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RQ SOLUTION TO POOR FIELD SIZES – RUN LESS RACES
PETER MAIR of SYDNEY weighs into the debate about whether running less races in Queensland next season will help boost field sizes. He writes: ‘A lead story in the subscriber-only website The Straight this week is about ‘field sizes’ Queensland …. looks to boost field sizes. Field sizes across Queensland averaged NINE in 2024-25. For optimal wagering returns, it is generally
SURPRISE STABLE RAIDS LINKED TO BEN CURRIE CONTROVERSY
IT had nothing to do with the running of Queensland’s biggest race on Saturday when stewards mounted surprise raids on stables said to be linked to controversial racing identity Ben Currie. A team from the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission is said to have seized phones of a number of licensees while one trainer in Toowoomba who refused to hand over
QUEENSLAND HAS LOST ONE OF ITS FAVORITE JOCKEYS OF YESTERYEAR
RACING followers will be sad to learn of the passing of an outstanding Queensland jockey of yesteryear in Les Harris. A star apprentice with trainer Eric Kirwan in the early 1960s, Harris would have achieved the rare feat of winning the senior jockeys’ premiership in his first season had he not broken a leg with two months to go. He
FORTUNE TELLERS ON TRACK – FULL MARKS TO BRC FOR INNOVATION
AN innovative service on Oaks Day at Eagle Farm – which we believe is a first on a major Australian race track – created much hilarity on Melbourne radio during the week. LGHR applauds the Brisbane Racing Club for allowing three Fortune Tellers to ply their trade trackside during the Group 1 meeting. By all reports it proved popular with
THIS SYNDICATION GROUP NEEDS AN ‘UPPER CUT’ FROM THE QRIC
NOT a week goes by when we don’t receive emails regarding the ‘gingerbread man’ of Queensland racing – Ben Currie, who certainly seems to have a target on his back. The latest involves a Syndication Company inviting investors to buy a share in a youngster ‘to be trained by Ben Currie’ which is somewhat difficult considering he doesn’t have a
RQ NEEDS TO STOP ‘PLAYING GAMES’ WITH TAB & NON-TAB MEETINGS
ONCE again questions are being raised whether Racing Queensland is ‘playing games’ with TAB and non-TAB race meetings. LGHR received another email from a concerned stakeholder on the Downs which reads: ‘Earlier this year I sent you a note regarding a list of Race Meetings posted by RQ that had their previous NON-TAB Status upgraded to TAB STATUS but curiously
TIME FOR RQ HEAVIES TO FOCUS ON WORK RATHER THAN SOCIALISING
‘WAS it too much to expect the rocket-scientists at RQ to have some innovative ideas when it came to producing the racing calendar for the 2026-27 season? Heaven forbid. They must have been too busy with their noses in the trough at Eagle Farm on Oaks day. As Matt Nicholls wrote in his wonderful new column on your website: ‘It
RQ SOLUTION TO POOR FIELD SIZES – RUN LESS RACES
PETER MAIR of SYDNEY weighs into the debate about whether running less races in Queensland next season will help boost field sizes. He writes: ‘A lead story in the subscriber-only website The Straight this week is about ‘field sizes’ Queensland …. looks to boost field sizes. Field sizes across Queensland averaged NINE in 2024-25. For optimal wagering returns, it is generally accepted that 12 runners is an ideal number to keep punters motivated. Talking-up a transition from ‘9 to12’ is a bit hopeful. Metropolitan field-sizes on Saturdays, the big turnover days, typically average 14 while ‘mid-week’ meetings are lucky to average
SURPRISE STABLE RAIDS LINKED TO BEN CURRIE CONTROVERSY
IT had nothing to do with the running of Queensland’s biggest race on Saturday when stewards mounted surprise raids on stables said to be linked to controversial racing identity Ben Currie. A team from the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission is said to have seized phones of a number of licensees while one trainer in Toowoomba who refused to hand over his mobile has reportedly been stood down. LGHR understands QRIC took action for two reasons: They were under mounting pressure from stakeholders, especially on the Sunshine Coast, who claim Ben Currie has been a ‘de facto’ behind-the-scenes trainer since his
QUEENSLAND HAS LOST ONE OF ITS FAVORITE JOCKEYS OF YESTERYEAR
RACING followers will be sad to learn of the passing of an outstanding Queensland jockey of yesteryear in Les Harris. A star apprentice with trainer Eric Kirwan in the early 1960s, Harris would have achieved the rare feat of winning the senior jockeys’ premiership in his first season had he not broken a leg with two months to go. He still finished second. Harris rode with great success in Sydney (for trainer Pat Murray) and later in Ireland where he won the Killarney Cup and Tipperary Cup. He returned to Queensland and rode on well into his 50s but mainly
FORTUNE TELLERS ON TRACK – FULL MARKS TO BRC FOR INNOVATION
AN innovative service on Oaks Day at Eagle Farm – which we believe is a first on a major Australian race track – created much hilarity on Melbourne radio during the week. LGHR applauds the Brisbane Racing Club for allowing three Fortune Tellers to ply their trade trackside during the Group 1 meeting. By all reports it proved popular with racegoers who could have their Tarot Cards read recommending horses to back and even what the future might hold for them. Our spies tell us that among the first to sample the service before racing had begun were BRC Chairman
THIS SYNDICATION GROUP NEEDS AN ‘UPPER CUT’ FROM THE QRIC
NOT a week goes by when we don’t receive emails regarding the ‘gingerbread man’ of Queensland racing – Ben Currie, who certainly seems to have a target on his back. The latest involves a Syndication Company inviting investors to buy a share in a youngster ‘to be trained by Ben Currie’ which is somewhat difficult considering he doesn’t have a Trainer’s License and there are unconfirmed reports that his Stablehand’s License has not been renewed. LGHR has been told that this matter has been brought to the notice of the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission by a number of stakeholders and
RQ NEEDS TO STOP ‘PLAYING GAMES’ WITH TAB & NON-TAB MEETINGS
ONCE again questions are being raised whether Racing Queensland is ‘playing games’ with TAB and non-TAB race meetings. LGHR received another email from a concerned stakeholder on the Downs which reads: ‘Earlier this year I sent you a note regarding a list of Race Meetings posted by RQ that had their previous NON-TAB Status upgraded to TAB STATUS but curiously the prizemoney levels for this list remained at NON-TAB Status. I read with interest recently in a post by one of your regular contributors, where he raised the exact same point regarding this subject as I had. You may be
