after spending most of the past two decades in Queensland – particularly in regional areas – I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about where we’re heading as a racing industry.

My concern is about demographics, habits and whether we’re prepared to adapt.

I often think about what’s happened to rugby union in Australia and how that could relate to racing.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Wallabies were the pride of the country. As world champions, they hosted that unforgettable 2003 World Cup final, famously decided by the boot of Jonny Wilkinson.
Back then, rugby union looked bulletproof.

Fast forward 20 years and the sport is fighting for relevance in Australia. That didn’t happen overnight. It happened slowly, while other sports moved quicker, were marketed better and connected more effectively with younger audiences.

Racing shouldn’t assume it’s immune from the same drift. The wagering landscape has changed more in the past 20 years than it did in the previous 50. Racing has always relied on turnover. That’s just reality. But the way people gamble now is completely different.

When I was growing up, you went to the races, the TAB, or you rang an operator to place a bet. Now you can do it in three seconds on your phone while sitting on the couch.

Sports betting has filled a space that racing once occupied. For younger punters in particular, the multi has become the new quadrella. Racing has adapted to that in some ways. The old “odds-on, look-on” mentality is gone. A $1.70 favourite is no longer poison; it’s an anchor leg. That’s a positive for racing in many ways, as short-priced pops no longer kill turnover.

But at the same time sports betting is the major competition for the gambling dollar and I don’t think we can pretend we’re winning that battle. We might be holding our ground in parts, but we’re certainly not dominating attention the way we once did.

Where I really start to worry is around accessibility and pathways. How does a kid in Nanango or Home Hill get involved in racing if they don’t already have family ties to it? How do they become a jockey, a trainer, a strapper, or a harness driver?

Do you now need to be born into it, or be financially secure before you even start?

Queensland’s geography makes it even harder. If you’re based in Cloncurry and dream of training at Eagle Farm one day, the gap feels enormous. It’s not just talent, it’s infrastructure, travel, staff, accommodation and capital.

In North Queensland plenty of trainers supplement their income outside racing because racing once or twice a week simply isn’t enough to sustain a business. The same goes for jockeys.

People criticise the lack of riders in the west or the rise of FIFO jockeys, but if you were a young hoop trying to make a living, would you base yourself somewhere that races twice a week, or somewhere where you can ride trackwork and get to four or five meetings within a couple of hours? These aren’t moral failings. They’re economic realities.

I also think we need to have an honest conversation about the amount of product we’re producing versus the quality of what we’re showcasing.

Queensland's Saturdays can feel overcrowded – Brisbane, Gold Coast, a regional meeting, Toowoomba at night – and in trying to service everything, we sometimes fail to elevate the best of what we have.

Most racing people know who Tony Gollan and Rob Heathcote are. They know leading jockeys like Angela Jones. But outside our own bubble, those names don’t carry the weight they probably should.
If we want racing to feel mainstream again, we need to put faces and personalities on a pedestal, not just fill race fields.

Then there’s the broader ecosystem.

I grew up loving harness racing. It’s been hard to watch its decline. Albion Park now stands alone as the only capital city harness venue on the eastern seaboard. Participants in that code have to accept some responsibility for where things sit, but we also can’t ignore the role harness and greyhounds play in the overall wagering cycle.

With multiple racing channels to feed, there is a constant need for content. What happens in the gaps between thoroughbred meetings? Harness and greyhounds keep punters engaged and keep screens alive.

If those codes weaken further, thoroughbred racing will feel it. At the same time, greyhound turnover might be strong, but crowds are thin.

Again, the question comes back to pathways. How does someone with no connection get involved? How do they become an owner or trainer without already being inside the tent?

Leadership matters here.

I’m not suggesting there’s a magic fix, and I don’t doubt that many people within Racing Queensland care deeply about the sport.

But I do think we need a Board and executive prepared to think beyond the next set of prizemoney announcements.

That means being willing to trial different time slots, rethink programming and genuinely engage with participants outside south-east Queensland.

For example, why couldn’t Mount Isa or Longreach become defined Friday afternoon TAB hubs for the North West and Central West? A six-race meeting leading into the weekend could create a wagering niche and tie in with pub trade after work.

Being so far west is an advantage when it comes to staging late afternoon meetings – something the south-east can't offer.

That’s not a silver bullet, but it’s the kind of thinking we need to at least explore.

If there’s one area where I think we need to be braver, it’s at the Board level.

Racing Queensland doesn’t need caretakers looking for a free lunch. It needs decision-makers who are prepared to take calculated risks and wear the criticism that comes with it.

You can’t future-proof an industry by trying not to upset anyone. At some point, you have to back your judgement – whether that’s reshaping the race calendar, trialling different wagering windows, consolidating meetings to strengthen quality, or investing in infrastructure outside the traditional comfort zones.

Doing nothing might feel safe in the short term, but it’s the riskiest strategy of all over 10 or 20 years.

The Board needs to be more visible and more connected to participants right across the State. Racing in Queensland is not just Eagle Farm and Doomben; it’s Cairns, Mackay, Bedourie and Thangool.

If you’re making decisions that affect those communities, you should be regularly hearing from them – not just through reports, but face to face.

Strong leadership isn’t about protecting the status quo; it’s about setting a clear direction, explaining it honestly and bringing people with you, even if the road there involves a few uncomfortable conversations.

One area that left me particularly flat was the recent Racing Queensland Review commissioned by Minister Tim Mander and led by Matthew McGrath.

On paper, it was an opportunity to reset the agenda and genuinely map out a long-term future for the industry, especially for regional and country racing. There was goodwill around it. People were prepared to engage.

But from what I saw – particularly during McGrath's brief visit to the west – it felt like a missed opportunity. The consultation appeared surface-level when it needed to be searching and, at times, uncomfortable.

Participants in places like Mount Isa and the Central West were hoping for hard questions and bold thinking. Instead, many walked away feeling as though the exercise skimmed over the structural challenges and avoided grappling with the deeper issues around sustainability, programming and governance.

Reviews should set direction and provide clarity. This one, in my view, stopped short of that.

At a time when racing needs decisive leadership and a clear roadmap, the industry was handed something that felt cautious and incremental, when what was really required was courage and vision.
As an industry, we also need to think long-term about revenue and infrastructure.

Whatever your view on Peter V'landys, he has shown through Racing NSW that diversifying income streams can help future-proof a code.

Queensland has to ask similar questions about land, assets and how we sustain ourselves beyond wagering growth. If we continue to drift, we'll eventually get lost.

The eventual demise of racing as we know and love it won't happen overnight. It'll happen bit by bit.

It’s losing one volunteer president in the bush and not replacing them. It’s one less trainer packing it in because they can't get a jockey. It’s fewer apprentices coming through because the pathway looks too hard.

Racing is more than a betting product. In places like Gregory, Blackall, Roma and Cooktown, it’s a social anchor and an economic contributor.

If that weakens too far, it won’t just be the industry that feels it.

I’m writing this because I care about the sport and the people in it. Racing in Queensland still has enormous strengths – passionate participants, strong carnivals, good infrastructure in parts – but it can’t just rely on what worked 20 years ago.

If we’re prepared to adapt, open the doors wider and make some brave decisions, there’s no reason we can’t have a thriving statewide industry in another 20 years.

If we’re not, we may look back and wonder when we missed the moment.