CAMERON IS SET TO QUIT - GCTC HEAD-HUNTING SCOTT WHITEMAN?

THE Brisbane Sunday Mail Turf Editor Bart Sinclair may have jumped the gun when he reported that Gold Coast Turf Club chief executive officer, John Cameron, had resigned but if he could tip winners with the same accuracy punters would be millionaires.

Cameron has advised that he has NOT YET LEFT THE CLUB but he's odds-on to go in the next few days. A director of the club was reportedly head-hunting a replacement in Victoria the week before the new committee had even won power.

So confident of victory was the Racing First Party, spearheaded by new chairman Andrew Eggleston, that former GCTC CEO, Scott Whiteman, was reportedly approached in Melbourne on the Friday before the annual general meeting.

The mail is strong that Steve Hawkins, new Treasurer of the club and a long-time friend of Whiteman, sounded out the new CEO of Country Racing Victoria at the Thoroughbred Club luncheon at Caulfield.

In the wake of the over-throw of his major supporter, GCTC chairman, Hoss Heinrich, Cameron looks certain to be dumped. The former Moonee Valley CEO has only been in the job for a little over a year.

Whiteman left the GCTC to take up his Victorian role in May 2006 and during a recent visit to the Gold Coast admitted that one day he would like to return but those close say he didn’t expect an opportunity to arise this soon. If he can be enticed north it would be a bonus for Queensland Racing but the appointment of an executive of his experience and ability would not come cheaply for the club.

New GCTC chairman Andrew Eggleston told Pat McLeod of the Gold Coast Bulletin that he is confident of leading a united Board despite last Thursday's AGM coup. "Of course this is a workable Board. That will not be the issue here," he said.

As McLeod reported ‘others may take longer to convince with the 2,500-strong membership still reeling from club elections which resulted in Hoss Heinrich losing the top job, deputy chairman Larry Klinge losing his position on the Board and the Board's only female member, Yvonne Smith, being overthrown as treasurer. Both Heinrich and Smith remain on the Board.

The Gold Coast Bulletin reports: ‘Allies of Mr Eggleston, Brett Cook (deputy chairman) and Steve Hawkins (treasurer), have been elevated. Mike McCabe and newly-appointed committee member Jeff Garrett also are in the Eggleston camp, giving that faction a five-four majority on the Board.

“We have to look to the future now,” said Mr Eggleston. “In a couple of weeks this will all be behind us.”

He acknowledged, however, that wounds from a bitter election campaign might take time to heal. “There might have been a few personality attacks during the election, which I will say I did not get involved in,” he said. “I did not mention any candidates. We had a ticket and that was as far as it went.

“There were personal attacks and they did come from the other side of the fence. So I can keep my chin up about that.”

Eggleston, 45, who has been a member of the GCTC for more than 20 years and a Board member for two years, said his decision to shoot for the top job had come out of concerns for the club's future.

He told the Bulletin: “This club has recorded two financial year losses, and has budgeted for a loss again this year. Being a businessman, it is hard to sit back and I would not be doing my job as a board member if I did not have concerns.

“I believed there had to be changes made for the benefit of the club and that is exactly what has happened. I think that what we have got at the moment is a lot broader avenue across the board as far as balance goes and the club will definitely benefit from it.”

Mr Eggleston told the Bulletin there would be changes when the full Board met on Tuesday. He said one of his initiatives would be to make the club more attractive to the younger generation.

“They are the future of the club,” he said. “We need to get them in with more special days themed specifically for them.:

He said he would also fight for a track revamp, increased prizemoney, more metropolitan race days, night meetings and a closer relationship with Magic Millions.