IN his widely read column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published by the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS reports on a letter  written by Sunshine Coast Turf Club Chairman, Don Jackson, to Racing Queensland protesting the lack of consultation and transparency before the announcement of proposed TAB dates for next season.

The SCTC, which pioneered Sunday racing when no other club wanted it, has been deprived of an amazing 35 Sunday meetings, many of which have gone to Toowoomba and will be run on the safety questionable inner track which many consider will not appeal to punters.

Butts also reveals how the Sunshine Coast has lost Easter Sunday which has gone to – of all places - Bowen – and will race instead on Easter Monday next year when the club feels the majority of potential visiting race-goers will be packing up to return home after the long holiday weekend.

Here is the Butts column:

 

 HOTTEST TOPIC IS SUNSHINE COAST PROTEST LETTER OVER RACE DATE CHANGES

 THE HOTTEST topic this week is the seven page letter from the Sunshine Coast Turf Club to Racing Queensland protesting the proposed race dates.

 My sources on the Sunshine Coast managed to sneak me a copy and, really, it is a document that the current and or future generals of RQ can ill-afford to ignore – well certainly not those who put the final seal on race dates in this State.

 The Chairman of the SCTC, the highly-respected business identity, Don Jackson, has been scathing in his attack on the proposals that will see Corbould Park lose 35 Sunday race dates (reducing its total from 49 to 14).

 Worse still,  he points out the main  beneficiary will be Toowoomba which will – wait for it – be racing on the inner track on Sundays while their new strathayr track (some will say ill-gotten) is being installed.

 Caloundra will race as a twilight fixture on Saturday nights.

 It beggar’s belief!

 

NO CONSULTATION OR TRANSPARENT PROCESS AND ALLEGATIONS OF FAVORITISM

 IN his opening salvo to RQ, SCTC chairman Jackson says: “With the change of administration of RQ we were assured that major decisions would be transparent and a consultation process followed.

 “There has been no consultation with the SCTC nor with the relative Owners, Trainers or Jockeys’ Associations which I am sure these proposed changes will have a huge impact on.”

 Mr Jackson continued: “It is of grave concern the schedule is revolving around Toowoomba who elected after a vote of its members in 2009 to install a cushion track.

 “They now have elected of their own volition to go back to a grass track. The impact the proposed date schedule will have on the racing industry in Queensland will be catastrophic,”

 He said it would have a substantial impact on Caloundra which has spent years on developing a Sunday racing market that ‘nobody wanted.’

 “We are also concerned about the impact on our SKY agreement, particularly the overseas content of that agreement.”

 Mr Jackson said of particular concern was the effect these date changes will have on current and future sponsorship dollars.

 
 HOW COULD THE RQ BRAINS-TRUS POSSIBLY GIVE THE EASTER SUNDAY TAB DATE TO BOWEN?

 APART from the transfer of some dates to the inner surface at Toowoomba, other clubs to benefit from the Sunday date changes proposed are Townsville, Lockyer, Dalby, Warwick, Kilcoy, Cairns and Bowen.

 Yes, Bowen has got the Easter Sunday stand-alone TAB meeting. Sunshine Coast will race on Easter Monday – the day the tourists and holiday-makers pack and return home, according to Mr Jackson.

 For Bowen to have a Sunday date is a great coup for the club and has the potential to attract visitors from the nearby Whitsunday Islands.

 But let’s be realistic. Bowen has NO grandstand, limited public facilities and ONE single tote that struggles to handle the crowd on ordinary race days.

 There have been problems in the past with photo finish results (its best to win by half a length to be sure according to one leading Townsville trainer) and at one recent meeting stewards met with a deputation of disgruntled jockeys who wanted a guarantee there would be competent staff at the starting gates and a competent clerk of the course at future meetings.

 There are minimal standards required for the conduct of TAB meetings and one has to question whether all of the clubs earmarked for stand-alone Sunday meetings would qualify.

 Besides, what is wrong with the Sunshine Coast and Bowen both racing on the same Sunday? Obviously nothing!

 And another thing – do you really think Caloundra regulars Michael Cahill, Larry Cassidy, Jim Byrne, Chris Munce and others of their ilk will head to Bowen, Dalby or the Toowoomba inner (already under a cloud safety wise) tracks on Sundays?

 Yeah, right!

 

TRAGIC DEATH OF RESPECTED BLOODSTOCK OWNER AT SALE RACES

 THE recent sudden death of Melbourne bloodstock agent Bryan Muschialli at the races on Australia Day weekend is the most melancholic moment thus far in this new racing year.

Bryan (80), known all over the country as a genuine, reliable and above all honest agent in a world where such superlatives are seldom used, fell from the grandstand at Sale racecourse while experiencing the thrill of another win by one of his horses. It was to be his last.

 Apparently he missed the step as he was heading down to celebrations in the winner’s enclosure. According to a witness he lost his footing fell on the concrete floor inflicting massive head injuries.

 He died before reaching hospital.

 Mr Muschialli was the trusted agent by many thoroughbred buyers in the remote and country areas of Australia. He had a long list of clients in Queensland, the Northern Territory and WA. He was also highly respected internationally and exported hundreds of horses to overseas buyers in a career that lasted almost 60 years.

 His brother Frank was a former Melbourne trainer, and Bryan raced many, many horses over the years including his last winner at Sale, the rather ironically named Lucks a Fortune, no doubt by Bryan – it was one of his treasured sayings

 RIP old mate!

 

 AS TOWNSVILLE OWNER HAS DISCOVERED AGENTS AREN’T ALL AS HONEST AS MUSCHIALLI

.NOT so lucky is the Townville owner who bought a new horse through a Sydney-based agent and his still waiting its arrival.

 He paid for the Melbourne trained four year old two weeks ago. A float was sent by the agent to pick the horse up but the trainer refused to load it.

 For the simple reason it hadn’t been paid for.

 The bloodstock agent then apparently abused the trainer after she refused to accept his promise that he would ‘fix it up.’

 Suffice to say the Townsville owner is somewhat ‘browned off.’ He parted with his hard-earned ($13,000) and still has no horse.

 You can safely bet it wouldn’t have happened under the Bryan Muschialli flag.

 
 THINGS CONTINUE TO GO FROM BAD TO WORSE IN MACKAY RACING

 THINGS just go from bad to worse in Mackay.

 Granted, the meeting last Thursday was a last minute switch from Rockhampton where Callaghan Park was already victim of the flood waters.

It was a worthy decision to relocate. But the response was unfortunately poor and, of course, that’s no fault of the Mackay Turf Club.

 The quadrella must be a record low for Queensland if not the country - $15 one favorite was actually beaten in one of the legs.

 It indicates how lacklustre the meeting was from a punting viewpoint and you must wonder ‘what next?’

 Adding further concern for the future of the embattled club is the decision by leading local trainer Stuart Kendrick to set up a satellite stable in Brisbane.

 And is the other rumor right?

 My old mate Drew Crouch, a former Ooralea trainer of some repute, and best remembered for his well documented stoushes with officialdom is said to be making a comeback.

 Well he has been spotted in all the right places lately, apart from his swank and successful coffee shop in downtown Mackay.

 Look out!

 

COLUMN COURTESY OF TERRY BUTTS AND THE NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, one of Australia's leading rural newspapers.

TERRY BUTTS can be contacted by e-mailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.