IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published in the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS reports on a Supreme Court decision that could well decide the future of injured North Queensland jockey Ian Toward.

He also questions where the Townsville meetings will be transferred to when the Cluden track is finally closed for its much-awaited upgrade later this month.

Here is the Butts’ column:

SUPREME COURT DECISION COULD DECIDE THE FATE OF JOCKEY IAN TOWARD

TO say that Tablelands jockey Ian Toward has been to hell and back over the past 12 months would be an understatement. And the jockey who has been in the top 10 in North Queensland for many years is still not out of mire.

After surgery on his knees and bouts of Golden Staph and Strep G that he contracted in Cairns Hospital that almost cost him his leg, Ian is now waiting anxiously for a decision by a Queensland Supreme Court judge that will possibly decide his future.

Because it is an on-going matter before the courts we can’t comment.

The appeal, heard last Monday, was lodged by Q-comp against an Industrial Court decision that Toward won against WorkCover, which earlier this year had rejected his application for a hip replacement.

It all stems from an incident at the starting gates at Innisfail in 2004.

Q-Comp is appealing that decision.

NO WORD ON CLUDEN TRANSFERS WHEN TRACK IS CLOSE FOR UPGRADE

STILL no word as to where the Townsville race meetings will be transferred after the Cluden track is closed for upgrade later this month.

At this stage we believe Townsville will conduct its last meeting on the century-old Cluden turf on Saturday – but no word yet on the November 21 and 28 dates.

There was talk early that the meetings would be shared between Cairns and Mackay but that might depend on the state of the Cannon Park track which provided reasons for concern during the recent Cairns Cup and FNQ Amateur meetings.

It is an understatement that RQ hierarchy - who were in attendance at the Amateurs - were less than impressed.

On Cup day Mark Pegus came down on the well fancied Greg Wehlow runner Sergeant Shriver and is still nursing a fractured arm that forced him out of the Melbourne spring carnival. In fact he starts riding work this week - and says he is certainly is in no hurry to return to Cairns.

And trainer Wehlow has vowed not to run a horse on the track (in its current state) ever again.

In fact Wehlow hasn’t had a starter since Amateurs day and this week takes his team to Rockhampton. He is highly critical of the track…and has good reason.

Shane Pawsey came down on another Wehlow runner Taranus at the amateurs - virtually in the same spot that Pegasus came to grief. He maintains his mount simply lost its footing and was going down when it clipped the heels of another mount. He is adamant the incident was caused by the track surface – not the other horse – but stewards have yet to finalise their inquiry.

Interestingly, Sergeant Shriver won its next start and Taranus was an unlucky second at Townsville.

CAIRNS TRACK BACK IN RACING MODE BUT NOT EVERYONE IS HAPPY

MEANWHILE, after another swift repair job the Cairns track is back in racing mode though every licensee is conscious of the problem section near the 700m.

“It’s Ok at the moment but there hasn’t been any rain either,” said a licensee who of course doesn’t want to be named in fear of retribution.

“But It should be remembered too, that a false rail was used on the very first day the track was reopened after the upgrade – so the problem didn’t arise overnight,” he added.

It’s a shame really because after all the money that was spent on Cannon Park to get it from a goat track to one, described by jockeys as ‘one of the best’ in the state – except for that area near the 700m.

Most believe it is a maintenance issue and it seems that the club is addressing that with rumour a new track manager could be appointed.

We wonder if that was the guy inspecting machinery and taking soil tests of the track last week.

It seems logical that Cairns should at least share some of the Townsville TAB dates with Mackay because of the horse numbers both on track and in the area.

It is a long haul from Cairns to Mackay. And of course that raises the question of rebates.

When Mackay closed for its upgrade RQ offered rebates for Mackay-trained horses to travel to either Rockhampton or Townsville.

Will the same apply to Townsville gallopers?

Surely!

MACKAY still doesn’t have a CEO since the sudden departure of Ben Michelmore last month and there is no sign of applications for his replacement.

“Don’t know,” was the answer from RQ chief Darren Condon.

EVEN THE LADIES IN COOKTOWN ARE SIGNING ABOUT GREG’S NAGS

THE COOKTOWN ladies sing this song:

Doo-da, Doo-da

The Cooktown racetrack's one mile long

Oh, de doo-da day….

Goin' to run all night

Goin' to run all day

I bet my money on Wehlow’s nag…..

Yes and they played all day and they played all night… at Cooktown (with apologies to Camptown) on Saturday and Wehlow’s nag Liberty’s Magic duly won the Cup – his second in succession.

The only surprise was the price - a generous $3.

Karyn Smith who led the tour again this year from Cairns to Cooktown aboard the Island Magic reports a ‘bumper day’.

“Everyone just loved it and we have already been inundated with requests for tickets on the catamaran for next year.

“They danced all the way home from the races - from 7pm to 10pm - the band played non-stop.

We had an absolute ball,” she said.

Good one!

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.