RUDDERLESS, BROKE & AN INVISIBLE CHAIRMAN – THE NEWLOOK RQ 

MANY stakeholders fear that Racing Queensland is rudderless, broke and has a new Chairman that they call the ‘invisible man’.

No doubt ‘Tin Whistle Timmy’ and his chosen one, ‘M & M Matt’, will be front and centre when the Queensland carnival gets underway in a few weeks’ time. And no doubt their ‘water boy’, the Minister’s old school buddy, will be hot on their heels.

But will the industry be any closer to learning what Mary Collier has suggested after studying the recommendations of the Racing Review, which of these will be implemented and when (no doubt dependent on costs) or whether the industry will continue to spiral downhill like an out-of-control roller-coaster?

By then the bike riding Interim CEO should be back from his Tour De France, freshened and ready to be at the beckon call of his new boss, ‘M & M Matt’, who sees a future in this bloke that few others in the industry do.

It seems that McGrath doesn’t agree ‘there’s something about Mary’ as a good fit for the job she should fill as CEO – critics say too much knowledge about racing for his liking – and not the same Degree in Corporate Bookmaking that ‘Lachy’ boasts.

As part of the replacement of QRIC as we know it, a senior wagering role will be established to ensure appropriate oversight of betting activity. The Review claims this elevated position will strengthen the ability to identify and address potential breaches and ensure confidence in wagering systems.

That sounds perfect for Lachlan Murray – not out of his depth like he is as Interim CEO – and the added bonus would be he could protect the interests of his mates (and those of Chairman Matt) in the corporate bookmaking community. There the ones M & M had the Minister’s support to reduce Point of Consumption Tax for until Mander’s Ministerial colleagues stepped in and said ‘enough is enough’.

With big changes ahead for these slimy, slippery corporates, the Federal Government has announced big changes to gambling advertising. From next January, gambling ads in stadiums, on jerseys, during commentary, on the radio around school pick-up and drop-off time and online will be banned to protect underage Australians.

TV advertising will be restricted. Adults will be able to opt-out of online ads and the use of celebrities and sports stars to promote gambling will be banned. 

Evidence shows that advertising encourages people to bet for the first time, bet more than usual, and engage in riskier betting. Surveys by sporting codes have consistently found that the vast majority of Aussies want gambling advertising in sport restricted.

The sooner we get a National Tote in Australia the better because if the Government isn’t able to control the growth of corporate bookies – let alone ban them altogether – the punters will continue to be robbed blind and the industry will lose hundreds of millions to these parasites.

 

IS BRAD STEELE BEING CONSIDERED AS THE NEW CEO OF RQ? 

IF Mary Collier has been relegated to the reject bin as a prospective CEO of Racing Queensland, here’s hoping the rumours about Brad Steele, who has just resigned as CEO of NZ Harness Racing to take up a job back in Oz, are right.

As a former popular RQ Board Director, who resigned alongside his mate Barry Taylor, in protest at a perceived ‘dud’ TAB deal that then Chairman Kevin Dixon pushed through, Steele would make an ideal CEO and has more background in business, harness racing and gallops than the interim Lachlan Murray could arguably ever hope to have.

Some say Steele would be subservient to King Kev Seymour but is that a bad thing? After all isn’t that what pollies of both parties have been for years?

Of course Seymour wants to protect his interests as the biggest stakeholder in the Queensland TAB especially with positive moves toward a National Tote which is desperately needed to battle unscrupulous corporate bookmakers.

Who would blame him?

 

HERE’S HOW ONE OF OUR CONTRIBUTORS SUMS UP RQ SITUATION

ONE of our regular contributors recently wrote: 

'WHEN do we see what Mary Collier has produced (from the Racing Review recommendations)?

The industry can’t wait to see the proposed plan (for the industry) that is supposed to take us all forward.

Will it fix the scratchings issue, jockey shortages, costs and racing outside of SE Queensland. We need a National Tote and to get rid of most of the 150-plus corporate 'thiefs' who are costing the industry too much money under Point of Consumption Tax.

We do not need someone too close to corporate bookies running Racing Queensland. ENTAIN has been smart positioning key people in different parts of the industry but this has been allowed to happen by the Government and RQ Board.

The industry doesn’t need more people on Boards etc – it just needs the right people and good process around decision making.

All Queensland racing has seen in over 18 months since the new Minister arrived is a glossy booklet and a promise to the Brisbane Racing Club of help funding a new grandstand when no-one goes to the races outside Carnival time. Remember the day that Black Caviar attracted 25,000 fans?

We need to modernize the product around reality. We have had many other reports over a decade that really mirrored the current one. Little has resulted, so it must be too hard.'

 

WHO'S RUNNING RQ IN THE ABSENCE OF THOSE WHO SHOULD?

WHO is running racing in Queensland in the absence of the Interim CEO (overseas until the end of the month) and a new Sydney-based Chairman who stakeholders say has rarely been sighted in the north since his appointment?

The story goes that RQ is broke – that’s the reason we haven’t seen a Petrol Subsidy for stakeholders – like has happened in other States. Brisbane has had eight and nine races at the main Saturday meeting in recent weeks while the southern States and even Adelaide have boasted 10.

Only a few weeks out from the Carnival launch and the major metropolitan meeting in Queensland has resembled a midweek one. Even the head honchos of the BRC were absent last Saturday - in Sydney to watch the Chairman’s horse score a Group 1 upset in the Sydney Cup and who could blame them?

 

INSTEAD OF SPIN-DOCTORING FIASCO, APPOINT AN ADMINISTRATOR 

THE ‘spin doctoring’ of the fiasco that caused the big Rockhampton Capricornia Sales meeting to be transferred from last Saturday to Sunday has won few friends in the industry.

Someone at the club was telling big ‘porkies’ to QRIC when they suggested the track was a Good 4 on Saturday morning. When the Stewards arrived a few hours later a section at the top of the straight was so Heavy it was too dangerous to race on.

Those at the Rockhampton Jockey Club who suggested no sprinklers were left on overnight to damage that section of the track were quickly found out when a photograph (attached courtesy of peterprofit.com) was produced, taken the night before at the Calcutta which clearly showed the sprinklers full blast in the background.

Then they tried to alibi the ‘lies’ by suggesting the problem was caused by a damaged piece of equipment – that looked like it had been produced from Noah’s Arc.

Full marks to those who moved heaven and earth to stage the meeting on the Sunday – albeit an early start and rapid racing – but it still enabled the big prizemoney to be distributed and the sales to proceed later. Pity the corporates didn't jump aboard refusing to post prices until a half hour before the first. 

What didn’t sit well with critics was the continued spin-doctoring of the situation. Here’s what one contributor had to say:

‘We are told that Brolga and the Bike Rider are good drinking buddies. The race caller’s defence of what happened that caused the meeting to be postponed was finger down the throat stuff.’

So many things continue to happen in racing in Rockhampton that any Board worth its salt would appoint an Administrator to investigate.

But we’re talking about RQ where the show is run by an ‘invisible’ Sydneysider and one of the Racing Minister’s old school buddies.

God help us!

  

NICHOLLS JOINS LGHR ON VOLUNTARY BASIS WITH WEEKLY COLUMN

WONDERFUL NEWS for readers of LGHR. MATT NICHOLLS, best known for his stories in the North-West Weekly, has offered to write a weekly article or column for OUR WEBSITE on a voluntary basis. We are more than delighted as this will allow MATT to continue his love affair with bush racing in Queensland. Here is his first contribution:

SYDNEY SUBURBAN GIRL TRAINING WINNERS IN QUEENSLAND DUST 

WHEN Monique Gavin saddled up her first winner in 2022 – more than 600km from her training base in Cunnamulla – the moment meant everything. Looking back now, she admits she can hardly believe it happened.

“I look back at myself and wonder how I got that win, if I was to be completely honest,” the 30-year-old trainer said of her debut victory with The Sabbath at Barcaldine on October 29, 2022.

Gavin (pictured after her winning double at Noorama last Saturday) said her early days in racing were heavily influenced by traditional training methods she learned while working under veteran horseman Tim Higgins.

“I got taught a lot of things from a very old school trainer, and he was very old school in making his own feeds and didn't really use many supplements and didn't use certain vitamins and electrolytes,” she said.

Since then, Gavin has adapted her approach as she’s gained more experience and access to modern feeding and training methods.

“Today you can literally buy everything you need in a premade feed, and there're so many options out there,” she said.

Looking back at those early days, she said her program now looks very different.

“I still look back at myself when I first started and I shake my head and think, how did I manage to get those winners considering I was doing hardly anything to what I'm doing now,” she said.

“Now it's fast work on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and gallops on Saturdays if we're not racing.”

Four years into her career, Gavin is steadily building a stable in one of the most remote pockets of Queensland.

She's a long way from home.

“I literally come from Sydney; I grew up in the suburbs,” she said. “So there were no horses around me. I didn't have any association with horses before coming out here.”

Gavin first arrived in Cunnamulla through a family connection with no intention of staying long-term. But a chance opportunity with Higgins changed everything.

“He asked me one day if I could come and give him a hand with some foals that he had bred, and pretty much from there on, he said, ‘If I teach you how to ride, can you come and help me?’”

She spent five years working as a stable-hand before Higgins encouraged her to take the next step. “He said, ‘I've had enough now. If you want to train, you'll have to get your own licence.’”

Starting from scratch, Gavin built her operation piece by piece. While renting, she constructed portable stables and began with just three horses – two racehorses and her old pony club horse. Eventually, she purchased a home on a one-acre block in Cunnamulla to expand her setup.

“I ended up building six stables and I'm currently in the middle of building another four,” she said.

Gavin now has a dozen horses in work – a significant achievement given she is the only trainer within a 200km radius. While facilities are basic, she utilises a sand track at Higgins’ property nearby.

“That sand is all I know, really,” she said. “I’ve learned that the best way to get them fit is in that sand.”

The results are starting to follow. Gavin has now trained close to 30 winners, recently celebrating a standout day with two winners and multiple placings at Noorama, located 100km from her base.

(Photograph shows part of the crowd of around 300 who attended last Saturday's Noorama meeting, which was good considering that diesel is in excess of $3.50/litre out west and most travelled long distances to be there).

“It's cloud nine,” Gavin said of being named trainer-of-the-day.

“You have a bit of pressure on yourself, knowing there's a lot of people watching… but getting trainer of the day was really one of those highlights. It makes them realise that a lot of blood, sweat and tears go into it. It's not just a hobby, it's actually a lifestyle.”

Operating in such isolation requires extreme resourcefulness. Her partner, Pete, even learned how to shoe horses to reduce reliance on visiting farriers.

“He saw what we were paying the farrier, and he went, ‘I think I can give this a go,’” she said. “Tim Higgins taught Pete how to do it, and now he does an absolutely brilliant job.”

Access to veterinary services remains a hurdle, with the nearest specialists hours away.

“The closest vet is Charleville, and they're not equine vets either,” she said. “We've either had to rush them down to Toowoomba or across to Roma… you've got to learn everything yourself. I think I've got every supply you could possibly think of for first aid.”

THE RISING COST OF THE ROAD

THE biggest pressure facing bush trainers right now is the cost of travel, particularly with soaring fuel prices.

“The other day, we went to Roma... we took four horses over. None of them ran a place, and that day ended up costing $850,” Monique said. “And we got nothing back for that.”

Gavin believes the situation is stark when compared with the New South Wales border. Aside from Noorama and Charleville, the next closest track is Bourke in Outback NSW, about 250km away. Gavin noted that Racing NSW initiatives, such as appearance fees and travel subsidies, highlight the difference in support.

"They pay down to eighth and they also pay you an appearance fee,” she said. “If you take 10 horses and all of them run dead last, you're still walking away with $1,500 just for showing up.”

Additionally, NSW trainers travelling significant distances now receive a $200 fuel initiative. For those in remote regions, Gavin said those measures would take the pressure off.

Despite the financial strain, the young trainer remains committed to bush race meetings because of their community importance.

“It's a huge event for people in town because it gives them something to do,” she said. “It gives them a reason to dress up and have a bit of fun. Without us going to the meetings, these meetings won't happen. They need us as much as we need them.”

Beyond the racing, Gavin emphasises the social value.

“It's a big thing for mental health as well. Living in these small towns, it can get a bit depressing. At the races, everyone just seems to be getting on with everyone. It'd be such a shame to see them go.”

DREAMING OF CITY WINS

WHILE Cunnamulla is home, Gavin still harbours ambitions for the provincial and metropolitan circuits.

“Oh, 100 per cent,” she said. “If it wasn’t for the cost of things... I would love to be somewhere like Toowoomba or even Warwick – somewhere still a bit rural, but with access to the metros.”

For now, the affordability of the Outback keeps her grounded. “I bought a three-bedroom house here on an acre for $150,000,” she said. “You're not going to find that anywhere else.”

Gavin believes the steady growth of her stable will eventually open new doors.

“I’m slowly building and getting more owners and some nice horses,” she said.

“Even just a winner at Toowoomba would be my next on the to-do list.”

 

KELLY TO BE REPLACED BY BIRCH – THEY HAVE TO BE KIDDING! 

THE mail is strong that one of the best stewards in the world, KIM KELLY, will soon be shown the door as DEPUTY COMMISSIONER of the QUEENSLAND RACING INTEGRITY COMMISSION which is set to be dismantled by the LNP Government.

Story goes the new role of COMMISSIONER of STEWARDING will see WADE BIRCH, who reportedly now works outside the racing industry, make a controversial comeback to Queensland Racing.

If this is correct – and our mail comes from a well-informed Government source – then Birch will have completed the full circle having seen his services as Chief Steward controversially dispensed with when he was thrown under the bus in the wake of the greyhound live baiting fiasco of 2016.

The question being asked by those hearing these reports is: How could any Racing Minister of any political party who was remotely interested in integrity dispense with the services of an internationally renowned steward with the CV of Kelly?

Perhaps Kelly doesn't like the way they would want him to do the job and the lack of separation of powers under the new Governnance model. 

Critics of Birch say there is no comparison between experience and ability when comparing him to Kelly. They are also highlighting the ‘baggage’ that Birch would bring to the job – headed by his close association with Steve Fletcher, one of Australia’s biggest punters who, in 2017, was charged with a string of fraud offences over his alleged use of police officers’ betting accounts to hide his gambling activities.

LGHR would never put Birch in the same league as Kelly when it comes to stewarding but we still believe he is a lost talent to racing. The problem is the last time he was Chairman of Stewards in Queensland the then Chairman Kevin Dixon spent too much of his time at RQ HQ’s in Birch’s office. The then CEO Darren Condon, a popular figure in the industry, tried to counsel Dixon that it wasn’t a good look. Condon was another thrown under the bus before Dixon and his entire Board were sacked by the then Government in the wake of the 2105 live baiting controversy.

 

'UGLY’ FEEDBACK FROM THOSE WHO HAVE HEARD THE RUMOURS

Here are some of the comments we have received as the news of a Birch revival has started to filter to the industry:

‘There will be plenty of trainers and jockeys throwing a party when they learn that the steward they admire most, Wade Birch, will be returning. Who can forget the days when he was working his way to Chairman and fraternised on a regular basis with licensees in the north and on the Sunshine Coast?’

‘Even under Kim Kelly there is an alarming situation re-emerging where a certain person involved with a prominent stable is being credited with its massively improving success rate. What odds that bloke will soon have his trainer’s license back with rumours that he has a strong supporter on the new-look Board.’

‘Punters have no faith in the current Chief Steward Josh Adams. We understand Kim Kelly is doing his best to ensure Adams lifts his game when it comes to Integrity. Just imagine how bad the policing of racing in Queensland will be with Kelly gone and Birch in charge. Why don’t they just employ big punter Steve Fletcher as Betting Advisor?’

‘Kelly being replaced by Birch – they have to be kidding. Who’s advising this out-of-touch Racing Minister Mander. It’s obvious he doesn’t have a clue when it comes to Integrity of Racing. Story goes there are bureacrats working at QRIC who have done a hatchet job on Kelly and want to see the public servant ‘click’ in control of Integrity and stewards under the new-look Board. Please tell us one of them isn’t an ex-copper.’

Readers are probably sick of hearing this story but LGHR once tried to broker a deal on behalf of three high profile Victorians (a highly respect Chief Steward, the then Head of Integrity and a prominent fence jumper causing mayhem for trainers) but the in-coming Chairman of Stewards (who is now said to be a consultant to the current Racing Minister) rejected the proposal on advice of all the wrong people.

What’s the score now – 17 successive Saturday favorites have been beaten – you can’t help bad luck or bad stewarding? And let’s not talk about the ‘circus’ in policing racing in the Far North where the worst steward in the land is the laughing stock of the industry.

Come on Minister Mander – in rugby league you were once one of the most respected whistle-blowers in the land. Lift your act and convert that standing to racing before it is too late.

 

THOSE WHO LOVE RACING LEFT TO REMEMBER THE ‘GOOD OLD DAYS’ 

INTERESTING contribution from our old mate, GARRY GORRIE, the former top NQ bookies, who now follows racing closely from his new abode in Phuket, Thailand:

EASTER has just come and gone and it’s not the same.

In the ‘good old days’ Oakbank had the Hurdles and Steeple jumps, the famous ‘Fallen Log’ and you could go to Sydney for the Royal Easter Show, the Doncaster Saturday and Sydney Cup Monday.

These meetings drew the public to the tracks all over Australia and we had meetings in just about all major towns and no shortage of horses or Jockeys.

My favourite was to go to Townsville to play in the North Queensland Squash Championships and field at Cluden on the Saturday. (I got a favoured squash draw to do this but the trouble was LGHR always proved too classy for me on the field and the punt) and on Easter Monday on the way home I would field at the iconic meeting Bowen River.

One Monday there I liked a horse in the Maiden and  you could get on in Vanuatu (the Number 1 betting shop SP with 3/1 limit and to win $2000 maximum). I had $600 on it. At the course the Steward said he was short staffed and could I keep the SPs for him. The horse started 7/2 and ran second. He came down to me, got the SPs and I said to him did you see the winner knock them all down when they jumped? He said he had. I got to the owner and said put in a protest. Protest upheld but next year tried to bet on Bowen River (Number 1 betting shop said everywhere except there).

May is coming up and the famous Mingela Meeting used to have a train run from Townsville to service it. What a meeting that was but it was closed down like so many other country meetings that were so successful. Bill Moss and Alan Cooper ran the NQ Racing Association on a pittance compared to what it costs now at head office in Brisbane and we had no shortages of horses or jockeys then. (LGHR cut his teeth at Mingela. That’s where I first saw this young kid David Fowler call the races standing on a butter box).

Now the City Slickers run Racing Queensland from Brisbane (it was supposed to save money) but now it only employ cast-offs from the Corporate Bookies who have no idea what to do so Tin Whistle Timmy has invited his mate M&M Matt from Sydney to come up and take over.

Bit of an insult to Queenslanders saying no one here is smart enough to do the job. M&M had such wonderful credentials running Sydney racing in recent years that now they have to sell Rosehill to pay the debt run up.

With him in charge I wonder which course they will have to sell – my tip is Doomben .  Guess no Labour Day Cup there anymore and no one will care maybe with the Olympics coming up that might be excuse enough to fold the track then.

I started fielding as a Bookie in 1972 in Mackay and we had a ring of 26 bookmakers. Crowds were 800/1200 most Saturdays, we held good money and racing was strong.

An old Bookie Jim Molloy said to me then: ‘Take out your kids and show them a Bookie and a Mud Crab because when they grow up both will be extinct’. Bookies sadly are gone. The Mud Crabs are still around but you can’t afford to buy one they are so expensive.

Sadly Jim was right.

EDITOR’S NOTE: SINCE he was appointed stakeholders say they haven’t sighted ‘M&M’ Matt. If the new Board has met it would be nice to hear a report of proceedings. LGHR is reliably informed that the reason there is no Petrol Subsidy for stakeholders (especially those in the bush who need it most) in Queensland is because RQ is broke. It would be nice to hear their plan for the future but the industry is still waiting.

 

NO FAVORITES SUCCESSFUL ON SUCCESSIVE BRISBANE SATURDAYS 

IN Sydney, Melbourne and even Adelaide the focus from the weekend racing has been positively on the impressive Black Type winners.

But in Brisbane, where racing is going downhill faster than an out of control roller-coaster, it has been entirely on the number of favourites that continue to get beaten.

For two successive Saturday not one fancied runner has saluted at the main meeting of the week – that’s a total of 17 in succession.

It seems they can’t attract sufficient horses to run 10 race cards these Saturdays in Brisbane – with nine a fortnight ago and only eight on Saturday. And to think the opening days of the carnival are only weeks away.

The rot set in at the April 4 meeting at Eagle Farm when the Munce-trained duo Bodmin Moor and Naughty Neil – best backed in the Two-Year-Old Opener – trailed the field home.

As the day continued, it didn’t improve for the punters. Among the bad losers were the heavily-backed Lovey Dovey (no surprise there, it’s from the Waller stable), Bunker Hut (for Michael Freedman), the Maher-trained Scampi and Facundo (which went woeful for Schweida). Gollan had the final favorites Ten Deep and Spanish Treasure which were at least placed.

The most significant reports by Stewards relating to beaten favorites from that Eagle Farm meeting were:

Jockey Andrew Mallyon reported at scale, that in his opinion LOVEY DOVEY was not suited to the moderate tempo in the middle stages of the event and added that the mare raced flat. A post-race veterinary examination revealed no apparent abnormalities. Trainers’ representative Brett Killion advised that LOVEY DOVEY would now be sent for a spell.  (That’s the norm for many of the Waller beaten favorites).

When asked to comment on the performance of BUNKER HUT, Apprentice Jace McMurray reported that the gelding did not let down in the home straight as expected and proved disappointing. (That was obvious. Why didn’t the Stewards order the horse to trial before starting again?).

Trainer K. Schweda advised Stewards that in light of FACUNDO over-racing, it was likely that he would remove the blinkers next start. He further added that it was his intention to send the gelding for a spell. (Guess those blinkers are being added after the spell).  

IN the case of the Gollan pair, TEN DEEP, was held-up and should have won while Andrew Mallyon dropped his whip on SPANISH TREASURE which had no luck in the straight. (Genuine excuses).

ONE WEEK LATER & FOR THE PUNTERS SAME OLD STORY AT DOOMBEN

MOVING on to last SATURDAY at DOOMBEN, and the odds-on RAMP IT UP went woefully in the second while PHENOM might not have been suited by the tempo in the third but was still disappointing, still performed below his best.

ICARIAN DREAM was never going to beat SMEXY in the fifth; WITHOUT PARALLEL ran 4^th but never looked like winning the 7^th and CASTILLIAN worked too hard from a bad barrier when 5^th in the last.

IN the case of the most disappointing runner on the DOOMBEN card (RAMP IT UP), STEWARDS didn’t even bother asking trainer Lindsay Gough for an explanation of the poor run.

All they reported was that the odds-on favorite over-raced in the middle stages. Once again ‘the Adams family’ has shown it is simply not up to the task of policing a major Saturday metropolitan meeting.

When it came to PHENOM they woke from their early slumber and reported: When asked to comment on the performance, Jockey Damien Thornton could offer no explanation for the disappointing performance. A post-race veterinary examination revealed no apparent abnormalities. Trainer Todd Pollard was advised to report back on the condition of PHENOM in the subsequent days. (At least they did something. Have to earn that afternoon tea courtesy of the BRC).

FIRST MISSION wasn’t favorite but one of the beaten fancied runners in the seventh. Stewards asked jockey Ryan Maloney to comment on the performance and he reported that the gelding failed to improve when asked for an effort and proved disappointing. A post-race veterinary examination revealed no apparent abnormalities. Trainer Kelly Schweida was advised to report back on the condition of the gelding in the subsequent days. (Again no requirement to trial before racing again).

In the case of beaten favorite in the last, Stewards reported: Trainer Tony Gollan’s representative Brett Cavanaugh (at least get the spelling of his name right guys) was fined $100 pursuant to AR 106(1) for presenting CASTILLIAN (NZ) to the mounting yard without blinkers. (It was a long day for CAV and he was obviously thinking of that first coldie at Gallopers which was only an hour or two away).  

The last couldn’t come quick enough for those punters who like backing a favorite in Brisbane with SKY hosts Michael Maxworthy simply doing their jobs and constantly remind them of what was happening with comments like: That’s 15^th and 16^th favorite in a row that has been beaten on a Saturday in the past two weeks.

Sure some of the winners were second favorites and others struck bad luck but it’s not a good look. What odds the favorites start to flow next weekend?

HOOFNOTE: FOR what it's worth the GRAND NATIONAL was run at AINTREE at the weekend and was won by the FAVORITE I AM MAXIMUS which the first horse since Red Rum to defend his title. There were 36 starts & 16 completed the arduos jumps journey.

 

MINISTERIAL UPDATE ON IMPLEMENTING NEXT LAP FOR QLD RACING

‘I’M pleased to provide an update on the implementation of The Next Lap: a plan for the future of Queensland racing, including progress across key priority areas. 

Mary Collier has led the development of the Implementation Plan, in consultation with Racing Queensland (RQ), the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) and the Department of Sport and Racing and Olympic and Paralympic Games (DSROPG). Ms Collier has now submitted a draft plan which contemplates:  

• Considered sequencing for infrastructure delivery;
• Legislative change over the next 9-12 months; and
• On-going consultation with industry.

Work has already commenced on delivering the sweeping reforms outlined in The Next Lap.  

A modernised RQ Board has been appointed to oversee the implementation, which includes broader representation across the industry. 

Earlier this year I announced an initial $25 million investment from the Racing Infrastructure Fund for the first phase of a $100 million redevelopment of the John Power Stand at Eagle Farm. We are currently finalising a partnership with the Brisbane Racing Club in support of its commercial ventures, consistent with ensuring the government is repaid the significant investment in a full and timely manner.  

The process to divest assets at Norwell and Bowen Hills has commenced, and work is also underway to deliver a high-quality grass to sand conversion at Bundaberg Greyhounds.   

Work has also commenced on developing the annual feature race calendar, benchmarking the Queensland Off-The-Track (QOTT) program and developing a coordinated approach to night racing.  

We are advocating for Queensland to receive a greater share of voice within Racing Australia, and I recently met with Racing Ministers from New South Wales, Victoria, Northern Territory and Western Australia to commence these discussions. 

Work already completed includes a review and update to RQ’s Whistleblower Policy, updates to greyhound race day gaps and a jurisdictional analysis of wagering integrity systems. 

Thank you for your continued support and collaboration. I look forward to providing further updates as this wide-ranging program of work progresses.’ 

Kind regards, 
Hon. Tim Mander MP

(ILLUSTRATION courtesy of GETTY IMAGES).

 

‘A POT CALLING A KETTLE BLACK IN RACING IN NSW’  

ANOTHER  CONTRIBUTION from SYDNEY regular PETER MAIR on NSW RACING:

‘TONY Harris... an exemplary Auditor General in NSW, has weighed in on 'discretionary decisions' funding racing in NSW.

A story in the SMH, paraphrased for readability, said: 

.... "The Audit Office’s follow-the-money powers to examine the grants program, showed the need for greater financial transparency"............"the auditor-general is prohibited by law from unilaterally auditing it and I don’t know why” ..

Dr Saranne Cooke (Chair of RacingNSW) took aim at Tony Harris, claiming he had been “commissioned by agitators against Racing NSW” and calling him “naive and uninformed” because the regulator was an independent body.

Can anyone imagine that such a remark -- about anyone at RNSW -- would not have pressaged an investigation, at The Hague perhaps, for scurrilous imputations about the character and competence of an 'accused'?

..............but 'who' would fund the legal costs of an appealing person so accused!

Let us have an independent audit of RNSW.’

PS: Probably behind a pay-wall:

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/racing-nsw-yet-to-complete-significantly-delayed-covid-era-stimulus-projects-20260409-p5zmj7.html

 

TRIBUTE TO LONGREACH PRESIDENT ANDREW WATTS WHO IS THE OBVIOUS CHOICE AS CHAIR OF COUNTRY RACING ADVISORY PANEL 

By MATT NICHOLLS who we hope has the time to become a REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR to LGHR

I’D like to draw attention to the achievements of Longreach Jockey Club president Andrew Watts and his passion for racing in the bush.

Most readers will know Wattsy as the voice of Outback Queensland racing. He regularly calls meetings for Sky Racing at places such as Mount Isa, Cloncurry, Barcaldine and Longreach. He’s a very good caller and continues to improve with each season.

But there are a few other things that deserve recognition.

Firstly, Wattsy works tirelessly behind the scenes as a champion of the industry. He is constantly fielding calls from trainers, jockeys and club officials, acting as a sounding board and often relaying concerns back to Deagon headquarters – where, too often, they fall on deaf ears. Wattsy probably thinks a lot like I do, but he’s far more diplomatic, which is probably a good thing.

Secondly, he travels far and wide to support the industry. In the space of nine days, starting at Mount Isa on Good Friday, Wattsy will have called meetings at four different venues, travelling more than 4000 kilometres – yes, FOUR THOUSAND – to ensure those clubs have quality racecalling.

His nine-day schedule includes Longreach to Mount Isa (return), Longreach to Barcaldine (return), Longreach to Augathella (return) and it finishes this weekend with Longreach to Noorama (return).

No doubt he’ll enjoy calling the TAB races from his own patch on Monday.

Which brings me to my final point. The man who grew up in northern NSW has been a breath of fresh air for bush racing. Like Mount Isa Race Club president Jay Morris, Wattsy isn’t afraid to think differently – including shifting meetings away from the traditional Saturday afternoon timeslot if it benefits the industry.

On Monday, the Longreach Jockey Club committee will stage a $27,000 maiden in honour of the late, great Kate Deane, which has helped attract almost 100 nominations for its TAB meeting.

By adding an additional $12,000 of club funds to the race, Longreach has drawn trainers from far and wide, who in turn bring other horses for the program. It’s exactly this kind of initiative and leadership that should have seen Wattsy appointed to the Racing Queensland board.

And if the Country Racing Advisory Panel is ever revived – boasting an acronym that probably summed up how little it achieved – Wattsy should at the very least be chairing it.

To Andrew Watts, a genuine achiever for bush racing. 

 

RQ TRAVELS AT SNAIL’S PACE – FIRST LAP IS MORE LIKE A MARATHON

QUESTION: WHEN does the First Lap take an Olympic Marathon to complete, no matter what speed you’re travelling?

ANSWER: When it involves Racing Queensland and its go-slow CEO, Board and Racing Minister. We’re still waiting to see what they plan to do in implementing a Fuel Rescue Package for the local industry more than a month after stakeholders in NSW received theirs.  

A different issue has embarrassingly raised its ugly head yet again and it is one that the LNP Government, the Racing Minister and the RQ Board is moving at snail’s pace to implement.

We’re not suggesting for one minute it won’t happen but all parties seem to be travelling at snail’s pace to fulfil a promise. If this is what we can expect from the new Chairman and his favoured First Lieutenant, God help Queensland Racing.

When the Government-ordered multi-million dollar Racing Review surveyed stakeholders, one of the many contentious issues it promised to correct was the release of minutes from Annual General Meetings of clubs.

Most would remember the hullabaloo involved when concerned Member Wally Gleeson tried to obtain Minutes of the 2024 AGM of the Brisbane Racing Club. The dust hadn’t settled nor the buck-passing stopped when the Review offered a compromise which promised to correct the situation.

But it seems like so many things in racing in Queensland, the more these change, the more these stay the same. Despite all the promises, Gleeson has once again been unsuccessful in obtaining the AGM Minutes, this time from the latest 2025 meeting of the BRC.

He wrote to RQ Acting CEO Lachlan Murray in early January as follows:

Dear Lachlan,

I write as a Member of the Brisbane Racing Club in relation to the implementation of the Queensland Racing Review recommendations, specifically Item 11 – Public Availability of AGM and EGM Minutes, which the Queensland Government has accepted.

Item 11 of the Government’s consolidated response states that meeting minutes are to be published online within 30 days post sign-off to support member transparency. The original recommendation of the Reviewer, Mr Matt McGrath, also contemplated that such minutes would be made publicly available, including via Racing Queensland’s website.

Following the Brisbane Racing Club AGM held on 15 October 2025, I requested a copy of the AGM minutes. The Club has advised that:

• Minutes may be inspected in person at its offices; and
• Copies will not be provided to members until shortly before the next meeting of members, which may be many months later.

While the Club asserts that this practice aligns with its constitution and historic processes, I am concerned that it does not align with the Government-accepted intent of Item 11 nor with contemporary expectations of transparency outlined in the Racing Review.

In particular:

• Requiring physical inspection at club offices does not constitute public or online availability.
• Delaying provision of minutes well beyond sign-off undermines the objective of timely transparency; and
• Inconsistent implementation across clubs risks diluting the reform intent of the Review.

I respectfully seek Racing Queensland’s guidance on:

1. How Item 11 is intended to be implemented in practice by licensed race clubs.
2. Whether clubs are expected to publish AGM and EGM minutes online within 30 days of sign-off; and
3. Whether Racing Queensland intends to host or link such minutes on its website, consistent with the Reviewer’s recommendation.

This request is made constructively and in support of the governance reform agenda endorsed by Government. I am not seeking intervention in a specific dispute, but clarity on the standards Racing Queensland expects clubs to meet going forward.

Thank you for your consideration.

Regards
Wally Gleeson

 

QUICK TO RESPOND BUT SLOW TO ACT – WALLY JUST HAS TO WAIT

LACHLAN Murray responded almost immediately (back in January) stating:

Dear Wally

Thanks for your note.

Following the release of Government’s response (The Next Lap: A plan for the future of Queensland racing), the Minister has tasked Racing Queensland to lead the delivery of an implementation program, to be provided to the Minister ahead of the 2026 Easter Break.

Late last month, I established an implementation team to focus on creating the program prior to Easter.

Recommendation 11 – Public Availability of Race Club AGM and EGM minutes is one of 105/110 recommendations that were either accepted or accepted in principle by the Queensland Government.  Delivery specifics of this recommendation, along with the other recommendations will be set out in the implementation program.

I can’t provide specific answers to your three questions below just yet, however, will be in a better position in the coming months as to how recommendation 11 will be delivered.

Lachlan Murray

 

GLEESON WAITED FOR EASTER BUT GOT AN OUT-OF-OFFICE RESPONSE

TRYING not to create any further drama WALLY GLEESON waited until the end of the recent Easter Weekend before again seeking what he felt the Review had ensured him that Members were entitled to and again raised the issue with RQ. He wrote:

Dear Mr Murray,

I refer to your email (in January) regarding the availability of AGM minutes for Race clubs as a recommendation of the First Lap implementation program.

As I am eager to obtain, as soon as possible, the AGM minutes of the BRC AGM held in October 2025 could you please advise me of the status quo?

Yours sincerely

Wally GLeeson

WHAT he received was an OUT-OF-HOURS RESPONSE that Acting CEO Murray would be absent from RQ Headquarters from April 1 until April 28 to which Gleeson sent this message to RQ:

To Whom It May Concern

It would be appreciated if my request for BRC October AGM minutes could be accessed as soon as possible.

Mr Murray’s (latest) email indicates that these minutes will be available after Easter as the implementation program of the First Lap recommendations roll out.

Regards

Wally Gleeson

 

MURRAY TO ATTEND TO GLEESON ISSUE WHEN HE GETS AROUND TO IT 

LGHR understands the hard working heir apparent to the permanent CEO role is taking a well-earned overseas holiday (little chance he’s looking for another job) and won’t return until the end of the month.

God only knows where the ‘invisible man’, his greatest supporter, new RQ Chairman Matt McGrath (he’s bloke who wound up with the biggest job after he conducted the Review that delivered it).

Sydney-based Matt seems to have gone MIA since his controversial appointment and stakeholders in Queensland are still waiting to receive a Fuel Rescue Package that other states are enjoying since Racing NSW introduced it over a month ago.

But Murray, who cynics suggest is cycling his trusty Malvern Star over the route of the Tour De France, took time out for the last word to RQ’s old sparring partner Gleeson which promised:  

‘I will respond to any urgent matters as soon as possible and will attend to all other enquiries upon my return. Thank you for your understanding.’

Well yippee, just like ‘Matt the Magnificent’ (hope he was able to put his snout in the trough at The Championships at Randwick last Saturday), it appears that until his ‘Boy Friday’ returns from holidays neither of them are doing anything about pressing issues confronting RQ like the fuel crisis. And where does Racing Minister Tim Mander stand on all this. Is he on holidays too?   

Come on Wally you should have read between the lines in one of Lachy’s earlier replies to you: He failed to confirm after what Easter he would be actioning the Review implementations.

We’ve gone in Queensland from one idiot Racing Minister way back when promising the State would be a furlong in front of NSW and Victoria within a year to the present day where the Next Lap looks like turning into an Olympic Marathon – hope something gets done before the Brisbane Games arrive because some are saying that even 2032 is looking in some doubt for them.

 

'MOODS’ RUFFLES FEATHERS OF RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING PROMOTERS 

ONLY the most popular trainer in the land, Peter Moody, could get away with a small but unintentional faux pas that has ruffled the feathers of those promoting responsible gambling.

Asked about the chances of his hot favourite Sheza Alibi after she drew badly for the $4mn Doncaster, Moody replied: ‘Just back her. If you haven’t got the money then borrow it.’

His advice, unlike that of another Hall Of Fame trainer when it comes to tipping winners, proved spot on. The Queensland-owned filly had the racing world reaching for superlatives after she cantered home in the Doncaster Mile recording the biggest winning margin in the history of the big race.

It set the scene for a match-race with the unbeaten Autumn Glow with Chris Waller conceding his stable star would have been tested giving weight to Sheza Alibi last Saturday and admitting he made the right choice heading to the $5mn Queen Elizabeth Stakes next Saturday.

For those in racing perturbed by the buying spree of Chinese billionaire Zhang Yuesheng of Yulong Investments whenever a new star emerges, it is thankful that Central Queensland grazier Fred Noffke isn’t interested in selling Sheza Alibi. He paid only $10,000 for her online but isn’t short of cash.

Not since the days of the legendary Black Caviar, unbeaten is 25 starts, has Moody been so taken by the win of one of his stars, now co-trained by Katherine Coleman. Like many others he was lost for superlatives after the Doncaster Mile win.

"I've been blessed to train one of the greatest we've ever seen in Black Caviar and this filly is just amazing," Moody said. "I'm not saying she's Black Caviar but that was just so good.

"It's pretty emotional, just a special horse. “Where's the ceiling? You don't know."

Jamie Melham, proving once again that she’s the best lady jockey in the world, was in awe of the performance of the filly. "I'd go starving and hungry every week to sit on a horse like that," she said after getting down to 49kg for the ride.

"We know she's good but she had to do it today in that ground. I was back further than I wanted to be and back wider than I wanted to be as well. But in the end though it didn't matter, in two or three strides I was going to win by half the length of the straight.

"That was just incredible.  I know she's a good horse but what she did then, I've never sat on a horse that's given me a feel like that and I've sat on some good ones. She's a freak. I've got goose bumps.”

 

‘BOYS FROM THE BUSH WERE BACK IN TOWN’ CELEBRATING BIG TIME 

‘MOODS’ was especially interested in highlighting the success on the first day of The Championships when two ‘boys from the bush’ were back in town.

‘Can you believe it,’ Moody questioned? ‘Two kids who grew up together in Charleville winning two of the feature races on this big day.’

He was referring to his long-time mate Brett Cavanough who won the $1mn Country Championship with Chidiac, in his first season of training with daughter, Georgie.

"I've got to try and hold it together a bit. It’s very special today to do it with Georgie," he said. “She tipped her all week, she had faith in her.

"She's never let us down, you feel for the guys at Quirindi in a Maiden and Armidale in a Class 1 that bumped into that sort of horse in the country, but that's country racing."

Hong Kong-based superstar Zac Purton, who cut his teeth as a rider in the NSW north coast town of Coffs Harbour, was worth his weight in gold aboard the winner.

And if you didn’t read the ‘exclusive’ by ‘Big Ben’, Zac is returning to ride at the Queensland Winter Carnival. Give us a break you goose, that’s no ‘exclusive’, the racing world already knew he was coming.

How about asking a few questions of your newfound mate and spin doctor his reply to why Queensland racing stakeholders don't have a Fuel Subsidy like other states? 

Back to Saturday and what are the odds though that Georgie was the designated driver on Saturday night after ‘Moods’ and ‘Cavs’ had a quiet celebration of their double, painting the town red in Sydney?

 

PUNTERS HAVE LABELLED WALLER THE ‘PINOCCHIO’ OF RACE TIPSTERS

WHILE Peter Moody was doing his best to help the struggling punters, declaring Sheza Alibi ‘couldn’t get beaten’ in the Doncaster Mile, Chris Waller was once again proving that as a champion trainer he’s a ‘dud’ tipster.

Interviewed by Gareth Hall on his Giddy Up Show, broadcast on RSN radio & TV on Easter Monday, Waller was asked if he could help the punters out with a winner that day at Rosehill.

For some reason he chose a race where he had the three top chances and declared Aladdin’s Girl his best of the day. It’s history now that stablemate and debutante Blitzgal landed the biggest plunge on the card - $10 to $2.5 favoritism and not only won but bolted in.

His two other runners Eynesbury (slaughtered by Tommy Berry) ran fifth and his top tip Aladdin’s Girl sixth (after a strange ride by James Macdonald).

Waller and his first lieutenant Sir Charles Duckworth continue to prove bad judges – more often than not tipping favored stable runners that are beaten by second strings which someone didn’t forget to back.

There is no way in the world that Waller wasn’t aware of the ability of Blitzgal. And why didn’t JMac ride her, doesn’t he get the pick of the stable runners in races?

More often than not he’s on the easing favorites in these restricted races where the betting is more important than the winning it seems. And more often than not he’s beaten – like on Easter Monday – by a stablemate that lands some big bets. Wakey, Wakey, Stewardies! 

Punters are being treated like mugs by the Waller stable. The mainstream racing media are so far up his arse that they won’t say anything or highlight the situation.

And for some strange reason the stewards are so reluctant to take any action that punters are referring to the Waller stable as a protected species. Now LGHR would never suggest that of a racing venue as honest as Sydney! 

Waller is a great trainer but when it comes to tipping winners the punters have labelled him Pinocchio. Time for the stewards to step in and tell Walleyworld and Sir Charles if they can’t do better in their Previews they should give it away.

HOOFNOTE: STEVE Railton, one of the best and most respected stewards in the land, was in charge of the Rosehill meeting, so if he saw nothing wrong with the Macdonald ride on Aladdin’s Girl then LGHR – along with a legion of punters – must be wrong.

 

IT’S TIME FOR McGRATH TO PROVE HE'S NOT A 'USELESS' APPOINTMENT 

IN the eyes of the industry new Racing Queensland Chairman Matt McGrath – a controversial appointment – faces his biggest test.

At this stage McGrath has gone MIA as stakeholders anxiously wait for Queensland to follow the lead of NSW, Victoria and now South Australia in providing a Fuel Relief Package.

They want to know what is going on and have posed the question: Surely the Government is not simply going to rely on their Federal counterpart who this week reduced the excess on fuel nationwide.

We are told times are going to get tougher and just how honest the Prime Minister has been with the people remains to be seen. Countries with far more petrol stocks than Australia are already rationing supplies.

The Queensland branch of the Australian Trainers’ Association has finally awoken from its slumber and is preparing a submission urging the Racing Minister to introduce a similar package to other States. It’s not too little but it’s far too late.

Racing in the country and the bush has always been protected by the LNP. What’s the difference now? Doesn’t the Premier want to protect an industry that employs tens of thousands and delivers hundreds of millions in revenue to the state?

His dickhead deputy seems more concerned about ensuring that rowing at the 2032 Olympics is held on the Fitzroy River at Rockhampton despite just about everyone, including the national team coach declaring it can’t be.

If you think it’s safe and force it to go ahead there Mr Deputy Dog, then swim alongside the boats each day and see if there is a hungry croc that feels you might make a good meal.

On a more serious note WTF is the Labor Opposition doing about Queensland not providing a Relief Package to the racing industry?

It was always the belief that now Shadow Minister Grace Grace cared more about clubs like the BRC and GCTC than the country or bush when her Party was in power. LGHR doesn’t believe that. Prove us right Gracie, get off your behind and start lighting a fire under the LNP.

 

IN DESPERATION STAKEHOLDERS LOOKING TO HANSON FOR HELP 

SOME racing stakeholders are talking about sending a desperate SOS to Pauline Hanson.

For those who might not be aware Hanson still has an axe to grind with racing in Queensland and both sides of politics over an incident that happened way back when.

Peter Bredhauer, who doesn’t mind shooting from the hip no matter who’s the target, recalls what happened when he was a Director of the Brisbane Turf Club at the time.

‘Pauline was very much in the news and our Board thought she would make an interesting guest speaker at a regular luncheon we held. But when both sides of politics found out they turned the screws.

‘The Racing Minister and the Opposition threatened all sorts of things against the BTC if we went ahead at the time. Our Chairman, faced with the prospect of having his office precious bar bridge removed, quickly relented.

‘Authorities at the time were more interested in shutting down an honest politician that taking action to stop a dishonest racing scribe who was running messages from the jockeys’ room to the bookies ring but that’s another story.’

History shows that Hanson was so feared by both the major Queensland political parties at the time that the momentum of One Nation was brought to a standstill when she was disgracefully jailed – something that should never have happened whether you supported her cause or not.

Well Hanson is back with a real bee in her bonnet. And as much as she despises Labor, she dislikes the LNP and one of her targets on the fuel crisis is one of their golden boys in Queensland in Matt Canavan.

If racing can enlist her support on this latest crisis, then several other prominent LNP pollies can count on joining that Hanson ‘hit list’ unless they change their tune. Hope your listening Mr Premier.

 

IT’S TIME FOR DAVE TO TELL TIM TO GET MATT OFF HIS BACKSIDE 

THAT means telling the Racing Minister to instruct his useless appointment Matt McGrath to earn his keep. Since he was controversially catapulted into the RQ Chairman role, some say set up by the Review that he conducted, McGrath has become the ‘invisible man’.

Instead of flying business class to Brisbane from his base in Sydney for the next Board meeting, perhaps McGrath should try driving and encounter how the fuel cost hits the hip pocket for those taking horses to and from the track. Then again he wouldn’t have to pay and would probably need a GPS to find the place.

LGHR hasn’t lost faith in Tim Mander yet despite his foolish appointment of McGrath and old school chum Kym Daly to the RQ Board. But unless the Minister and McGrath do something about providing a Fuel Relief  Package ASAP, they will always be remembered for that failure. For heaven’s sake even South Australia has followed the NSW lead.

The puzzling thing is that Peter V’landys who was the first to take action on this issue, is said to be the man the Minister admires most in racing and rugby league. Well why not follow his lead?

And on the issue of the McGrath Racing Review wasn’t the deadline for the report on the implementation of its recommendations due this month. Perhaps the stories that Mary Collyer, appointed to do that job, has been under pressure from all the wrong people are correct.

If so the chances of this highly competent racing lady, who was the first woman to chair a major race club in Australia (the BTC), are next to none of taking over as CEO of Racing Queensland. If so McGrath’s mate, Lachlan Murray (what’s that story about surrounding yourself with people who know less about the business than yourself?), then he’s a shoe in!

We would have asked what Murray was doing about a Fuel Subsidy for the Racing Industry in the absence of his Chairman but some say he’s been too busy organising a fleet of Malvern Stars to replace the cars currently used by key staff.

If the eyes of many RQ is dead in the water under the leadership of McGrath so here’s his chance to prove the critics wrong at least on one subject.

There’s no point whoever leaves the building last at Deagon HQ’s turning out the lights. It’s been dark there for years. But that’s Queensland Racing.

Over to you Mr Minister! And come on my old mate Ray Stevens MP. You keep telling me how suited Tim Mander is to the job. Being from the bush you must recognise how serious the situation is and how bad your LNP Government is looking at the moment.

HOOFNOTE: The major fish & chips wrapper has been conspicuously silent on this issue. So much for protecting the interests of its deteriorating readership. Come on 'Big Ben' - you're the self-appointed 'spin doctor' for the new RQ Chairman. How about providing us with one of your 'soft cock' excuses for why he isn't doing his job?

 

WHAT WILL STEWARDS DO IF BARNAVARA TURNS IN FORM REVERSAL?

BEFORE Group 1 winning French mare Barnavara made her Australian debut at Rosehill on Saturday, the Chris Waller stable and their champion jockey James Macdonald were declaring her ‘the next Via Sistina’.

But after the $10mn purchase by Yulong Investments ran an inglorious last at $1.7 to second string stablemate Wootton Verni in the Group 2 Neville Sellwood Stakes they found excuses for her flop.

This was JMac’s assessment before the race: “She feels really, really good, and I’d expect a huge performance from her this Saturday in the Neville Sellwood, that’s for sure.”

After the four lengths fourth to Wootoon Verni, which turned in a form reversal and they didn’t forget to back at $5.5, here’s what the champion hoop told Steward questioning her defeat: ‘She got stirred up pre-race, had only been in Australia a short period without an official trial or jump-out, travelled too keenly and was one-paced, unable to close the race off.’

Did the Stewards bother to question the vast difference in what Macdonald had to say before the race to after it? No. Did they require the horse to trial before she starts again? No.

More importantly, what will they do if Barnavara comes out next start and produces her best European form and brains them? Next to nothing of course! And the mainstream racing media will put it down to the brilliant training of Waller.

 

FORM REVERSAL BY WOOTTON VERNI PAR FOR COURSE FOR WALLER 

LITTLE wonder punters have had a gutful of trying to follow the form of horses from the leading stable in Sydney. Just take a look at the winner Wootton Verni – he was heavily-backed and performed poorly when 5^th in the G3 Sky High prompting Waller to declare in his Preview Show:

“I was disappointed with the run in the Sky High. We were planning to start in the G1 Tancred and accepted for that but felt the G3 would be an easier assignment.”

But listening to the assessment of both Waller and his first lieutenant, 'Sir Charles' Duckworth, they rated stable newcomer Barnavara a ‘good thing’.

Owner Chinese billionaire, Yeusheng Zhang, was on course to see his hopeful successor to Via Sistina make her Australian debut. Nobody in the media bothered to ask him about his $10mn investment after the run.

Waller felt Wootton Verni's race experience Down Under proved vital and while he was understandably disappointed with the run of Barnavara, he felt she had genuine excuses.

"Wootton Verni has been here a while now and he found some great form in the spring,'' Waller said, referring to the gelding's wins in the Coongy Cup and Rosehill Gold Cup.

"Certainly, he's a talented horse and with a bit of give in the ground and being rock-hard fit, he showed the others up."

"Barnavara's pattern of racing in Europe was to settle on speed but she didn't do herself any favours when she missed the kick at her Australian debut.

"The plan was to go forward, to be second, third or fourth, but she dwelt at the start,'' Waller said. “I think rather than fire her up, Australian horses just find their positions so quickly, whereas if you fire her up first Australian start I guess James (McDonald) would have thought you could of set her alight, which is what we didn't want.

"Then when they went slow, it was very hard from back there. They controlled it from the front and made it hard to finish off.''

So there you have it – another double-whammy from the Waller stable with a second-string upstaging a stable star. The poor old punters when now have to grin and bear it when Barnavara more than likely bounces back to win at her next start and the Stewards just put it down to ‘one of those things in racing’.

 

OHOPE WINS BUT LOSES AT OZ DEBUT, EXPECT ANOTHER FORM REVERSAL

BARNAVARA wasn’t the only ‘big name’ flop for Waller last Saturday – the Kiwi star Ohope Wins, making her much-awaited debut for the stable, also let the punters down.

An outstanding winner of the NZ Oaks at her previous start in February when trained by the O’Sullivan - Scott camp, Ohope Wins finished fourth to another Kiwi Belle Cheval which was marginally favorite ahead of her.

Waller’s prediction on how Ohope wins would perform in the Group 1 Vinery Stakes for the three-year-old fillies: ‘She draws wide but she has class. Most of her runs in New Zealand she has drawn wide and unleashed an amazing sprint.’

Jockey James Macdonld’s opinion of Ohope wins prior to the race: ‘She feels special.’ It wasn’t as though she flopped in the Vinery but she was still a shade below her best. Expect her to improve sharply next start.

 

MAHER SPOT-ON WITH HIS ASSESSMENT OF AUSTRALIAN CUP CHANCES

ONCE again when it came to tipping winners, the Ciaron Maher stable overshadowed Team Waller.

Prior to the running of the Group 1 Australian Cup at Flemington, Maher told a TV audience that Light Infantry Man was way over the odds because he loved the Heavy conditions but added that he expected Pride Of Jenni to go close.

It’s history that his stablemates ran the quinella with Light Infantry Man at $21 beating a gallant Pride of Jenni at $11 in close finish. It was so close that the star mare’s owner Tony Ottobre to ask to see the official photo image.

Ottobre wears his heart on his sleeve where ‘Jenni’ is concerned. Despite agreeing with the judge’s decision, he stormed from the mounting yard with a look of disgust on his face – as The Age reported ‘like a man who had been robbed’.

It was the second time in three years that Pride Of Jenni had been pipped on the line in the Australian Cup – a race that Ottobre so desperately wants to win. She finished a narrow second to Cascadian in 2024.

Ottobre is not a man who takes losing lightly. But there was no one to blame on Saturday except for technology and the finish line. The true winner of the photo finish was Ciaron Maher. “I don’t know who I’m more proud of, the winner or the second horse,” he said after the race.

“It’s such a shame for Jenni to run second again. I know for Tony, it’s a race he holds very dear to his heart. He strapped back in the day a horse for (Colin) Hayes.

“It still eludes her, but she’s racing in great heart, and you never know, we may be back here with her next year. She was phenomenal.”

The Australian Cup was a disappointment for Waller who saddled up the favorite Birdman which ran fifth and the well-backed Leica Lucy (sixth).

Before the race Waller suggested: ‘Birdman loves Flemington. He is racing with confident and will be hard to beat. Leica Lucy will be suited with Pride of Jenni setting a good pace. It will be a strong 2000m, a distance over which she won impressively in New Zealand.’

GREAT INITIATIVE BY RACING NSW – TIME TO GET ON YOUR BIKE RQ! 

WHILE Racing NSW is on the front foot addressing the fuel crisis with a stakeholders rescue package, those in the north are asking: What is officialdom in Queensland doing?

At this stage it seems like next to nothing but with those in the country suffering the most one would expect the LNP Government to be planning something – things just move slower in the north.

One cynic suggested (tongue in cheek) that the new RQ Chairman’s ‘chosen one’ for the CEO job, Lachlan Murray, is looking at replacing the control body car fleet with bicycles. The story goes that Murray prefers to ride a bike in his spare time.

Here has been the early response to the Racing NSW initiative:

Our colleague MATT NICHOLLS wrote:

‘A great initiative by Racing NSW and a shame Queensland's response was not as comprehensive.

I feel sorry for the participants and clubs trying to operate in these times (as well as all people in the bush who are hit hardest by the current fuel situation).’

ARCHIE BUTTERFLY on www.peterprofit.com used it as another opportunity to pump up the tyres of the man he admires most in racing, Racing NSW CEO Peter V’Landys.

‘Those who knock PVL are imbeciles in my opinion and I mean that with the greatest respect. Just look at what he has done here.

The price of fuel is going through the roof, trainers can’t sleep at night worried that they are f**ked, owners are thinking to themselves ‘Sh*t, how am I gunna to pay?’, and the whole world has gone crazy, every which way but loose.’

 

RACING NSW MEDIA RELEASE EXPLAINING FUEL RELIEF PACKAGE

HERE’S a MEDIA RELEASE that explains the situation:

RACING NSW has announced a $1.5 million fuel relief package to ease the financial pressure on NSW trainers, owners and jockeys.

Developed with the NSW Trainers, Jockeys and Owners Associations, the package directly responds to the rising cost of fuel, including surcharges from suppliers which has been hitting the industry hard.

The package, fully funded by Racing NSW, includes:

- $100 per race starter payment, for all horses travelling less than 150km each way to a race meeting
- $200 per race starter payment, for all horses travelling more than 150km each way to a race meeting
- A jockey travel allowance increase, the travel component of the minimum ride fee raised to $100 per meeting

All measures start immediately and run until 31 May 2026, when they’ll be reviewed based on conditions at that time. It is estimated that a total of $1.5 million will be distributed to participants during this period.

The starter payments will be credited to the trainer’s Stakes Payment account with 50% retained by the trainer and 50% credited to the owner’s account for training fees.

Racing NSW Chief Executive Peter V’landys AM said: “We know costs across the board have surged, not just fuel prices, but the levy surcharges on top of them. People in this industry are doing it tough and we want to help.”

“This package puts real money back in people’s pockets straight away. We’ll keep watching conditions and increase the funding if needed,” Mr V’landys AM added.

 

SHOULD THERE BE A LEVY ON GROUP RACES TO BOOST FUEL SUBSIDY?

IT hasn’t taken long for the critics of the powerful Chris Waller stable and his band of big money owners to suggest that the fuel crisis won’t worry them financially and perhaps a levy should be imposed on prizemoney paid for all Group Races.

PETROL PETE from SYDNEY had this suggestion:

‘If Racing NSW imposed a levy on owners, trainers and jockeys winning Group races and added this to their Fuel Package, it seems like a popular initiative – Robin Hood style, taking from the rich to help the poor.

If you take a close look at the domination of the Waller stable this weekend, one wonders if eventually racing in NSW in particular will rely on his horses to run a race meeting. Owners are entitled to have a trainer of their choosing but unless something is done to reduce his stable numbers, Sydney in particular will reach a ‘joke’ stage if it hasn’t already.

Take the situation on Saturday, Waller has the favorites for the two Group 1’s in Sydney – the Vinery Stud Stakes (Ohope Wins) & Tancred (Aeliana) and the G1 in Melbourne – the Australian Cup (Birdman).

This bloke is so greedy that it’s a wonder he hasn’t got a starter in the Muswellbrook Gold Cup or the King of the Mountain in Toowoomba on Friday. It’s got that one-side in Sydney of a Saturday that many of Waller’s main rivals are now headed to the bush to dodge him.

And the situation is showing no signs of easing with Waller having inherited Vinery favorite Ohope Wins and costly import Barnavara, odds-on to win at his OZ debut in the G2 Neville Sellwood.

Ohope Wins conquered all before her in New Zealand this season when trained by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, highlight by the G1 NZ Oaks. She makes her Australia debut for Waller on Saturday.

Barnavara, like Ohope Wins is owned by Yu Long Investments which seem to have endless pockets, perhaps they’d like to make a donation to help racing’s fuel crisis.

A Group 1 winner in France Ohope Wins sold for close to $10mn – a readymade superstar delivered into the hands of the Waller stable. At $1.70 to win at her Australian debut in the G2 Neville Sellwood at Rosehill on Saturday, the star filly looks a class above her rivals. She has won fresh and is unbeaten at the distance.

Surely we won’t see a form reversal from stablemate Wootton Verni which flopped when heavily-backed in the G3 Sky High at his last start. It’s par for the course with Waller – that’s why punters throw up when SKY and his main spin doctor big Richie suffer verbal diarrhea every time they mention the Hall Of Famer.’

 

 

THE WEDNESDAY WHINGE – HAVE YOUR SAY ON ALL THINGS RACING

SHOULD MARK HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO HAND STABLE REINS TO BEN? 

 OPINIONS are divided over whether retiring trainer Mark Currie should have been allowed to hand the stable reins to his son, Ben.

As there are still no positive signs that Racing Queensland will again grant Ben a trainer’s licence, Mark decided to sell his operation to Sunshine Coast trainer Billy Healey.

It’s no Fool’s Day Joke that from April 1 Healey will launch a ‘super stable’ of around 90 horses with Ben Currie as his Racing Operations Manager.

The news has prompted mixed reaction from the racing fraternity. One Toowoomba trainer who has worked alongside Mark and Ben Currie for years suggested:

“Every time Healey trains a winner everyone from the punters to the stakeholders will be crediting it to the ‘Hand of Ben’. He’s the one with the Sports Science Degree attributed to making horses go faster.’

And this one from a Sunshine Coast-based trainer:

“Ever since Ben started operating a satellite stable for his old man up here, trainers have been celebrating. They were sick and tired of the domination of Stu Kendrick. He’s already looking over his shoulder and now it will still be at Currie but under the pseudonym of Healey.’

And another:

‘AS a trainer of a reasonably long standing and relatively successful stable in south-east Queensland, I was unaware that the Rules permitted me to ‘sell’ my operation.

That being the case, was the deal between Mark Currie and Billy Healey overseen by QRIC and, if so, how much is the going price for a successful stable these days? No doubt the answer will be that’s commercial in confidence.”

And finally:

“THE word was strong that Ben Currie would finally get his trainer’s licence back once the new RQ Board was in place. It is no secret that he has a big fan in one of those newly elected to the Control Body.

Perhaps they want to wait a few months. It’s just a matter of time before the name Currie is back in the winner’s circle in south-east Queensland.”

Healey, at 28, welcomes the concept of a young, energetic team conceding ‘Ben’s analytics’ will be their ‘secret weapon’. “We’re a young team and I guess we want to make our presence really felt in Queensland over the next five to 10 years and I think this was the way of moving forward,” Healey told Racenet.

Convincing a cynical industry that Ben won’t have a stable in his own right well before five to 10 years is a difficult task. And why shouldn’t he fulfil his racing dream?

That’s the downside of the story  for Healey – he might be a capable trainer in his own right with 155 winners in a brief career – but who will get the credit when a member of the new ‘super stable’ wins?

How quickly we forget the role that Healey played in the rejuvenation of the career of star galloper Alligator Blood. He was responsible for the rehabilitation and recovery of the horse from a serious ‘kissing spine’ operation after it left the stable of David Van Dyke.

If you’re a punter who has followed the success story of Mark Currie down a rocky road at times, take a tip. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and we’re predicting even more winners for son Ben, even if they are delivered under the name of Healey.

 

‘HANDS UP’ ANY JOCKEY WHO PREFERS MICK TO HEAR THEIR APPEAL

THIS was one of the interesting ‘whinges’ received this week:

‘IF you decide to publish my thoughts on the appointment of former champion jockey Mick Dittman to the Racing Appeals Panel in Queensland, please refer to me as a gallops steward of some years standing rather than use my name.

There is no doubting that Mick Dittman has better credentials than most jockeys to join the Racing Appeals Panel.

My argument is not with his ‘wealth of expertise’ but moreso that if I were a jockey appealing a decision of stewards I would be hoping and praying that Mick was on the Panel.

How could he possibly rule in penalties relating to over-use of the whip given the amount of times he was guilty of this offence? Has anyone forgotten the thrashing he gave Gurners Lane in the Melbourne Cup?

No-one would question Mick’s ability to identify a ‘goer’ to a ‘dead one’ or should I be more politically correct and say a jockey who fails to give his or her mount every possible chance of winning a race?

It’s hard enough for Stewards to make charges stick these days with the amount of legal expertise available to appellants. Is my argument valid that it becomes even harder when one of those on the Panel is a former jockey who some would see more as an apologists for the ones facing the music?’

 

‘BUSH BEAT IS BACK – OR IS IT?’ – QLD ON OUTER WITH SKY RADIO

THE news that was delivered on Facebook – not from SKY Racing Radio – suggested that one of the most popular programs on the now defunct 4TAB would make a return to the air waves.

Fans welcomed the news: ‘Bush Beat Is Back’ hosted by Dave Stanley and Wattsy with the first episode on Tuesday, March 24, at 8am.

One of those please to hear this was our regular Gold Coast contributor Greg Blanchard but he was soon to be disappointed: ‘Tuned into Radio 1008 to listen to the new Bush Beat but it wasn’t on. Was I listening to the wrong station? What’s going on?”

LGHR has received similar gripes from others Greg. We don’t listen to SKY Radio but prefer RSN in Victoria. Like many others we can’t cop Dave Stanley and regard him as a clown. He seems to have quickly forgotten that he is a Queenslander.

So much for the promise that the north wouldn’t be forgotten when SKY took over. At least there is a segment once a week when Steve Hewlett, the former host of 4TAB Racing Radio, provides plenty of exclusives. Hewlett has forgotten more than Stanley or SKY’s supposed newsman in the north, Ben Dorries, will ever learn.

Instead of hearing more from Hewlett, who still has his contacts and finger on the pulse of all things racing in the Sunshine State, what we get is the opinions of Stanley and his favorite side-kick Big Richie on everything happening in Sydney. This week it was why the crowd was so bad at the Golden Slipper.

In case you’re interested – apart from his informative weekly spot on SKY, Hewlett recently hosted an Ambassador Travel tour to the Adelaide Cup (big Dave is doing a similar one to Darwin, now won’t that be fun?). He’s also been doing some part-time work as a deckhand with a local cruise company and proving an instant hit.

 

JMAC STAR OF SHOW ON DAY WHEN ZAHRA WAS SEEN AT HIS WORST

ON another day of Australian feature racing when champion jockey James MacDonald was the ‘star of the show’, some of his high profile rivals performed well below their best.

Punters can be cruel and they didn’t miss some below standard rides by Mark Zahra, Craig Williams and Damien Lane, the latter by his own admission missing the boat in the Golden Slipper.

The spotlight was firmly focussed on JMac’s century of Group 1 winners in Australia but once the dust had settled it shifted mainly to the sub-standard rides of Zahra on two heavily-backed feature race favorites at Caulfield.

Some have called Zahra a victim of circumstances on Jimmysstar in the G1 William Reid Stakes and Planet Red in the G2 Alister Clark Stakes but others have not been as kind.

Jimmysstar ran what some might rate an inglorious seventh at his comeback. The Ciaron Maher stable preferred to call it bad luck and highlighted how he was only beaten less than 2.3 lengths behind in-form Jigsaw.

The punters, however, were questioning if this was the same horse that chased home Hong Kong superstar Ka Ying Rising in The Everest or the sort of ride they had come to expect from Zahra.

 

PUNTERS FUMING AS STEWARDS QUERY ZAHRA TACTICS ON HOT FAV

THE tactics adopted by Mark Zahra on Planet Red, an odds-on favorite that finished sixth, could best be described as a slaughter job.

Co-trainer Mick Price stopped short of declaring it that in a post-race interview when he said: ‘Mark is an absolute champion rider but….’ He struggled to disguise his disappointment at the ride.

Price highlighted how Planet Red covered so much ground that it was impossible to assess how well the $1.75 favorite had performed and the stable had decided now to spell him.

Zahra was caught in no-man’s land from barrier seven – elected to drift back out wide – then never had Planet Red in a position where he was afforded any chance of winning the race. It was a sad scenario as the rising star had been chasing Observer home at his most recent starts.

Stewards queried the ride with Zahra explaining that Planet Red raced keenly through the early and middle stages. He said that after beginning well, he initially endeavoured to find a position further forward. However as he felt he would have to make his mount work too hard to cross, he eased and settled worse than midfield.

Zahra added that the gelding raced keenly, was inclined to hang out from the 1600m and after initially failing to run on, when balanced in the straight then made some ground over the final 100m. A post-race veterinary examination did not reveal any significant findings.

Stewards had also asked for a please explain after his earlier ride on Jimmysstar. The top jockey blamed drawing barrier 1 for the failure. He said the gelding had been obliged to race inside runners throughout which did not suit him. A post-race veterinary examination failed to reveal any significant findings. Stewards will follow up with the stable.

 

ZAHRA TO MISS T J RIDE – DOESN’T GET SUSPENSION CUT LIKE JMAC

ADDING insult to injury for Mark Zahra on a forgettable Group 1 day at Caulfield he was fined and suspended for over-use of the whip after the upset win of Meridius in the fifth at Caulfield

Zahra pleaded guilty to a charge that he used his whip four times more than permitted prior to the 100m on $12 chance Meridius which beat the $2.2 favorite Verdoux in a photo finish again raising questions whether he should have been stripped on the win. Had Zahra not broken the whip rules would he still have won?

Regardless, he was suspended for seven meetings commencing Wednesday, April 1 and expiring Monday, April 6. He was also fined $700. In assessing penalty stewards took into account Zahra’s guilty plea, his excellent record, totality of whip strikes and that his mount won the race.

This means the two-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey will miss the opening day of The Championships on April 4 and the chance to win another Group 1 on star colt Tentyris, the $3.5 early favorite for the T J Smith. Unlike JMac, who on appeal recently, managed not to miss a major Saturday with his suspension reduced.

Zahra missed the early part of the Autumn Carnival after suffering a fractured leg which cost him the Lightning Stakes win aboard Tentyris where he was replaced by Damian Lane.

 

SHOULD CAMPIONE D’ITALIA HAVE WON SLIPPER OR BEEN PLACED?

THOSE who have watched replays of Saturday’s Golden Slipper closely are adamant that Damien Lane cost himself at least a place on the Chris Waller-trained Campione D’Italia which was beaten two lengths into fourth place.

Stewards reported that Campione D’Italia was slow to begin and when endeavouring to improve between Warwoven and Chayan became awkwardly placed on the heels of Warwoven when that runner was taken out and as a consequence was severely hampered and shifted out.

Lane was the first to admit making a tactical mistake in the straight that cost Campion D’Italia a place in the Slipper. The Snitzel colt, which has had only three starts, is now favorite for the Sires Produce Stakes on April 4 at $4 after $101 had been bet early.

Some good judges have suggested that Lane’s Victorian colleague Craig Williams was not seen at his brilliant best on Slipper Day.

Their opinion is largely based on his ride on Victoria Derby and Australian Guineas winner Observer which ran $2.10 FAV in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas when he finished third to Autumn Boy $2.45.

It wasn’t as though James Macdonald outride him on Autumn Boy but moreso that Williams didn’t allow Observer to run along but fought him when the pace was slow.

Williams ran eighth in the Slipper on favorite Chayan (which he reported raced flat), third on Observer in the Guineas and third on Juka Kibo behind Mr Monaco in the Manion Cup.    

 

HONKERS DERBY RIDE ON FAV BELOW PAR BUT DID IT RUN THE TRIP 

THE rides that disappointed favorite backers the most were not restricted to home shores.

Punters who backed Little Paradise in the Hong Kong Derby at Sha Tin have accused jockey Vincent Ho of giving it next to no hope from the wide barrier. It finished ninth behind Invincible Ibis – another major win for the Aussie duo of Mark Newnham and Hugh Bowman.

When questioned by Stewards concerning his ride, Ho stated that his mount settled back in the field from its wide barrier. He said from the 650m he was obliged to make a wide run sooner than what he would have liked when Emblazon commenced to give ground. He added that in the home straight LITTLE PARADISE finished the race off only fairly and, in his opinion, may not have run out a strong 2000m. A veterinary inspection immediately following the race did not show any significant findings.  

 

 

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE RACES THAT LONGREACH PREFERS TO FORGET 

RACE FOUR at LONGREACH on SATURDAY was one of those races that just about everyone – from the owners, to the trainers and jockeys – prefer to forget.

It started with another black eye for Racing Queensland four runners – Nassau County, Ishotthedeputy, Armstrong Bay and Final Mission – had to be scratched because there were no available jockeys to ride them.

Stewards then reported that the start of the race was delayed when jockeys Robbie Faehr (Yes Larry) and John Rudd (Valiant Joan) were dislodged from their mounts on the way to the barriers.

Yes Larry bolted and was declared a late scratching. Rudd was cleared to ride Valiant Joan which strangely was cleared by the Club Vet to run but subsequently ordered to trial before racing again.

When the race finally got underway, the field had travelled only 100m when Parues started to buck with jockey Anna Bakos suffering a heavy fall requiring hospitalisation. Parues will need to trial twice to the satisfaction of stewards before racing again.

Ya Love Her, which had to be severely checked to avoid the heels of the bucking Parues, dislodged jockey Natalie Morton, who also had to be transferred to hospital for further treatment.

There was however, a happy ending for punters, with jockey Nikki Olzard dodging trouble to win on the $3 favorite All Too Lucky.

 

HAVE LACHIE & HIS TEAM ANY IDEA OF HOW TO RUN RACING? 

LGHR keeps trying to get a message across for concerned stakeholders that there needs to be some administrative tree lopping at Racing Queensland, starting with the Acting CEO.

Sydney’s interloping new Chairman of the RQ Board, Matthew McGrath, wants Lachlan Murray to be appointed full-time – perhaps it’s because they share a liking for corporate bookies – but he’s about the only one.

Archie Butterfly, on his subscriber-only website, peterprofit.com, highlighted another inefficiency of the current RQ in a story today which suggests the Murray-led team have no idea what they are doing.

The Butterfly’s story reads:

RACING Queensland confirms that a back-up race meeting has been programmed for the Polytrack at Sunshine Coast Turf Club on Sunday, March 22, in the event the club’s race meeting on the course proper on the day is unable to proceed.

In the event there is a deluge of rain which causes the course proper to become unsuitable for racing, a back-up meeting on the Polytrack will be introduced. This transfer, if required, would need to take place prior to 3pm Saturday, March 21.

As you can see there was a reserve meeting scheduled for the Polytrack at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, but they abandoned it, electing to race on the course proper instead.

Only they didn’t.

It was too wet to race on the turf course, so they abandoned that meeting too, leaving no races anywhere in Queensland on Sunday.

Just as it was with the late cancellation of the Cairns meeting on the weekend, it seems that someone in the halls of racing power can’t read the weather map.

What a very bad call.

LGHR EDITOR’S NOTE: RQ will no doubt blame the cancellation of both on bad timing. Not as bad as the timing will be if the Racing Minister and new RQ Board don’t fire the Acting CEO and some of his first lieutenants out of a cannon ASAP.   

 

LACK OF RESPECT FOR GRAFTERBURNERS HAS QLDERS SMARTING 

A START in the $1million Galaxy at Rosehill on Saturday just wasn’t meant to be for talented Queensland colt Grafterburners.

Despite the three-year-old missing vital lead-up trials at home because of the wet, trainer Kelly Schweida was confident Grafterburners was close enough to his best to test a classy field.

But he reared over in the barriers and had to be scratched with a required trial before starting again which was a sad end to a frustrating start to a new campaign for the colt.

The Sydney ‘knockers’ helped Grafterburners be disposed of favouritism. But it was the ‘legend in his own lunchtime’ among the Victorian ‘experts’ who most upset his fans in the north when he declared ‘How could they install a Queensland horse favorite for a Group 1 in Sydney’?

Grafterburners has won 6 of 12 starts, all four last campaign including one in Listed company at Eagle Farm and when he proves you wrong, the Bananabenders will be the first to let you know mate.  

 

PATRICK & MICHELLE PAYNE DISSOLVE TRAINING PARTNERSHIP

FAIRFAX MEDIA reports that decorated racing siblings Michelle and Patrick Payne have dissolved their training partnership.

The pair announced the mutual parting of ways via a statement days after truck driver Peter Butler and three of the Paynes’ horses were killed in a road crash at Meredith south of Ballarat last Monday.

“Michelle will be stepping back from the larger training operation to focus on a smaller team at home, working closer to her father and retaining a few horses in Ballarat,” the statement revealed.

“Patrick Payne Racing will continue as a full training operation. Patrick will remain in control of the horses at his current training property. “Our priority is to make this transition as smooth as possible.” 

 

SUPPORT PACKAGE WELCOMED BUT COULD BE MORE COMPREHENSIVE

MATT NICHOLLS has responded to his letter of concern to Racing Queensland Interim CEO Lachlan Murray earlier this week. His email reads:

JUST a quick note to congratulate Racing Queensland and Minister Tim Mander for responding to concerns in the bush with a support package.

While it's not as comprehensive as many would like, it's better than nothing and should provide some relief to the soaring cost of feed and fuel.

Personally, I would have liked prizemoney increases or at least $100 for all unplaced horses at non-TAB meetings to promote bigger fields and encourage participation, but that's a fight for another day.

Also, congratulations to Mount Isa Race Club president Jay Morris and his team for convincing Racing Queensland to stage the state's first Good Friday TAB thoroughbred meeting.

With Boulia unable to race on Easter Saturday, Mount Isa has once again saved the industry a race meeting. Knowing jockeys would be hard to come by, Morris lobbied hard to get the meeting on Good Friday, allowing hoops to ride at Barcaldine on Easter Saturday.

Based on the initial response, I think there will be a good crowd at Buchanan Park on Good Friday, considering it'll be the only place open in the mining city. The club is already planning an Easter Egg hunt and other kids' activities.

A good couple of days for the bush!

 

LGHR has received a couple of interesting emails from well-informed SYDNEY contributor PETER MAIR which read:

QUESTION FOR NSW RACING: IS ROSEHILL STILL FOR SALE? 

‘FEW words speak more clearly than 'silence'.

One 'silence' being clearly heard is the decision of the NSW Government to 'say nothing' about the ongoing dispute about the power of RacingNSW to put an administrator in charge of the Australian Turf Club.

A reasonable expectation, at the outset of a very public dispute, was for the NSW Government to head-off an expensive court case (paid for with punter's money). It could have said it would 'review and clarify' legislation governing racing and the racing industry in NSW. It did not say that – the court case went ahead.

When the court decided, last week, that RNSW did not have the power to substitute an administrator for the ATC Board, the court implied that any lingering confusion in the legislation would best be clarified.

This politely judicial invitation for the NSW Government to speak up was, apparently, not accepted – the issues are left hanging in the air.

What is now known is that RNSW appealed the decision precluding its appointment of an administrator to the ATC.

Taken together, collectively, the unexpected (inexplicable?) sounds-of-silence are open to a view that the NSW Government agrees with RNSW – that the RNSW appointment of an administrator at ATC accords with its interpretation of the legislation (and its preferred outcome).

Prospectively, is the sale of Rosehill back in play?’

 

AND THIS ONE:

CRACKDOWN ON CASH BETTING ON AUSTRALIAN RACING 

‘AUSTRAC is reported to be cracking-down on cash gambling activity – requiring a punter's ID to bet, or collect $5,000, in cash. How this regulatory intent will unfold is yet to be made clear.

The racing industry should be a special focal point for cash-betting with money-laundering and gambling regulators – this is for a special reason.

The special problem with the racing industry arises in the entitlement of corporate bookmakers to refuse to accept bets from account customers and deny paying out on 'bowler' bets funded anonymously but using a third-party account.

In the wash up these arrangements encourage the 'bets denied' by licensed bookmakers to be placed instead, with cash, into the TAB tote pools – with the probability of those TAB pools being unfairly 'plundered' by the smarter, professional punters.

Now it is hardly beyond the wit of gambling regulators to consider applying 'minimum-bet-laws' to licence conditions for corporate bookmakers, a requirement for corporate bookmakers to accept bets the advertised odds up to a 'loss' of $1000.

Such an initiative would likely improve the integrity of racing gambling – smart-money, demanding acceptance, would see the pre-post market odds revised to better reflect probable race outcomes.

Of course this happens to some extent anyway – a smart bookmaker would let an astute punter on, grateful for the 'warning' that a particular runner 'may run well'. As well, the racing media is alert to late-money coming for a runner – but by then it is 'too-late' for most.

Racing authorities have a responsibility to promote and protect the fairness of racing gambling.’

 

RQ TO PROVIDE $1mn IN FLOOD RELIEF THROUGH ASSISTANCE FUND 

CREDIT where credit is due. This is an important issue where the authorities have moved quickly to provide assistance to those in need.

Racing Queensland is set to provide $1 million in flood relief through the Training Assistance Fund across the state.

It’s estimated participants located within more than 50 Local Government Areas will face additional costs including transport, food, forage and bedding for animals as a result of floods throughout the state.

The fund will provide an opening round of payments to eligible trainers of $500 or $1,000 depending on their respective activity levels. 

Minister for Racing Tim Mander said his thoughts went out to those in the industry whose livelihoods have been impacted by the recent floods across Queensland.

“Queensland racing participants are renowned for their resilience but this has been a particularly tough time and we want you to know there is help available,” Minister Mander said. 

“I encourage all eligible stakeholders to apply for Training Assistance Fund relief. 

“I also encourage impacted race clubs to apply for the Crisafulli Government’s Sport and Recreation Disaster Recovery Program (SRDRP), which offers grants of up to $5,000 for eligible organisations to assist with clean-up efforts.”

As per the 2022 SEQ floods, Racing Queensland will oversee and administer the fund to ensure that the pressure is alleviated on affected participants as quickly as possible.

To be eligible, trainers must be licensed Queensland, have been impacted on or after December 1, 2025, and meet either of the following criteria:

• Reside/stable their horses in one of the LGAs listed in the table below; or
• If outside the LGAs listed, demonstrate an impact on their racing activity as a result of the floods.

“The resilience of the Queensland racing industry – particularly in the Central and North West – has been tested during recent flooding events,” RQ Acting CEO Lachlan Murray said.

“We’re mindful that the weeks and months may be difficult for many of our participants and that includes the prospect of financial and emotional hardship. 

“The activation of the Training Assistance Fund will ensure there is immediate financial relief for those who need it, with the welfare of our animals and participants the number one priority.”

RQ is also working with clubs and the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission to ensure normal racing operations are restored as soon as possible with races rescheduled or relocated where possible.

Trainers unable to apply online are encouraged to call Racing Queensland on 07 3869 9777 to make an application.

Click here for further information on the RQ Training Assistance Fund. 

Click here for further information on the Sport & Recreation Disaster Recovery Program funding.

 

 

FULL MARKS FOR TRANSPARENCY - HOW RQ SPENT A LAZY $54mn 

WHEN it comes to transparency Racing Queensland provides freedom of information that isn’t available in the major states and reading through the details one can understand the lack of objectivity from some media organizations.

The Labor Government introduced this measure in 2017 and it is the only one of its kind in Australia. Because RQ is a statutory body, it must comply with the Queensland Procurement Policy, which sets out disclosure requirements.

The industry in the north can now access details of payments made by the control body for important projects undertaken in a given year. And there have been quite a few handouts to what some might call ‘pigs in the trough’ when it comes to distribution of industry money.

The transparency measure reveals there were 268 individual contracts worth more than $10,000 detailed in the 2025 Racing Queensland Contract Disclosure Report which RQ is now required to disclose. These came at a cost to the industry of more than $54 million.

Some of the major ones included:

The largest cost involved contracts worth $20 million for AON Risk Services for insurance purposes.

SKY Channel outside broadcasts cost $4.8mn and the RQ partnership with News Corp $2.75mn (little wonder the control body receives no adverse publicity from either entity).

Evergreen Turf Australia received $440,000 to repair track damage caused in the lead-up to the 2025 Magic Millions race day (little wonder the GCTC was keen to blame it on sabotage).

An amount of $1.86mn was paid to the Brisbane Racing Club for maintenance of the Deagon training facilities.

RQ paid $1.75mn for service from Co.Gency, a media agency specializing in strategy, creative, digital and above-the-line media planning and buying. (We would be interested to know more information on this company).

Mary Collier, who was appointed by the LNP Government to lead the implementation of recommendations of the Queensland Racing Review, has a contract worth $220,000. And she’s worth every cent of it – not to mention her work should earn a role as CEO to the new-look RQ Board.

RQ also paid over $54,000 in electricity costs for lights at the Gold Coast Turf Club (one wonders if the same privilege is afforded Clifford Park at Toowoomba).

The Queensland Thoroughbred Awards cost the industry $75,000 – surely their marketing team could have found a sponsor like the TAB or one of these big parasite corporate bookmakers who earn more than they deserve out of racing.

From the perspective of people running websites, The Straight is a subscriber-only outfit now but received $11,000 in 2025 in an advertising partnership with RQ. One questions why the hosts of other websites that provide a service to racing aren’t paid the same. LGHR wouldn’t want it because we believe such payment would risk our objectivity. Who knows how much Racenet receives as part of the Murdoch Media deal with RQ.

 

GOOD, BAD & UGLY SIDE OF NEW-LOOK RQ BOARD APPOINTMENTS 

TO say the announcement of a Sydneysider to Chair the new-look Racing Board does not sit well with the majority of stakeholders in Queensland would be an understatement.

Here is an example of some of the feedback LGHR has received:

‘YOU highlighted how Graham Quirk was a glimmer of hope on the new Board but forgot to mention that he should be Chairman. If he doesn’t have better credentials than Matt McGrath – especially being a local – then I’ll give up’.

‘IF the Racing Review ordered by the new LNP Government was independent, how did a ‘school boy’ mate of the Racing Minister manage to secure a key role as thoroughbred consultant to the Chairman. And heaven forbid he has now found his way onto the new Board.’

‘APART from a Degree in Corporate Bookmaking can someone inform stakeholders what credentials Lachlan Murray has to be CEO of RQ? We’ve struggled to find talent in this role in the past, but his appointment takes the cake. Surely Murray will not be hoisted into the full-time role purely because Matt McGrath likes him. What’s that old saying: ‘Surround yourself with ….?’

‘There’s not much transparency in the new-look RQ if the stories are true that Government appointee Mary Collier (to implement the recommendations of the Review) and Kim Kelly (with international stewarding experience) will be shown the door because they can’t see eye-to-eye with Mr McGrath.’

‘Plenty of people were hoping to catch up with the new RQ Chairman at the big Gold Coast race day last weekend but came away disappointed. One wag reckoned after hearing that Wally Gleeson was lurking in the stands, McGrath and his sidekick Murray were last seen high-tailing it down the road toward Surfers riding tandem on a push bike’.

‘We arguably have the best pacer and trotter in the world then why is the code in Queensland struggling? Perhaps it’s got something to do with what ‘King Kev’ wants ‘King Kev’ gets.’

‘One has to question the appointment process for the new RQ Board. Was it done LNP-style, without any recommendations from those involved in the industry or human resources oversight? Even when Labor appointed Bill Ludwig to the RQ Board way back when, the proper process was followed.’

‘How does the Government plan to pay for recommendations of the Review to be implemented – especially the Albion Park upgrade – if Deagon isn’t sold? And the word is strong that they’ve hit a hurdle there.’

‘In late January RQ listed a change of status of Non-TAB meetings to be granted TAB status but curiously these meetings have remained at Non-TAB prizemoney levels. I am sure that I am not the only one scratching my head over this and I am at a loss to explain why someone hasn’t raised this query already. There is hopefully an explanation for this and I would be pleased if you can find out what it is.’

 

‘MR WHIMPEY’ ONE OF THE TOP DOGS APPOINTED THE RUN THE STAR

AND we finish the day on a lighter note:

REMEMBER former Brisbane Racing Club CEO Dave Whimpey? Well he’s back in the news again.

Whimpey has been named Chief Operating Officer and Interim CEO of The Star Brisbane as part of the leadership changes following the opening of the Queen’s Wharf resort in the CBD.

Since his departure from the BRC, ‘Mr Whimpey’ as he became known in racing circles, has been boss of Surf Lifesaving Queensland.

Story emanating from SKY Channel suggests that during a meeting to discuss promotion of a Brisbane Winter Carnival, Whimpey asked how they got the horses to Stradbroke for the big race.

Now LGHR does not believe that for one minute – certainly not from a gentleman with 25 years’  experience in gaming, hospitality and tourism, including senior roles at Tabcorp.

 

LIMERICKS FROM ‘LARRY THE LOSER’ AFTER ANOTHER BAD DAY 

‘LARRY the LOSER’ found himself out of funds and with some time on his hands after backing a couple of beaten fancies from the Chris Waller stable on Saturday so he decided to pen a couple of limericks. Here’s what he came up with:

THERE’S a famous trainer named Chris, 

Whose stable is rarely remiss. 

His backed favorites fall flat, 

But not the longshots—fancy that! 

Fair go, that's just taking the piss.

He enters a trio or more, 

And the outsider evens the score. 

A last-start disaster, 

But now suddenly faster. 

And the stewards just look at the floor!

 

THE stewards all sit in a row, 

Watching Chris put on quite the show. 

While the longshot improves, 

They don't bother checking the moves, 

Just nod as they say, "Didn't you know?"

They've got binoculars glued to their eyes, 

Yet they miss every massive surprise. 

No questions are asked, 

The trainer's not tasked, 

And the punter just sits there and cries.

 

 QUIRK A LIGHT AT END OF TUNNEL FOR CRITICS OF NEW RQ BOARD 

CONFIRMATION that former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk would remain on the new-look Racing Queensland Board has been greeted with much relief, especially in the outback.

That is where stakeholders have felt let down by the LNP Government. Having a previous RQ Chairman who was based in the south-east and they rarely saw in the country was bad enough. Appointing a Sydney-based Chairman made them feel even more disenfranchised.

There was speculation that Quirk had become disenchanted with the direction RQ was heading under the previous Labor-appointed Board that new Racing Minister Tim Mander left there for far too long. In the eyes of many, his decision to stay, will ensure thoroughbred racing through the State of a voice on this new look Board not to mention ‘keep the newbies honest’.

LGHR received this email from a high profile Chairman of a Race Club outside the south-east corner who asked not to be identified fearing repercussions for expressing his opinion at the Minister’s decision to appoint Sydneysider Matt McGrath to head the new Board. This is what he had to say:

‘Whatever happened to the LNP protecting the interests of country racing, especially those living in the outback? They appoint a lady lawyer from Townsville that most have never heard of to represent us. When was the last time she attended a race meeting in Longreach, Mount Isa or Cooktown? Has she any idea of the problems confronting us?

‘When Mr McGrath conducted his Review, it was a whistle-stop tour of the outback. Most stakeholders got the impression he couldn’t depart the region quick enough. How can someone from Sydney possibly understand the concerns of racing in the bush? Has he got any idea that at some meetings up to 20 or more horses have to be scratched because there is no jockey to ride them? God help us under his leadership which will no doubt focus almost entirely on the city and the south east corner.’

If the LNP Government and Racing Minister Mander were serious about protecting the interests and providing a future for racing in country and outback Queensland they would have appointed someone who understood our problems – like former trainer Craig Smith not some lady lawyer from Townsville that no-one has ever heard of.’

 

CONCERNS ABOUT QLD BUSH RACING FROM SOMONEONE WHO CARES 

LGHR believes that MATT NICHOLLS, former Editor of the North-West Weekly and a long-time supporter and fighter for the rights of country and bush racing, would have been a worthy choice as Country Representative on the new-look Board.

The Review was well aware of his credentials and ideas – they spoke with Matt – but perhaps he was too keen to criticize for their liking. Here’s an open letter that Nicholls has written to the Acting CEO of Racing Queensland, Lachlan Murray, who the new Chairman has anointed for the full-time job which shows how out of touch he is with what stakeholders in the north really want.

Matt writes:

Dear Mr Murray,

I’m writing because I am deeply concerned about the current outlook for country racing in Queensland, particularly across the western parts of our state.

My greatest concern is the welfare of participants – especially trainers – who are the heart and soul of racing in the bush.

Last week, one of Queensland’s most prominent country stables was forced to evacuate all of its horses as floodwater inundated their property. Barcaldine trainer Bevan “Billy” Johnson and his wife Mel were unable to attend either the Mount Isa or Charleville meetings on Saturday because they were desperately trying to save their home and stables from rising water.

I have attached a video posted by Mel Johnson for your reference. 

When I contacted Mel on Monday morning, she confirmed there had been no contact from Racing Queensland to check on their welfare. 

Frankly, that is disappointing.

Late last year, you were quick to visit Warwick – with journalist Ben Dorries in tow – after the club was hit by a severe storm. Yet in the face of widespread flooding and disruption across western Queensland, there appears to have been no similar effort to rush to visit participants in the bush to see firsthand how they are coping.

Even along the coast, from Cairns to Bundaberg, racing has been battered by severe weather this year. The obvious question from participants is simple: what has been the response from Deagon?

So far, we have seen very little.

With fuel prices soaring, what assistance has been offered to race clubs and participants to ensure meetings can continue?

Prizemoney in the bush has been stagnant for years, meaning trainers and owners are effectively going backwards as inflation and cost-of-living pressures bite.

Richmond trainer Shryn Royes had to drive through floodwater on the Flinders Highway just to reach Mount Isa for Saturday’s meeting. She didn’t arrive home until today (Monday) after the road between Julia Creek and Richmond was closed, forcing to camp up in Julia Creek with her horses.

Royes said rising fuel prices now mean she will have to pick and choose which meetings she attends, with freight costs also driving up her weekly feed bill.

Kim and Shane McGovern believed they had a genuine winning chance at Sunday’s Townsville meeting. But with the highway closed, they were forced to take the long way around from Mount Isa to get there.

In searching for cheaper fuel, the McGoverns misjudged the closing time of a service station and were forced to camp overnight until it reopened, ultimately running out of time to reach Townsville, resulting in the scratching of both horses.

Meanwhile, race meetings are dropping like flies.

Cloncurry had to shift its meeting to Mount Isa. Winton will not race at the end of this month. Boulia has cancelled its Easter meeting. One can only imagine the concern at clubs like Einasleigh about whether their annual meetings will survive.

Last week, the Laura Amateur Turf Club in Far North Queensland was completely inundated, putting extreme pressure on the volunteer committee to get prepared for its monster June program.

Which leads to the obvious question: as the head of Racing Queensland, what are you doing to help?

I understand you are scheduled to attend a Rural Racing Roadshow in Longreach this Sunday. I sincerely hope you arrive with practical solutions and meaningful support to help participants through what is clearly an incredibly difficult period.

Because the people of the bush are not looking for more talk.

They are looking for leadership, support and action from an organisation that many feel has lost touch with participants outside the south-east corner of the state.

A travel subsidy for horses would be a start.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss any of these issues with you. But these days I’m just a concerned citizen. The people you really need to listen to are the trainers, owners, jockeys and volunteers who keep country racing alive.

Kind regards,

Matt Nicholls
 

IF McGRATH APPOINTS UNDER-PERFORMING MURRAY TO CEO ROLE IT SHOWS A LACK OF RESPECT FOR THE OBVIOUS - MARY COLLIER 

WHAT a disgrace – LACHLAN MURRAY is the bloke that new Board Chairman Matt McGrath regards as the most suitable to fill the shoes of the CEO at RQ.

It poses the question from many in the outback: ‘Does RQ or Lachlan Murray care about us? Does he know the plight we are facing? Why then have we not heard from him?’

Of course, Ben Dorries, emerging as the ‘spin doctor’ for the new RQ Chairman, has been conspicuous by his silence as well. Not a word written by him in The Courier-Mail or Racenet – unlike his big-noting visit to Warwick last year on the coat-tails of his ‘mate’, Murray. (That was until this morning when our story hit a nerve and he did his job which we praise him for).   

Racing knows Dorries for what he is. Big Ben wasted no time defending McGrath from the critics who are suggesting he did the Review with the hope of landing a top job and it worked. When it comes to an opportunity to build Brownie Points with officialdom, Dorries is front and centre. No doubt he’ll win another Award for services to ‘suck-up’ to those in charge of racing in Queensland.

His defensive story of Matt McGrath’s appointment as RQ Chairman was ‘finger down the throat stuff’ to most stakeholders. What Dorries failed to mention is that two of the best people in key roles in RQ are likely to be lost to the industry because they cannot see eye-to-eye with McGrath and his Racing Review recommendations.

We’re talking about QRIC Deputy Commissioner, steward extraordinaire Kim Kelly, who LGHR understands finds some of the integrity recommendations of the McGrath Review impossible to implement.

And, believe it or not, after being appointed to lead the implementation of reforms of the McGrath Review, we understand Mary Collier is hitting more hurdles than she can cope with. One wonders if this is because she would make a far better CEO of RQ than Lachlan Murray who McGrath has basically admits he wants in the job.

They have one thing in common – a desire to see the Point of Consumption Tax reduced for their mates in the corporate bookmaking industry. This would have happened but for high profile MP’s putting a road-block in front of the Racing Minister’s plans. Are McGrath and Murray the duo racing in Queensland needs? Certainly not, but like it or not, we’re stuck with both of them – or so it seems.

McGrath told his new ‘spin doctor’ Dorries: "I didn't do the Review to get a role at the end of it. I will spend a week-and-a-half in Queensland every month. I'm not going to try to win people's trust, I will make sure I earn it and that's the most important thing for me."

In the eyes of many it wouldn’t matter whether he moved to Queensland full-time. There were plenty hoping to catch up with him at the QTIS Jewel Day on the Gold Coast last Saturday.

If Matt was there they say he proved to be the ‘invisible man’. Many are asking why SKY hosts Bernadette Cooper and Paul Joice did the presentations for the feature races. Where was the new RQ Chairman and his golden boy Lachie from RQ?

 

WALLER SHOULD STICK TO TRAINING WINNERS, MAHER NO 1 TIPSTER

THERE’S a reason bread and butter punters prefer to follows tips from the Ciaron Maher stable to those from rival Chris Waller.

In his Preview Show, Waller and first lieutenant Sir Charles Duckworth tend to talk in riddles and when they do declare one it seems to get beaten.

On the contrary when Jack Turnbull, the tipster for Maher, declares one, it more often than not salutes.

The last two Saturdays the big tips from the Waller stable have been long-time loser Militarize and Buckaroo despite a setback. Militarize has now failed two weeks in a row and hasn’t won for 550 days.

It is history now that Buckaroo, who missed an important start with a cough a week earlier , had not recovered fully when he was beaten out of sight by heavily-backed stablemate Birdman in the G2 Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield.

‘Wallyworld’ didn’t suggest Birdman couldn’t win – in fact the stable scratched the Australian Cup hopeful from Rosehill to stay in Melbourne. But they were quick to highlight the fact that Buckaroo was the better horse based on his close second to Via Sistina in the Cox Plate.

It was a bit rich though when the little Petal representing the Waller stable in Melbourne told RSN in a post-race interview that Buckaroo ‘raced very well’ when it went like a ‘busted bum’. She must have been watching a different race.

Of the big team that Maher had racing on Saturday, Jack Turnbull didn’t hesitate to declare Salty Pearl the best of the day. The grey was heavily backed and duly saluted.

That’s the difference between tips from the Waller stable and those from Maher. The latter are reliable – the former rarely win and when they do punters have to decipher what Chris and Charlie really mean as they continue to talk in riddles.

 

BUCKAROO PULLING UP WITH A COUGH WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH

UNLIKE their counterparts in Sydney, the Victorian Stewards arguably treated the Waller stable differently following the failure of Buckaroo but did they go far enough?

There’s a general belief – from the punting fraternity right through to rival trainers – that Waller gets too much start in Sydney because of his domination of racing there. The mainstream media is terrified to question form reversals from stable runners and upset wins by stablemates of drifting favorites.

Racing Victoria Stewards were quick to pounce after Buckaroo performed poorly in the G2 Peter Young Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday won by his heavily-backed stablemate Birdman, which was beautifully ridden by Ben Melham.

Rival jockey Jye McNeil reported that Buckaroo travelled well in the early and middle stages, however, did not run on as expected and tired over the latter stages. A post-race veterinary examination revealed a throat condition. A veterinary clearance is required prior to being permitted to race again. 

Waller made no secret that Buckaroo had been scratched from the Group 1 All Star Mile at Flemington the previous week because of a throat condition. Despite being placed in G1 company at four of his last five start, the seven-year-old has not won now for 550 days.

Surely there was some requirement that the stable be certain Buckaroo was over the throat condition before allowing him to start on Saturday. Nevertheless, he wasn’t as vets reported after the Peter Young.

Rather than reporting that they would follow up with the stable, should the RV Stewards not hit Waller with a please explain or even a charge considering Buckaroo started when he still obviously had a problem.

That most certainly wouldn’t have happened in Sydney where without the Waller stable numbers, one wonders where racing would be. Just look at the farcical situation in the G2 Sky High Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday where Waller had seven of the nine original acceptors (the other two were from the Waterhouse-Bott barn).

After scratching Birdman to race at Caulfield and Trinity College, Waller had five of the seven. The Preview Show suggested he couldn’t separate Soul Of Spain $3.8 which ran second and Wootten Verni, the $2.6 favorite, which dropped out to beat two home.

The race was won by Vauban, having his first start since finishing sixth in the Melbourne Cup which, incidentally, co-trainer Adrian Bott told Melbourne Radio on Saturday morning was the stable’s best of the day. It seems that even he is a better judge than Waller.

 

RACING ROYALTY TURNED OUT AT RANDWICK - TERRIFIC INITIATIVE 

AND on a positive note, we received this contribution from SYDNEYSIDER PETER MAIR:

THE Australian racing industry, at its grass roots, welcomes all comers – that sense of a fraternity of equals was on open display at Randwick on Sunday afternoon.

Billed as an opportunity to meet the ‘royalty’ of Sydney racing –  barbequed food, free of charge, washed down with $5 beers – the couple of hundred that came were not disappointed.

On the contrary, including world-class players, trainers and jockeys turned out in remarkable numbers. Seemingly all of them were there and happy to be there -- willing to meet the people, enjoyably posing for selfies and responding to questions. What other major industry, or political party, puts on a comparable open-day for all-comers?

Apart from a very few welcoming words from the CEO of the ATC, there were no formalities. Not needed perhaps – these days, with modern media coverage, punters know the faces and personalities of most player participants. Even so, their being there in-person adds a special dimension.

Hopefully, what was a first time on Sunday becomes a next-time next year and the concept is built into the Sydney racing calendar.’

 

THE WORST KEPT SECRET IN QUEENSLAND RACING IS OUT – BUT PROVOKES A MIXED REACTION - THIS IS NO 'EXCLUSIVE' YOU GOOSE!

DESPITE the daily ‘fish and chips’ wrapper calling it an ‘exclusive’, the appointments of Review Chairman Matt McGrath and his First Lieutenant Kim Daly to the new-look RQ Board was the worst kept secret in Queensland racing.

The industry has waited 18 months for the new LNP Government to replace the control body appointed by Labor and there has been not unexpectedly mixed reaction to the announcement.

The biggest criticism is that McGrath and Daly are among the major beneficiaries of their own Review recommendations. It’s not only a ‘bit rich’ but sounds like ‘jobs for the boys’.

It was supposedly an independent Review but the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission – established on the recommendation of the McSporran Report in the wake of the disgraceful live-baiting expose in the greyhound industry – was a casualty the new Government always wanted.

Lost in the process has been one of the best appointments racing Queensland has every enjoyed – albeit too briefly – in super popular QRIC Chairman Catherine Clarke and one of the most experienced stewards in the world in Kim Kelly (although we are reliably informed that Racing Minister Tim Mander did his best to retain Kim’s services but there were disagreements especially over the need for a separation of powers between administration and integrity).

Sadly, the loss of Kelly (although it has yet to be confirmed) will create criticism of Kim Daly that he arguably doesn’t deserve. Sure Daly’s experience as a Steward (he has been appointed Integrity representative on the new Board) is infinitesimal compared to Kelly but Kim deserves better than simply being declared an appointee because he was an ‘old school mate of the Minister). Perhaps Mander should consider offering Kim a consultancy, similar to what he enjoys with the HKJC and NZ Racing.

Whether the McGrath appointment was the worst-kept secret in Queensland Racing or not, LGHR believes it should not have been an ‘exclusive’ to the CM, which has a circulation that has reached the embarrassing stage. What about radio, TV and other racing media outlets. Only Ben Dorries would declare such a story an ‘exclusive’. What odds he now ‘spin doctors’ the Government’s appointments?        

 

REASONS CRITICS DIDN’T WANT MATT McGRATH TO BECOME THE NEW RQ CHAIRMAN - IS HE A MAJOR BENEFICIARY OF HIS OWN REVIEW? 

THERE are many who believe the appointment of Sydneysider Matt McGrath as Chairman of the new Board is an insult to the many highly experienced and equally competent people who are Queensland-based.

For the record the appointment of an interstate person to the RQ Board is nothing new. LGHR was front and centre at Deagon when Sydney-based Michael Lambert was on the Bob Bentley Board and without a doubt believe he was one of the best appointments ever made.

Lambert was back then Managing Director of ABN-AMRO Australia, part of the ABN-AMRO global investment bank and a former head of the NSW Treasury. His areas of focus and responsibility were Government, transport and the gaming and gambling sectors. He had a background with the Queensland racing industry, having been an adviser to the Government on strategic options for TABQ and the Queensland racing industry and on the reform and sale of TABQ.

One could argue that McGrath’s credentials pale into insignificance in comparison but as Chairman of the Board that he helped create Matt now gets the chance to implement the recommendations of the Review that he conducted.

Archie Butterfly (peterprofit.com) wrote a story on McGrath which best sums up the thoughts of his detractors. It involves statements made by McGrath in a submission to the recent Parliamentary Inquiry into the Sale of Rosehill. It is worth taking a closer look at these:

MM: AS ATC Chairman from 2018-2022, the ATC in unison from Racing NSW had an excellent period where we elevated Sydney racing to the pinnacle world-wide on all KPIs.

THAT is a huge claim that the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Royal Ascot Racing Club, the VRC and the Turf Club that holds the Kentucky Derby would dispute.

MM: AT the conclusion of my four-year tenure, the financial results and the health of the club sat alone whilst all other Australia metropolitan clubs recorded losses on their racing operations.

WHILE that claim may be strictly correct, it is somewhat of a misrepresentation of the actual state of affairs. Both the Melbourne Racing Club and Moonee Valley Racing Club returned profits in 2022, the last of McGrath’s four years in the top job at the ATC, as did the Brisbane Racing Club. That the earnings of these clubs were supplemented by gaming revenue is more of a testament to their foresight in diversifying sources of income than it is a reason to deride their returns as being non-racing derived.

MM: THE ATC in my fours amassed $66mn EBITDA:

EBITDA: Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization is a narrow way for a racing cub or administrator to measure success, as it ignores both the wear and tear to assets such as grandstands, buildings, plant and equipment which will need to be upgraded or replaced, and the cost of interest payments on loans, both of which were substantial under McGrath’s leadership, eg:

2018-19 (-$9.1mn); 2019-20 (+$6.9mn), 2020-21 (+$12.5mn) & 2021-22 (+$7mn). TOTAL profit: $3.3mn.

Pictures don’t look right without frames though, so let’s look at the real picture when you add in all the MONEY THAT THE ATC BORROWED under McGrath’s watch.

At 31 July 2022, the last full financial year under McGrath as Chairman, the current liabilities of the ATC (HOW MUCH IT OWED) exceeded the club’s current assets (HOW MUCH IT HAD IN CASH) by $31,335 million. In other words, the ATC was $31.3mn in the red, cash v debt.

When McGrath inherited the Chairmanship of the club from his predecessor Laurie Macri the ATC’s current assets exceeded its current liabilities by almost $22.15mn. This means that the ATC’s cash-debut position declined by $53.4mn under his leadership.

MM: AND in the FY22 Report, the ATC had a record $38mn in cash at bank

THIS is the most laughable McGrath boast of all.

What he failed to disclose is that $24.9mn came from a Racing NSW loan that he left the ATC to pay off after he was long gone and another $10mn that was borrowed from the bank.

The cash from both of these loans landed in the ATC accounts in McGrath’s last year in charge. Without this borrowed money the ATC would have had just $3.1mn in the bank, a record low.

It is also interesting to note that the ATC’s debts to lenders grew almost $24mn in the period that McGrath was Chairman of the Club, rising from $42.6mn to $66.5mn.

LGHR respectfully suggests that Matt McGrath is a great self-promoter who has been anointed by Racing Minister Mander on the recommendation of the ‘man he admires most in racing and rugby league’ Peter V’landys. Here’s hoping RQ doesn’t now become just another notch in the belt of PVL.

As for what sort of debts a newlook McGrath-led RQ Racing Board will accrue, only time will tell.

 

EARLY REACTION TO MINISTER’S NEW BOARD HAS NOT BEEN POSITIVE 

IT hasn’t taken long for the news of the Board appointments to filter through. The LGHR phone, text and email service has been running hot and sadly the reaction has not been positive.

HERE’S what MATT NICHOLLS, one-timed Editor of the North West Weekly newspaper and a long-time follower of racing in outback Queensland had to say:

‘YOU may not have seen this yet – the news has only been reported in News Corp outlets so far – but Racing Minister Tim Mander will today announce a new-look Racing Queensland board.

Leading the charge will be NSW-based Matt McGrath, who chaired last year’s review into racing in Queensland. Almost none of his recommendations have been implemented since it was handed to Mander, while several of the key proposals were quickly rejected.

Despite that, McGrath – who lives in Sydney – will now be installed as chair of Racing Queensland.

Also joining the board is Mander’s former schoolmate Kym Daly, a former steward who was also involved in the review. Daly is expected to fill the integrity role.

But perhaps the most baffling appointment is Michelle Morton, who – according to reporting by Ben Dorries – will represent regional and country racing.

Morton is Townsville-based, but I’ve been covering racing in North Queensland for more than a decade and her name has never crossed my desk.

A quick Google search shows she’s a lawyer and sits on the board of the Townsville Hospital and Health Service.

A few messages to North Queensland participants this morning confirmed the same thing: she’s virtually unknown in local racing circles.

So how exactly is she now the champion for country racing on the Racing Queensland board?

Others to join the board include Gary Cunningham as an owners' advocate, former Liberal politician Jane Prentice (no surprises there) and professional spin doctor/consultant Sally Branson.

Taken together, these six appointments send a pretty clear message – that the minister and the decision-makers in south-east Queensland have little understanding of, or interest in, the realities of country racing.

Participants in regional areas should be furious.

If Mander truly cared about bush racing, the Country Racing Panel would have been retained – and given real authority – with one of its members sitting on the Racing Queensland board.

Instead, country racing gets a lawyer with seemingly no connection to it.’

   

BATTLE BETWEEN BRC & GLEESON FAMILY TRAVELS THE FULL CIRCLE 

LGHR continues to receive requests for an update on the behind-the-scenes battle involving the Gleeson family and their concerns over alleged integrity issues relating to the Board of the Brisbane Racing Club.

What we can report is that the matter has now turned the full circle and been hand-passed from Racing Queensland to the Racing Minister, at their advice onto the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission who say they don’t have the power to act and now to ASIC (the Australian Securities and Investment Commission) where it started over a year ago and they have done next to nothing.

You may remember that LGHR reported that a complaint to the QCCC was being investigated. Technically that was wrong despite us possessing the knowledge that a complaint had been made and an assurance from an insider at the Parliamentary CCC (which oversees the QCCC) that any legitimate concerns by an industry stakeholder (a la Wally Gleeson or his son Simon, who resigned as a director of the BRC) would be fully investigated. We assumed this was happening.

It wasn’t but not because the QCCC ruled the complaint had or didn't have any substance. Their decision was that they did not possess the powers to investigate this issue because the BRC is not considered to be a Unit of Public Administration.

(Under the Crime & Corruption Act 2001 the QCCC can only deal with conduct that occurs in, or affects, the Queensland public sector which generally includes Government Departments, the Queensland Police Service, Councils, public hospitals and health services and publicly funded universities).

The QCCC advised that the complaint related to the conduct of employees at the Brisbane Racing Club, which has been determined not to be part of the Queensland public sector, that is, it is not considered to be a Unit of Public Administration. For that reason, the CCC has no authority to investigate it.

 

HAS RQ OR RACING MINISTER ANY IDEA OF HOW THE QCCC WORKS? 

THIS outcome raises more questions than answers. It seems that even the lawyers are confused.

Apparently, Racing Minister Tim Mander and former Racing Queensland Chairman Steve Wilson were wrong in advising the Gleeson’s to take their concerns to the QCCC? 

Some are asking if the Act in NSW mirrors that in Queensland, how is it possible for Racing NSW to currently conduct an investigation into the Australian Turf Club (Supreme Court decision pending today) when RQ are unable to do so involving the Brisbane Racing Club?

Supporters of the Gleeson’s have posed an interesting question: “If the CCC doesn’t have the powers to investigate allegations against the BRC, why then isn’t the CCC investigating Racing Queensland (as a Unit of Public Administration) for not doing the job they can’t?

Wally Gleeson now wants a ‘please explain’ from Minister Mander who for some inexplicable reason is not prepared to meet with him face to face - stop hiding behind a rock Minister and do your job.

Have you forgotten Wally's lifetime involvement with the industry as a Corinthian winning jockey, owner and prominent breeder, not to mention a Member of the LNP who worked hard to see his local MP Kerri-Ann Dooley elected in Redcliffe at the last election.

Ms Dooley requested a meeting on behalf of Wally and his wife Jill with the Minister but received this 'weak-kneed' response from his Office which read in part:

‘Thank you for your email of 23 February 2026 regarding the request from your constituents Mr Wally and Ms Jill Gleeson for a meeting to discuss allegations of corruption against the Racing Queensland Board.

‘Corrupt conduct is serious as it undermines public trust, the integrity of decision making and confidence in public administration. I encourage anybody with allegations of corrupt conduct, in any context to provide details of their claims to the appropriate investigative agency, ensuring independence, accountability and legislative compliance matters are handled correctly.

I can confirm that the Department of Sport, Racing and Olympic and Paralympic Games has been in contact with Mr Wally and Ms Jill Gleeson to discuss this matter.’

Gleeson explained that he rejected an offer to meet with ‘with a Department lackey (apparently Michael Duff, son of the late training great Pat, good luck to plans to sell Deagon if he has any influence on the decision). ‘I want to meet with the butcher – not the block,’ Wally said.

The wording of the Mander letter that ‘details of any allegations should be provided to the appropriate investigative agency’ suggests he is referring to the QCCC. It’s time the Minister or his advisors were made aware that the QCCC’s supposed inability to address the issue. 

In the light of the unexpected stance of the QCCC and the ‘bad advice’ from the Racing Minister and Racing Queensland, the matter has been referred again to ASIC – but no-one’s holding their breath for action at the station there.

A complaint was lodged with ASIC a month ago but no response has been received. ASIC hasn’t even asked for details which are required when submissions are first made. Gleeson supporters are questioning now whether this is a ‘closed shop’ as well.

TIME WILL TELL!

 

HERE’S HOW LADBROKES TREATS PUNTERS WHO DARE TO WIN 

THERE is yet another complaint concerning a CORPORATE BOOKMAKER – when will it ever end? To make matters worse, it’s one of the biggest that you would expect better of:

MY name is MICHAEL HAY and I am writing to formally raise a complaint regarding Ladbrokes withholding payment of a winning bet placed on Sunday, 8 March 2026.

Firstly, I would like to state that I am simply a social punter. I do not bet professionally or regularly, but when I do have a bet, I back my judgement and have a proper wager.

On Sunday 8 March, I backed Spies On – Race 2, Number 10 at Sunshine Coast. The horse had caught my attention at its prior start. Due to heavy rain, I was stuck at home on my property near Longreach and could not get into town.

When the original fields first went up for that meeting, I had intended to have around $2,000–$3,000 on the horse, either each-way or to win depending on the price. However, the meeting was abandoned and I shelved the idea and thought nothing more of it.

Then on Sunday the same horse Spies On was running again, this time on the poly track at Sunshine Coast. Early in the morning I looked at the markets and saw the price around $1.45–$1.50, which didn’t really seem worth having that sort of money on.

Later in the morning, about 30 minutes before the race, I revisited the market and started looking at margin betting, something only a handful of bookmakers offer. Historically I’m what you would call a mug punter and usually bet small, but I had liked the horse’s first-up run.  After some deliberation I decided to have a good bet.

Approximately five minutes before the race, I successfully deposited $3,000 in my Ladbrokes’ account. I had two successfully placed margin bets on Spies On.  To my excitement and joy, the horse won comfortably by more than three lengths.

After being stuck out on my property near Longreach, I was obviously pleased with the result and went to withdraw my funds. However, my account was immediately locked by Ladbrokes, and I was informed that they would not release the funds unless I provided further identity documents.

They requested bank statements, identification and a selfie photo, which in my opinion is quite an invasion of privacy for a recreational punter who has simply placed a winning bet.

Nonetheless, I complied and supplied everything requested:

• Bank statement• Photo identification• Selfie verification photo all within a 24 hour period of their request.

Despite providing everything requested, my winnings are still being withheld. This is despite being told via phone conversation with a Ladbrokes’ customer support that once my identity documents were received the monies would be able to be withdrawn right away.  

What makes this situation even more frustrating is that there is currently a Federal Court case involving bookmakers and Ladbrokes’ parent company Entain, where millions of dollars lost by a gambler are being challenged because bookmakers allegedly failed to check where the money was coming from. In that case, a former financial planner was reportedly able to gamble tens of millions of dollars despite earning around $130,000 a year, raising questions about whether bookmakers ignored obvious warning signs about the source of funds.

Yet here I am, a social punter who has simply had a winning bet, being asked to provide bank statements and personal documents before I can be paid. It seems that when someone is losing large sums of money, bookmakers are happy not to ask too many questions, but when a punter wins, suddenly the checks begin.

This behaviour is extremely concerning. In Australia the understanding has always been simple — you place a bet and if you win, you get paid. I find it unacceptable that bookmakers can accept a wager and then delay or withhold payment after the result.

I am asking that the appropriate racing and wagering authorities investigate this matter and step in if necessary, as this type of conduct undermines confidence in the wagering industry.

I respectfully request that my winnings be paid immediately.

As Australians, we grow up believing that when you have a bet and your horse wins, you get paid. I am simply asking for that basic principle to be honoured.

COMPETITIVE PERSPECTIVES ON THE FUNDING OF RACING IN NSW 

ANOTHER contribution from SYDNEYSIDER PETER MAIR makes for interesting reading:

‘RacingNSW is presenting itself as, in essence, a successful public company. A business going from strength to strength, even more so in comparison with 'public-companies' running racing in other states.

As the Chairman of RNSW says:

NSW racing is strong. It is financially secure. And right now, it is delivering record returns to the people who give this sport its heart and soul. One of the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of a public company is the dividends it pays to its shareholders. In the racing industry, the equivalent KPI is the total returns paid to participants. These figures represent far more than statistics. They reflect real income supporting thousands of owners, trainers, jockeys, stable staff, breeders and industry participants whose livelihoods depend on a strong and growing racing industry.

From a broader community perspective, purloining the concept of 'company dividends' may be misleading. Guardians of the public purse could recast the allocation of public funds to RacingNSW as a bi-partisan agreement unfairly favouring a racing gambling community comprising ten per-cent of the adult population.  It is no wonder that the funds distributed by RacingNSW are at record levels – ear-marked funds given to racing from the public purse are also at record levels.

The racing funding model is a simple one – the higher the racing tax-take and the more money gambled on racing (and sports), the more money flows automatically to fund racing. And that is the rub: considering the interests of the other 90 per-cent, is funding racing with 'off budget' entitlements the best use of these public funds in the general public interest.

In the event the limited scope of the current inquiry into the NSW racing legislation is under pressure to be extended to include the very critical issues expressly excluded – the independence of RacingNSW and funding arrangements for the NSW racing industry.

Let the mind wander to the prospect of parliamentary scrutiny of the allocation and distribution of public funds by RacingNSW -- perhaps following a performance-audit of RNSW by the NSW Auditor General. AG's reports are "tabled" in Parliament, making them public documents that the media and the community can access immediately.’

 

 

WHEN WILL RACING IN QUEENSLAND SEE A RETURN ON MILLIONS SPENT ON USELESS REVIEW? ANOTHER PLEASE EXPLAIN FOR MINISTER!

THE controversial Queensland Racing Review identified many problems the industry already knew existed but stakeholders are now questioning whether they will see a reasonable return on their multi-million dollar investment.

The reason for that is the Review hand-passed most issues to the Government to find a solution which saw one-time Brisbane Turf Club Chairman Mary Collyer appointed to sort out this basket case. They felt – and rightly so – when it comes to racing, there’s ‘something about Mary’.

Problem is some stakeholders are becoming increasingly impatient and why wouldn’t they be? Take racing in Mount Isa for example which one could argue is suffering second-rate treatment at the hands of a Racing Minister and Government that promised to look after the industry outside the south-east corner.

Could you imagine a major TAB club being allowed to suffer the fate that has befallen racing in the north-west in recent times? Hot on the heels of losing two consecutive meetings to the ‘big wet’, when they finally raced last Saturday owners and trainers were faced with an unbelievable situation where 23 acceptors could not run because no jockeys were available to ride them.

 

THE UNWINNABLE FIGHT THAT RQ CONTINUES TO REFUSE TO ACT ON

GREG BLANCHARD of the Gold Coast, a regular contributor to LGHR, has been fighting an unwinnable battle to secure more jockeys for the bush for as long as he can remember. Here’s his take on the latest unacceptable situation:

‘LAST year I said I was done writing about this but just this once I'll do a Melba.

Mount Isa had 23 horses scratched on Saturday with no riders available. This occurred after having meetings called off due to flooding the two previous weeks.

A few weeks ago I was contacted by a friend about an overseas jockey wanting to come to Australia.

I told him about the Mount Isa situation and even sent him a video so that he was able to understand the region. He was fine with that.

I had an encouraging response from officialdom a few weeks ago when I sent his resume but nothing has happened since.

I think of the promises over last 11 years I've written about this made by many about getting overseas jockeys and kids into our Apprentice School. This could help the problem but still nothing on that front.

Surely to goodness with the huge money spent on some tracks over the last decade etc, funding coul.d be provided to get overseas riders here to the bush.’

 

DID THE REVIEW TAKE THE PROBLEM OF LACK OF BUSH JOCKEYS SERIOUSLY ENOUGH? SHOW YOU CARE ABOUT THIS MR MINISTER!

ONE has to ask the question – and it was raised by many with chief thoroughbred consultant Kim Daly – did the Review take the on-going problem of a lack of jockeys in the bush seriously enough.

Looking through the recommendations in their report, many don’t believe they did. But it's not too late or is it?

When you ask who is to blame for this long-running problem, the buck stops with Racing Queensland and the Government of the day.

A succession of CEO’s at RQ has done next to nothing about it. To be fair, Jason Scott tried. Before him Brendan ‘Pins’ Parnell swept it under the carpet and since him Lachlan Murray seems more focused on retaining his role and critics say protecting the interests of his ‘mates’ in the corporate bookmaking fraternity.

Murray is unbelievable odds-on to be CEO of the new body and in the opinion of many, if that happens, RQ will continue to tread water.

He has apparently won favour with the Sydney interloper Matt McGrath, a mate of Racing Minister Tim Mander, who conducted the supposed independent Racing Review and is favoured to be Chairman of the new RQ control body – another joke!      

While the Review recommended expansion of the Battle of the Bush Series along with enhancement of Country Cups and Town Plates what's the point if horses can’t qualify because there aren’t enough jockeys to ride them?

It seems the Review only identified problems the industry knew it already had. There was no suggestion of a solution.

The Government looks certain to put many of these issues in the ‘too hard’ basket and the Minister seems intent on saving money by dismantling QRIS and establishing a new control body where there will be no separation of powers between administration and integrity.

BUT the industry will be run by a ‘jobs for the boys Board’ – not one appointed on ability. It's back to the good old days of the LNP where integrity in Queensland racing was the joke of the country.

 

GOLLAN'S TOUGHEST CHALLENGE OF TRAINING CAREER WITH ANTINO

TONY GOLLAN is arguably confronted by the toughest challenge of his illustrious training career.

On the eve of the last Cox Plate, his stable star Antino was rated one of the best weight-for-age stayers in the land. In the space of a week he suffered a major slump in form and has been unable to regain it.

Mystery surrounds what happened to Antino from the day he sat three wide and ran second to Sir Delius in the G1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington in October.

The seven-year-old beat home Via Sistina in that race and there were plenty of good judges prepared to back him to deny the Waller-trained superstar a second Cox Plate win.

But for some inexplicable reason the wheels fell off or in racing parlance Antino ‘lost a leg’. The winner of more than $3.5mn in stakes dropped out to run last in the Cox Plate.

Victorian Stewards asked for an explanation for the flop which Gollan would have been happy to supply but he was as surprised as them. There were reports that Blake Shinn, who rode the horse in the Cox Plate and subsequent work, thought he was sore.

Gollan decided to call it quits and hope that after a spell Antino would return to his brilliant best. After a plain first-up 8^th in the Apollo Stakes at Randwick, the trainer whose opinion is highly respected told the media he was convinced Antino would reproduce his best in Saturday’s All Star Mile at Flemington.

Alas, after missing the start as he so often does, Antino went woefully finishing over 11 lengths behind the winner, Tom Kitten. Jockey Jamie Melham told Stewards that the horse appeared to resent racing inside horses and failed to respond when put under pressure.

Melham added that she had advised connections that in her opinion Antino may now be better suited racing without the blinkers. A post-race veterinary examination revealed a laceration to the near fore fetlock and a clearance will be required prior to racing again.

But there’s no point racing again while Antino is in his current form. He is simply non-competitive. All the ‘experts’ have their opinions – one is that the horse never recovered from that gut-buster in the Turnbull. Another is that the reason he jumps slowly is that he is feeling some soreness which the vets can’t detect.

LGHR doesn’t pretend to have any veterinary advice and our suggestion probably won’t sit too well with the Gollan stable. But we think he should ‘bit the bullet’ and transfer the horse to his good mate, Ciaron Maher.

No reflection on Tony’s expertise as a trainer but a change of surroundings and a different approach might just do the trick.

The other option of course is to retire him – but that would be giving up, something that isn’t in the Gollan repertoire.

 

FUNERAL OF GOLD COAST BOOKIE NOEL SMITH

THE FUNERAL OF POPULAR GOLD COAST BOOKIE NOEL SMITH will be held tomorrow, MONDAY, MARCH 9, at 12.30 at SOMERVILLE FUNERALS, 129 NERANG-BORADBEACH ROAD to be followed by a WAKE. 

 

WHAT A MESS MINISTER MANDER – NOW WE’RE TOLD THE RQ ACTING CHAIRMAN FEELS 'ISOLATED' & HAS DECIDED TO RESIGN HER POST

IT seems that Racing Minister Tim Mander has managed to loose yet another high profile figure in Queensland Racing.

If the mail LGHR has received is right – and we’re sure it is – the highly respected acting Chairman of RQ, Jane Seawright, has (or will) resign today.

We have not spoken to Ms Seawright, who took over as chair after Steve Wilson bailed. But it is our understanding from those close to the lady that she feels isolated as the new wave prepares to take over the control body.

The LNP Government conducted an important Women In Sport event on Wednesday which unbelievably she was not invited to as Chairman of RQ.

Adding insult to injury Mary Collyer, who is close to the Minister and tipped to be on the new Board (maybe even Chairman) was invited along with Jodie Jones, the harness representative on the RQ Board.

Some of the blame for the ‘demise’ of Ms Seawright, an experienced corporate and commercial lawyer and governance advisor, has been placed at the feet of the RQ CEO Lachlan Murray who many stakeholders cannot believe is now odds-on to retain his position in the new look control body.

So who becomes the new Chairman of the RQ Board that was appointed by the Labor Government? It has taken Minister Mander 18 months to replace it but the body is now in its ‘death throes’.

That will probably be hand-passed to former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, the man who should be Chairman of the new Board or the thoroughbred representative on it, but unfortunately won’t be.

What an incredible situation the racing industry under Mander and the LNP is confronted with. Get rid of all the good people – or force them out – then replace those with a guy who was appointed to conduct a supposedly independent Review but many believe delivered just what the Minister wanted, not to mention the top job for himself.

And if we head back to the days reminiscent of when the two gentlemen racing stakeholders named the ‘two Dick’s’ then God help us. Then Racing Minister Steve Dixon made the ridiculous statement at the time that in 12 months the industry in Queensland would be ‘a furlong in front of Sydney and Melbourne’.

The less said about his RQ Chairman at the time (we're saving a special story for him if he bobs up on the new Board) then the LNP has learnt nothing when it comes to racing and it's just a matter of 'jobs for the boys'.

HAVE YOU THE SLIGHTEST IDEA WHAT DIRECTION THE RACING INDUSTRY SHOULD BE HEADING MR MANDER?

 

THE LNP HAS A PLAN TO ENSURE THE WORLD THAT QUEENSLAND IS THE HOME OF OZ SPORT - THIS TRIP TO VEGAS WAS NO 'JUNKET' 

RACING, Sport & Olympics Minister TIM MANDER has explained in Parliament how his recent visit to the States was not a junket solely associated with the opening of the National Rugby League season.

Tim wasn’t just there to rub shoulders with the man he admires most in ‘racing and rugby league’ Peter V’landys nor was it a chance to learn how much technology has changed since his days as a ‘whistle blower’.

Mander told State Parliament on Wednesday:

‘THERE is no doubt that Queensland is the home of Australian sport and last week I shared that message in the United States as part of our commitment to deliver the Games Queensland deserves in 2032.

Los Angeles is currently preparing for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as being the host city for this year’s FIFA World Cup.

In Los Angeles we did not just meet with executives; we went into the engine room of the 2028 Games. From the LA28 headquarters to the offices of Los Angeles city deputy mayors, our focus was razor sharp: logistics and legacy.

We are not interested in the vanity projects of the former Labor Government. We are learning how LA is utilising 50 venues to deliver a Games that is fiscally disciplined and community focused.

I also sat down with Aecom’s Executive Vice President, Bill Hanway, to discuss the technical blueprint for venue delivery.

At the G’day USA round table my message was clear: The world will be watching Queensland so come over and partner with us. Unlike those opposite, the Crisafulli Government has a plan to ensure that the world knows that Queensland is the home of Australian sport.

Queenslanders love all sport and the popularity of American football is continuing on an upward spiral, particularly with younger sports fans. At a meeting with the NFL Commissioner we had the first of what promises to be many discussions about growing the sport’s presence in Queensland. Who knows? Maybe one day we will host an NFL fixture.

When you build infrastructure such as a stadium that can seat 63,000 people, those are the types of events that you can attract.

I am particularly proud to tell the House that, after decades of absence, Australia House is coming back as a centre for Australian athletes, supporters and local Americans. We found the perfect stage by securing a footprint at Venice Beach.

We have created a permanent billboard for Queensland on the global stage. Venice Beach will be our launching pad to showcase our lifestyle, our trade and our 2032 vision to the world’s most influential market.

After 1,200 days of Games chaos and confusion under the former Labor Government, this Government is restoring Queensland’s global reputation.

 

WHAT A SHAME THE MINISTER COULDN’T SAY THE SAME ABOUT HORSE RACING IN QUEENSLAND - BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR 

SOUNDS really exciting, ‘Tim the Toolman’s’ Olympic dream has Queenslanders on the edge of their seats in anticipation. Pity we can't say the same about his plans for horse racing.

After 18 months in Government, racing in Queensland still has the same control body (minus those including the former Chairman) who have jumped ship.

We’ve had this wonderful supposedly independent Review conducted by an interloper from interstate with one of the Minister’s old school buddies as his main consultant when it came to the thoroughbreds.

The only good thing to emerge after months of waiting is the news that Mary Collyer, a former Brisbane Turf Club Chairman, is heavily-involved in processing the recommendations of the Review. Who knows Mary might even wind up being the Chairman of a newlook RQ?

That’s if there’s room for her after the Racing Minister finds enough spots for ‘mates of the LNP', one of whom is being strongly pushed by a Minister with a ‘racing flavor’ who should be more worried about how badly his portfolio is travelling.

Yes, if the mail from the coalface is correct, it’s going to be ‘jobs for the boys’ and a ‘return to the bad old days of policing racing in Queensland’ when Tim’s job is done.

Many stakeholders and punters believe the LNP Government plans to dismantle the Queensland Racing Integrity Commission is an insult to the McSporren Report which recommended its establishment after the embarrassing and disgusting live-baiting expose in the greyhound industry.

To ride on a platform of integrity and transparency in one hand then undo all the good work that McSporren did is an absolute insult mixed with more than a touch of hypocrisy when the Government and the Minister then say their plans for the industry are based on animal welfare and integrity etc.

Standby for a return to the 'bad' old days of Russ Hinze, the Fine Cotton ring-in, the caffeine crisis – all under the umbrella of an LNP Government.

You shoot the QRIC Commissioner and her Deputies, one of the best stewards in the world, out of a cannon and replace the latter with one of your old school buddies whose claim to fame was he drove at the ‘red hots’ and was member of a Stewards’ Panel which critics claim did next to nothing.

The Government couldn’t send a stronger message if they tried to every crook in the land when it comes to racing: Get ready to move to Queensland. If you think the current Chief Steward is bordering on ‘useless’, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

 

THE WEDNESDAY WHINGE – HAVE YOU SAY ON ALL THINGS RACING 

PREVIOUS BOARD MEMBERS SHOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR ROLES ON NEW CONTROL BODY - TIME FOR LNP TO BURY  'JOBS FOR THE BOYS'

IF racing in Queensland is to enjoy the ‘fresh start’ that the independent Review promised, stakeholders are calling on Racing Minister Tim Mander to give an assurance that previous Board members will be ineligible for appointment to the newlook Control Body.

Their concerns follow rumours emanating from the coalface that a long-serving Ministerial MP, with close ties to the racing industry, has been kicking up for a comeback by one of his ‘mates,’ a former Chairman whose Board was sacked.

Whilst there is no suggestion that the gentleman in question doesn’t have the right credentials, many stakeholders are adamant their needs to be new younger blood on the Board and not yesterday’s men with some skeletons in the closet who qualify under the LNP ‘jobs for the boys’ policy.

The Racing Minister has come under fire for what some in racing are describing as a ‘junket’ in Las Vegas last weekend for the rugby league season-opener. Critics are suggesting he was keen to rub shoulders with ‘racing and football guru’ Peter V’landys who they claims is having too much influence on what is likely to happen in the newlook Racing Queensland.

One assumes this applies to suggestions that Matt McGrath, who conducted the supposedly Independent Review, may even be Chairman of the new RQ Board despite being based in Sydney. If this occurs it will be seen as an insult to the many Queenslanders with as much, if not more racing background and knowledge, who would have been overlooked for the job.

 

URGENT STEPS NEEDED TO CORRECT GOLD COAST TRACK PROBLEMS

MANY trainers and jockeys are far from happy with the state of the Gold Coast track at present.

Clods can be seen flying at recent meetings on the relatively new track and the problem was accentuated last Saturday when Stewards reported that apprentice Leah Martyn needed ambulance attention after copping a big one in the face during the running of a race.

It was a HEAVY 8 track but there has been a problem at the Gold Coast for some time now. Clods are flying whether it is wet or dry. Perhaps the rocket-scientists at Racing Queensland should be investigating whether this is bordering on ‘dangerous’. (They tell us the acting CEO will get the gig full-time under the newlook Board. To say that is going over well with many in the industry would be the joke of the century).

Story goes efforts of the Track Manager to correct the problem are being frustrated by interference from the GCTC and RQ. This was the reason for a high profile curator returning to Sydney in the past.

With the Gold Coast to host the major Saturday meeting in Queensland on March 14 urgent action needs to be taken to ensure the high profile Jewel feature are destined to degenerate into another Racing Queensland joke (come on bike rider, do your job and kick a few bums to ensure this track is ready to go in 10 days time).

 

RACING CAN’T RELY ON WHAT WORKED 20 YEARS AGO – RACING QLD DOESN’T NEED CARETAKERS LOOKING FOR A FREE LUNCH, IT NEEDS DECISION-MAKERS PREPARED TO TAKE CALCULATED RISKS 

MATT NICHOLLS built a huge following in outback Queensland as Editor of the NORTH WEST WEEKLY. But, after shifting to a digital-only format in August 2025, the independent newspaper announced its final closure in early December 2025 due to unsustainable economic conditions.

Matt is far more than a fine journalist, communications and media specialist, he loves thoroughbred and harness racing and has been a great supporter of the gallops in the bush, especially north-west Queensland.

Like many others Matt is concerned about the direction racing in the Sunshine State is heading and has written this thought-provoking opinion piece which contains some excellent suggestions that Racing Minister Tim Mander and the newlook Racing Queensland Board should consider.

Here is the MATT NICHOLLS piece:

RIGHT from the start, I want to make one thing clear: I’m not someone who thinks racing is about to fall over tomorrow.

I’m not interested in cheap scare tactics or blaming activists, politicians or any one administrator.

But after spending most of the past two decades in Queensland – particularly in regional areas – I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about where we’re heading as a racing industry.

My concern is about demographics, habits and whether we’re prepared to adapt.

I often think about what’s happened to rugby union in Australia and how that could relate to racing.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Wallabies were the pride of the country. As world champions, they hosted that unforgettable 2003 World Cup final, famously decided by the boot of Jonny Wilkinson.
Back then, rugby union looked bulletproof.

Fast forward 20 years and the sport is fighting for relevance in Australia. That didn’t happen overnight. It happened slowly, while other sports moved quicker, were marketed better and connected more effectively with younger audiences.

Racing shouldn’t assume it’s immune from the same drift. The wagering landscape has changed more in the past 20 years than it did in the previous 50. Racing has always relied on turnover. That’s just reality. But the way people gamble now is completely different.

When I was growing up, you went to the races, the TAB, or you rang an operator to place a bet. Now you can do it in three seconds on your phone while sitting on the couch.

Sports betting has filled a space that racing once occupied. For younger punters in particular, the multi has become the new quadrella. Racing has adapted to that in some ways. The old “odds-on, look-on” mentality is gone. A $1.70 favourite is no longer poison; it’s an anchor leg. That’s a positive for racing in many ways, as short-priced pops no longer kill turnover.

But at the same time sports betting is the major competition for the gambling dollar and I don’t think we can pretend we’re winning that battle. We might be holding our ground in parts, but we’re certainly not dominating attention the way we once did.

Where I really start to worry is around accessibility and pathways. How does a kid in Nanango or Home Hill get involved in racing if they don’t already have family ties to it? How do they become a jockey, a trainer, a strapper, or a harness driver?

Do you now need to be born into it, or be financially secure before you even start?

Queensland’s geography makes it even harder. If you’re based in Cloncurry and dream of training at Eagle Farm one day, the gap feels enormous. It’s not just talent, it’s infrastructure, travel, staff, accommodation and capital.

In North Queensland plenty of trainers supplement their income outside racing because racing once or twice a week simply isn’t enough to sustain a business. The same goes for jockeys.

People criticise the lack of riders in the west or the rise of FIFO jockeys, but if you were a young hoop trying to make a living, would you base yourself somewhere that races twice a week, or somewhere where you can ride trackwork and get to four or five meetings within a couple of hours? These aren’t moral failings. They’re economic realities.

I also think we need to have an honest conversation about the amount of product we’re producing versus the quality of what we’re showcasing.

Queensland's Saturdays can feel overcrowded – Brisbane, Gold Coast, a regional meeting, Toowoomba at night – and in trying to service everything, we sometimes fail to elevate the best of what we have.

Most racing people know who Tony Gollan and Rob Heathcote are. They know leading jockeys like Angela Jones. But outside our own bubble, those names don’t carry the weight they probably should.
If we want racing to feel mainstream again, we need to put faces and personalities on a pedestal, not just fill race fields.

Then there’s the broader ecosystem.

I grew up loving harness racing. It’s been hard to watch its decline. Albion Park now stands alone as the only capital city harness venue on the eastern seaboard. Participants in that code have to accept some responsibility for where things sit, but we also can’t ignore the role harness and greyhounds play in the overall wagering cycle.

With multiple racing channels to feed, there is a constant need for content. What happens in the gaps between thoroughbred meetings? Harness and greyhounds keep punters engaged and keep screens alive.

If those codes weaken further, thoroughbred racing will feel it. At the same time, greyhound turnover might be strong, but crowds are thin.

Again, the question comes back to pathways. How does someone with no connection get involved? How do they become an owner or trainer without already being inside the tent?

Leadership matters here.

I’m not suggesting there’s a magic fix, and I don’t doubt that many people within Racing Queensland care deeply about the sport.

But I do think we need a Board and executive prepared to think beyond the next set of prizemoney announcements.

That means being willing to trial different time slots, rethink programming and genuinely engage with participants outside south-east Queensland.

For example, why couldn’t Mount Isa or Longreach become defined Friday afternoon TAB hubs for the North West and Central West? A six-race meeting leading into the weekend could create a wagering niche and tie in with pub trade after work.

Being so far west is an advantage when it comes to staging late afternoon meetings – something the south-east can't offer.

That’s not a silver bullet, but it’s the kind of thinking we need to at least explore.

If there’s one area where I think we need to be braver, it’s at the Board level.

Racing Queensland doesn’t need caretakers looking for a free lunch. It needs decision-makers who are prepared to take calculated risks and wear the criticism that comes with it.

You can’t future-proof an industry by trying not to upset anyone. At some point, you have to back your judgement – whether that’s reshaping the race calendar, trialling different wagering windows, consolidating meetings to strengthen quality, or investing in infrastructure outside the traditional comfort zones.

Doing nothing might feel safe in the short term, but it’s the riskiest strategy of all over 10 or 20 years.

The Board needs to be more visible and more connected to participants right across the State. Racing in Queensland is not just Eagle Farm and Doomben; it’s Cairns, Mackay, Bedourie and Thangool.

If you’re making decisions that affect those communities, you should be regularly hearing from them – not just through reports, but face to face.

Strong leadership isn’t about protecting the status quo; it’s about setting a clear direction, explaining it honestly and bringing people with you, even if the road there involves a few uncomfortable conversations.

One area that left me particularly flat was the recent Racing Queensland Review commissioned by Minister Tim Mander and led by Matthew McGrath.

On paper, it was an opportunity to reset the agenda and genuinely map out a long-term future for the industry, especially for regional and country racing. There was goodwill around it. People were prepared to engage.

But from what I saw – particularly during McGrath's brief visit to the west – it felt like a missed opportunity. The consultation appeared surface-level when it needed to be searching and, at times, uncomfortable.

Participants in places like Mount Isa and the Central West were hoping for hard questions and bold thinking. Instead, many walked away feeling as though the exercise skimmed over the structural challenges and avoided grappling with the deeper issues around sustainability, programming and governance.

Reviews should set direction and provide clarity. This one, in my view, stopped short of that.

At a time when racing needs decisive leadership and a clear roadmap, the industry was handed something that felt cautious and incremental, when what was really required was courage and vision.
As an industry, we also need to think long-term about revenue and infrastructure.

Whatever your view on Peter V'landys, he has shown through Racing NSW that diversifying income streams can help future-proof a code.

Queensland has to ask similar questions about land, assets and how we sustain ourselves beyond wagering growth. If we continue to drift, we'll eventually get lost.

The eventual demise of racing as we know and love it won't happen overnight. It'll happen bit by bit.

It’s losing one volunteer president in the bush and not replacing them. It’s one less trainer packing it in because they can't get a jockey. It’s fewer apprentices coming through because the pathway looks too hard.

Racing is more than a betting product. In places like Gregory, Blackall, Roma and Cooktown, it’s a social anchor and an economic contributor.

If that weakens too far, it won’t just be the industry that feels it.

I’m writing this because I care about the sport and the people in it. Racing in Queensland still has enormous strengths – passionate participants, strong carnivals, good infrastructure in parts – but it can’t just rely on what worked 20 years ago.

If we’re prepared to adapt, open the doors wider and make some brave decisions, there’s no reason we can’t have a thriving statewide industry in another 20 years.

If we’re not, we may look back and wonder when we missed the moment.