IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published in the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS reports on concerns for the future of the racing industry in country Queensland where the majority rate the current Kevin Dixon Board as no better than the one he replaced that was run by Bob Bentley.
Butts also has an update on the controversial starter’s fee proposed by Racing Queensland, to appease their ‘mates’ in the local branch – city staked – of the ATA, which has apparently hit a major hurdle and been delayed for now.
Here is the Butts’ column:
ANXIETY AMONG BREEDERS AND VENDORS ON EVE OF CENTRAL QUEENSLAND SALE
ROCKHAMPTON will host the Central Queensland yearling sales next weekend and judging by the poor averages at the recent Magic Millions QTIS Sale there is a fair amount of anxiety among breeders and vendors.
It is fair to say that the current climate within the racing industry is hardly conducive to selling thoroughbreds – as this year’s results in Queensland clearly show indicate.
And it would be true to say that the stakeholders in the game in this state are living in hope – not confidence – and it might also be stated that most of the stakeholders outside the metropolitan area at least, believe there is little difference between the current hierarchy than the one it replaced – the Bob Bentley regime.
As a poll of country racing folk would also clearly indicate.
“The two Boards are running parallel,” are the words of one former high profile racing administrator (with no political association whatsoever) in an email to this writer last week.
TOOWOOMBA HIS GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT – WHAT HOPE IS THERE FOR THE RACING MINISTER?
AND this is underlined by the comments of Racing Minister Steve Dickson in an extensive interview with The Sunday Mail at the weekend.
When asked his biggest achievement since becoming Racing Minister he declared: Toowoomba.
Poor man!
Has he no idea what people (all voters mind you) are saying about that monstrous waste of money?
CQTBA CHAIRMAN PAINTS A BRIGHT PICTURE ON QUALITY OF SALE GRADUATES
BUT let’s return to the Rockhampton sales.
Central Queensland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Chairman, Jeff Leaver, says anyone harbouring doubts about the quality of two-year-old graduates from his sale should consider the following:
“This racing season there have been eight individual two-year-old winners that have come through last year’s sale, No Problem, Looks Like The Cat, Helarocity, Our Neddy Boy, Pretty Kitty, Razandies Jester, Maximum Ferocity and Born To Fire.
“If you take the Craiglea factor out of the two-year-old race results in Central Queensland this season then our horses have been far and away more successful than any other sale graduates, on an individual or a combined basis.
“This has come about quite simply due to a better quality yearling being offered,” Leaver asserted.
“Pedigree, type, rearing and preparation of many of our yearlings have shown considerable improvement in recent times and that is being clearly shown in racetrack performance.
“Look at the score board,” he urged, adding, “and our yearlings don’t cost a fortune either”.
“The CYS average is normally around 50 per cent of the Magic Million’s March Sale average, giving buyers a genuine chance to bag a bargain.
“In fact if you look at the average price of our eight winning two-year-olds above it is under $11,000, three of them sold for only $5,000”.
Leaver said that with the QTIS bonuses for two and three-year-olds and an exclusive opportunity to qualify for $150,000 in prize-money and bonuses for CYS graduates ‘it simply makes more sense for owners looking to race in Central Queensland to buy at our sale’.
“Of course if you want a metropolitan winner then we can accommodate you as well.
“No Problem and Looks Like The Cat, sold for $24,000 and $14,000 respectively, are two of the better 2YOs to race this season in Brisbane and our sale star performer in River Lad was passed in at $4,000.”
‘TELL ME A STORY’ THE LATEST HIT FROM THE RQ ‘DIXIELAND QUINTET’
LONG-TIME greyhound campaigner, Jim Carlton, has joined the chorus of disgruntled industry followers and likens administrators to the old Frankie Lane hit of yesteryear ‘Tell Me A Story’.
“It’s about time we let the industry know in a positive way just how we feel,” he wrote.
“It might not do us much good but a good scream feels great particularly if we do it before the end of June and again in a week of the next election
“We have been snubbed on Product Co, no consultation, no publication of how the distribution is reached, treated as village idiots in a deal shrouded in confidentiality causes.
“The arrangement is definitely an UNFAIR CONTRACT,” said Jim.
BATTLE BETWEEN CITY AND COUNTRY ON WORKCOVER IS FAR FROM OVER
ROCKHAMPTON-based president of the Central Queensland Trainers’ Association, Jim Rundle, says the battle between city and country trainers over WorkCover is far from settled.
Racing Queensland has taken up the cudgel on behalf of city trainers who claimed WorkCover was costing them too much.
The ‘boys in town’ want RQ to charge a starting fee for each horse which would be then used to pay the WorkCover costs of each trainer.
Of course it suits the big boys with the big strings and the big WorkCover premiums.
But the country trainers claim they will be totally disadvantaged and Jim Rundle and his members have mounted a strenuous campaign against the proposal.
Initially the new plan was to be in vogue on April 1 – but trainers throughout the state will be notified this week that the starting date has been deferred to July 1, and there are those who are wondering why.
CONDON LIVING IN DREAMLAND IF HE BELIEVES THERE IS NO HICCUP WITH WORKCOVER
RQ CEO Darren Condon assures me that RQ is still in negotiations for the ‘fairest outcome’ and denies there is any hiccup with WorkCover over the implementation of the starter’s fee to pay for the trainers’ premiums.
Obviously there is no consideration for the owner-trainers of the country.
Trainers in the big smoke will likely pass the extra $35 fee on to owners. There are trainers who do not employ any staff, and do not pay WorkCover, relying on family and friends to help out.
They, too, will be disadvantaged to suit the big guns.
Is that fair? They ask.
Latest on the issue, apart from the deferment, is that Jim Rundle wants to make a submission – and RQ has agreed to accept it so long as it is received by the end of the month.
The RQ deal is that they pay the WorkCover payments for all trainers from the money collected in starting fees.
SOME OF THOSE TAKING NO NOTICE OF THIS COLUMN CAN’T READ ANYHOW
THERE have been some interesting statements made by various people during the debate.
One was a statement that RQ wasn’t interested in the Rockhampton branch. They only want to deal with the Queensland branch of the Australian Trainers’ Association (which many claim is far from representative of the training fraternity in this state).
And who is the ATA (Brisbane) spokesman who told Townsville trainer Ray Long that changes are necessary because ‘country trainers were rorting the system’?
Oh and the one who told Jim Rundle that RQ takes no notice of what is written in this column on the subject.
Well, at least they read it - or does someone read it to them?
SURELY STORIES OF HALL OF FAME INDUCTION ARE APRIL FOOL’S DAY JOKE
AND while on the subject of who said what.
Have you heard who has been recommended or is to be nominated for induction into the Hall of Fame?
Can’t identify him in fear you’ll choke on your cornflakes but courtesy of the website here's a hint: He’s five foot nothing and has a glass jaw.
Surely THAT rumour is wrong.
IS THE STRATHAYR TRACK A STEP CLOSER FOR CLUDEN – ONE WOULD HOPE SO!
AND just who were those blokes walking the course proper at Cluden last week in the company of big chief Kevin O’Keefe?
My spies tell me they were none other than the boys from StrathAyr (the super duper track specialists) and we can only wonder how long now before they lay the much needed magic turf on the most used track in provincial Queensland.
While millions, many millions has been spent on Rockhampton, Cairns and Mackay in the last five years (not to mention the joke in Toowoomba in the south), Townsville, the recognised hub of racing in North Queensland, has been snubbed.
There is no other word for it.
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.
