IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published in the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer, TERRY BUTTS, reports how the Member for Mackay has gone to battle with Racing Queensland accusing it of wanting to see racing in that centre fail.
Jim Pearce has pulled no punches and if RQ doesn’t act on his requests the matter will be raised with the Racing Minister and on the floor of Parliament.
Butts reports on yet another imminent disaster for RQ at Cairns. Here is his column:
PARLIAMENTARIAN FIGHTS RQ FOR THE SURVIVAL OF RACING IN MACKAY
A prominent State politician has launched a blistering attack on Racing Queensland which he claims is forcing the Mackay Turf Club to an embarrassing shut down.
Member for Mirani, Jim Pearce, says the cut back in race dates and prize money, announced recently by RQ, will be catastrophic for east coast regional racing.
In a strongly worded statement the elected member has called on RQ to urgently reconsider a decision to cut race dates by six and prize money by $600 a race.
“I will not be letting this happen without a few bloody noses on the way,” he warned.
These comments were contained in one of two statements issued by Mr Pearce in the past week – and he told this writer yesterday that he is deadly serious.
Mr Pearce has already communicated with the officers of the Racing Minister (Rockhampton-based Bill Byrne) who advised that there was no legislative powers under which the Minister could intervene.
“I respect and understand the limitations of the Government of the day to influence a Statutory Board established as the control body for the thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing codes in Queensland”.
DON’T UNDER-ESTIMATE HOW CLOSE MACKAY MP IS TO RACING MINISTER
BUT as an electorate neighbour and colleague, Jim Pearce is obviously ‘close’ to Minister Byrne.
He said cut backs in any form are not in the best interest of local economies – if our thoroughbred racing industry fails, Racing Queensland will be held responsible for the hundreds of jobs put at risk, cash flow decline across the local small business sector will inflict even more pain on an already sick economy.
“I am taking this stand for Central Queensland and I am prepared to take the issue to the floor of Parliament”.
“There is a history around the performance of the (Mackay) Turf Club and the involvement of Racing Queensland in this unfortunate situation”.
Mr Pearce said media reports last year revealed that Racing Queensland had stepped in as a guarantor for the club after it emerged that it was trading insolvent with at least a $300,000 debt.
A subsequent audit report found that the figure was much higher.
“There is no suggestion that volunteers called on to oversee the operations of the Mackay Turf Club have anything to answer for. In fact all persons have been given a formal clearance”.
Mr Pearce said in April 2014 the Chief Executive Officer at the time, Mr Graham Thornton, was reported as saying – “the club was looking at a rapid turnaround plan.”
“Despite the hopes of the Central Queensland racing industry stakeholders the plan never got off the ground. Some people are now saying it was set up to fail.
“Racing Queensland has failed to do its job as the self-appointed manager of a crisis which has gone from bad to a an absolute disaster and it must now disclose to the public why it is forcing the Mackay Turf Club to face an embarrassing shut down.
“To have any chance of a successful future the Turf Club must be supported with real actions from the control body.
“From what I now know I believe that given the opportunity and the genuine backing of Racing Queensland the club can work off the debt and again become a viable business that Mackay can be proud of.
“In fact I am prepared to do what I can to keep the horses racing at Ooralee”.
RQ CEO Darren Condon said last night Mr Pearce had been ‘ill-informed’ on the Mackay situation,
MP DISPUTES CLAIMS BY CEO THAT RQ IS WORKING CLOSE TO SAVE MTC
IN another, separate, but vicious attack on RQ released yesterday, Jim Pearce said claims by CEO Darren Condon that the control body was ‘working closely with the Mackay Turf Club to ensure its future viability’ are wrong.
“The rhetoric is not a true representation of what is happening at the race club,” he asserted.
The Member for Mirani said that while the track, gardens and surrounds are in excellent condition, care and maintenance of key infrastructure was falling well short of acceptable standards to owners and trainers.
He said the poor condition of toilet facilities upset race day patrons, the horse exercise pool pumps have failed leaving water with a putrid odour and ‘I am told that the training track inside running rail is not up to standard’.
“With RQ set to slash race dates and reduce prize money, the club is being set up to fail.
“Racing Queensland owes it to the people of Mackay to come clean, be honest with them about its agenda.”
Mr Pearce said RQ had an obligation to back Mackay, manage the business out of its troubles through consultation and co-operation.
“When RQ stepped in to take control of the club there was a debt. However, a failure to address the problems has seen that debt blow out by $250,000 to $300,000.
“I am hoping for an outcome that keeps the Mackay Turf Club racing. If we are unable to achieve this through commonsense, then I will be left with no option but to raise the matter in the Parliament where I can put all the facts out there for the public to judge,” he said.
Strong words!
ANOTHER LEADING TRAINER QUITTING MACKAY BECAUSE OF DATES CUTBACK
AND leading Mackay trainer, Lyle Wright, has publicly announced he is planning to vacate his Ooralea stables because of lack of race dates for his home track.
Wright has trained successfully in both Rockhampton and Mackay for decades and says simply it was no longer viable to cart horses to outlying centres every week.
This follows closely on the announcement by fellow trainer, Wayne Pomfrett, that he was seriously considering ‘giving the game away’.
YET ANOTHER DISASTER FOR LITTLE KING KEV – NOW CAIRNS IS UNDER SPOTLIGHT
THE situation in Cairns is also under the spotlight.
Apart from widespread rumours concerning the actual operation of the Cairns Jockey Club, there is obviously a major on-going problem with the track.
And it won’t simply just go away.
Racing Queensland has been told by Hong Kong Jockey Club track expert, Peter Semos, that there is ‘no easy fix to the problem’.
Cairns is set to race next Sunday – but obviously won’t if there is any rain. Not even if it’s only 10-15mm, judged by the track condition last week.
Last Tuesday Cairns had just 10mm of rain but according to trainer Fred Weiland ‘they couldn’t have possibly raced had it been a race day’.
Let’s hope they don’t wait until the weekend to call it off.
Surely there is a Plan B to use Innisfail or Mackay and that of course would require notice before acceptances are called on Thursday.
Should the Cairns track be closed until the problem is rectified so it can be in readiness for the winter carnival?
The band-aid approach simply hasn’t worked.
RQ CANNOT CONTINUE TO IGNORE INNISFAIL WHERE EVEN THE BACKPACKERS ARE HAPPY
INNISFAIL had more than two inches of rain on Saturday but still continued with nine races.
“It was pretty cut up at the end of the day – but they raced without incident,” said Townsville trainer, Bub Baker, who scored with his smart two-year-old All Bar None in one of the three QTIS races staged.
Seems everyone was happy (yes, even the trainers!) at Pease Park.
And a large group of back packers were bussed to the racecourse (and home) for a race day party. They had their own bar, live band and obviously had a ball.
It’s not the first time the Innisfail Turf Club has played host to backpackers at the races – and judging by the result – it won’t be the last.
Naturally, leading jock Sonya Wiseman was somewhat of an attraction to the young visitors. She was popular with punters too, with yet another winning double.
QUEENSLAND TRAINERS’ ASSOCIATION QUICKLY BECOMES MAJOR BODY
JIM Rundle, president of the newly-formed Queensland Trainers’ Association, will embark on a whistle-stop tour of the north to meet local trainers in each region.
He will meet the Townsville trainers on Sunday May 3 and later that day will be in Cairns for a meeting. Next day he will meet with Tablelands trainers at Atherton.
Rundle is on a tour to encourage trainers to join his new Association and hopes to have outspoken Mirani member Jim Pearce at the meeting with Mackay trainers later in the month.
The new Association, formed because it was felt country trainers were not getting a voice in Queensland racing affairs, has had a tremendous response and wants to meet all trainers big and small.
Rundle is not concerned with petty, personal grievances that have marred and caused the demise of earlier associations. He is seriously ready to represent trainers with the big issues that are currently fronting the industry and wants a united voice.
JIM Pearce is an interesting arrival on the scene. And he is no pushover. And he is no maiden either in racing matters.
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..
