IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published in the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS reports from his cruise ship on the waters off New Zealand that the Townsville track upgrade is about to begin and dates have been allocated to other tracks while Cluden is closed.
Butts has also been keeping a close eye on the Kiwi racing landscape and reveals some winning feature race gallopers that are eyeing riches Down Under, including the Stradbroke in Brisbane.
Here is the Butts’ column:
WHY MACKAY DIDN’T GET SOME TOWNSVILLE DATES ONLY RQ KNOWS
IT was with great relief for licensees in the north to hear the official announcement last week that work would begin on the new Cluden track – and that some Townsville race dates had been allocated to both Cairns and Home Hill.
We just hope the weather Gods were consulted!
The general expectation was that Mackay and its proven all weather track would have been the most likely alternative – but it was overlooked for reasons known only to RQ.
One hopes the Home Hill track will attract the support of off -course punters when races from the Burdekin are flashed across the nation. But there is no doubt that the choice of clubs will suit the Townsville and Cairns-based trainers .
CAIRNS AND HOME HILL TO HOST SCHEDULED MEETINGS FROM TOWNSVILLE
THIS is the official release from Racing Queensland on the issue:
RACING Queensland has announced Cairns and Home Hill will each host two scheduled Townsville meetings between January 29 and March 7 with preliminary works to begin on Cluden Park’s $7 million track upgrade immediately.
CEO Darren Condon said Racing Queensland Queensland’s operations team, in conjunction with stewards, had determined Home Hill and Cairns were best-placed to host the meetings between now and March.
Home Hill will host meetings on January 29 and March 7, while Cairns will host scheduled Townsville meetings on February 7 and February 22.
“The shift of these meetings allows preliminary works to begin immediately as we near the appointment of a contractor on the Townsville Turf Club upgrade,” Mr Condon said.
“A preferred contractor has been identified, and we will be working with them to finalise the contract, so that it can be signed and work can begin immediately after the Government’s caretaker period concludes in just over a week from now.
“These venues were deemed the most practical for the horse population in the region to travel to and from, while from a staffing perspective these two venues provided the best alternative logistically.
“With the next four meetings accounted for, our racing operations team will monitor the schedule and determine the placement of the remaining scheduled meetings.”
The upgrade includes construction of a turf track, construction of a new workshop and amenities building; and the installation of underground services to support the future development.
Mr Condon said Racing Queensland was confident of the Townsville project being delivered in time for the region’s major meetings, however progress would not be hurried if the racing surface was not ready.
“This is a significant investment in the Cluden Park precinct, which is one of our most popular North Queensland venues, and we will be ensuring the surface is 100 per cent right,” Mr Condon said.
“However, barring significant weather interruptions, our scheduling indicates racing on the surface will be achievable for the major meetings in July.
“I would like to thank the Cairns, Burdekin and Townsville clubs and our participants for their co-operation in this process.”
The new dates are as follows:
January 29 – Home Hill (Burdekin Race Club)
February 7 – Cairns
February 22nd – Cairns
March 7 - Home Hill (Burdekin Race Club (take in release).
SMART KIWI GALLOPER KAWA BEING SET FOR THE STRADBROKE
ACROSS the pond the Kiwis are already stalking the Stradbroke with a gelding named Kawa which last week took out the Anniversary Handicap at Trentham in a manner that even surprised his trainer Allan Sharrock.
It was truly a stunning performance by the son of Savabeel which Sharrock says is “still learning and does a lot of silly things”.
Kawa, the favourite, missed the start and was hopelessly locked away until the last 100m when he absolutely flew and won with ears pricked.
“I don’t want to race him too much but I haven’t ruled out the Stradbroke – though it would be better if it was run at Eagle Farm,” said the trainer of Kawa which has now won five from 11 and seems destined for many more.
SACRED STAR ON A MISSION TO ATONE FOR UNLUCKY STRADBROKE RUN
ANOTHER bound for Australia and to the stable of the unstoppable Chris Waller is last year’s QTC Cup winner Sacred Star.
His sterling victory in the Telegraph at Trentham last week suggests he may make amends in the Straddie in which he was an unlucky fifth last year.
Sacred Star, at the amazing odds of 26 to1, bolted in.
Said jockey Vinnie Colgan, who is back in NZ after a stint in Brisbane: “He just smashed them. What a run”.
MAYGROVE MIGHT EMERGE AS A CUPS CONTENDER IN THE SPRING
THE Kiwis, once a dominant force in Melbourne – particularly at Cup time – haven’t been so forceful in recent years.
But that could change.
Last weekend’s Wellington Cup winner Maygrove might just be the one to turn the tables. Or at least be a worthy competitor against the European and Asian onslaught.
A lightly raced four-year-old, Maygrove is trained by leading NZ mentor Murray Baker and an Aussie program is on the agenda.
He cruised to the lead early in the straight and blitzed them, providing Baker with his eighth Group One for the season.
COMMENTATOR CLAIMS COBULT CHANGED THE FARM LANDSCAPE IN NZ
RESPECTED racing commentator David Bradford has thrown an interesting sidelight into the Cobalt ring of controversy.
Bradford Cobalt is the very element that has long been recognised as the saviour of New Zealand farming. And that while sheep and cattle might be at serious risk, when relying on cobalt deficient pasture, horses have thrived.
“How could such a benign trace element suddenly become poised on the cusp of notoriety while Australia waits on a pending inquiry into alleged horse doping? Bradford asked.
“Well it has everything to do with the blood oxygen enhancing B12 vitamin which contains the biochemically rare element cobalt”.
He said thousands of acres of bush-sick (cobalt deprived) country in the North Island had been transformed through the use of cobalt top-dressing, drenching and stock licks.
“Production figures rocketed and so did land values.
“New Zealand’s farming landscape changed forever”, Bradford said.
So, you might say, has Melbourne’s racing landscape.
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..
