THE proposal of  a cash injection into all three racing codes, from a cash-strapped Labor Party, has alarm bells ringing for Shadow Tourism, Fair Trading & Racing Minister Ray Stevens.

“It seems to me this fanciful move to amalgamate the three completely different racing codes into one board, under the current Chairman of Thoroughbred Racing Bob Bentley, is more about extending Mr Bentley’s reign over racing, which currently ends next year, for another five years under the new board proposal”, Mr Stevens said.

“When was the last time Minister Lawlor said anything about racing, other than to say don’t ask me, it’s Bob Bentley’s problem!” Mr Stevens said.

“A combined new Board will be dominated by thoroughbred interests and will lead to more in-fighting over who gets what as a share of the spoils than is currently the case in both the thoroughbred and greyhound industries”, Mr Stevens explained.

Who will address the woeful racing facilities in Brisbane under this new Board and who will get the lions share, or should that be the Bentley share, of the extra allocation promised by a Labor Government, to be spread across all three codes like a thin coat of vegemite”, Mr Stevens explained.

If it looks like a trojan horse to divide and conquer, if it smells like a red-hot rort from sulky participants and howls like an industry that has been sold a pup, then it must be a Labor Party con job to cover up their massive failings to owners, trainers, jockeys, stable hands, drivers, strappers and all industry supporters and participants in all three codes”, Mr Stevens concluded.