IN his widely-read column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published by the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS reports that Racing Minister Stephen Dickson was a notable absentee from the Far North Queensland Amateur meeting in Cairns because of an ear infection which prevented him from flying.
Fortunately for the club Racing Queensland Chairman Kevin Dixon filled the gap and had a ball. Both Steve and Kevin made it to the Queensland Racing Awards night in Brisbane on Saturday.
Butts also questions how two of the winners at the Racing Queensland Horse of the Year Awards last Saturday night could possibly have been awarded their gongs.
Here is the Butts column:
RACING MINISTER A NOTABLE ABSENTEE FROM THE CAIRNS AMATEURS BECAUSE OF EAR INFECTION
WHILE every State politician within cooee of Cairns turned up for the Far North Queensland Amateurs last weekend, Racing Minister Stephen Dickson was a notable absentee.
Cannon Park was a blaze of color and the atmosphere electric. Punters mixed with the pollies, of which there was quite a representation, including the man who should have been Racing Minister, Ray Stevens.
Racing Queensland Chairman Kevin Dixon was there and had a ball. But the Racing Minister Stephen Dickson had an ear infection which meant he could not travel.
The Cairns racing hierarchy were still able to soften the RQ Chairman up (with a chardonnay or three) to try and extract a promise for the much needed track repairs.
I am not sure the pampering would have worked, and the recent Bentley disclosure of the supposed ‘money in the bank’ when his Board departed soon after the change of Government won’t necessarily mean the funds he (Bentley) promised will be delivered.
In the words of John Smith the hard-working and highly amenable Chairman of the Cairns Jockey Club: “I will believe it when the bulldozers turn up.”
AMATEURS HAS LOST SOME GLOSS BUT WAS ANOTHER MONSTER MEETING
THE CAIRNS Amateurs was yet another monster meeting. It may not have produced record figures at its 54th running but any suggestions that the two-day fixture had lost of bit of its gloss were way off the mark.
True, the tarmac at the local airport wasn’t cramped to over-flowing with the private personal planes of the country’s big wheelers and dealers as was the case a decade or so ago.
But things have changed, particularly in racing.
Blessed with the weather that Far North Queensland can be relied upon at this time of year, they came in their thousands – certainly the biggest crowd of any of the North Queensland carnivals this year. But then it always was the biggest crowd puller.
COMMON OBJECTIVE SCORED AN OVERDUE BIG CUP WIN IN THE NORTH
COMMON OBJECTIVE, a somewhat costly Waterhouse reject, recorded a justified win in the Amateur Cup. He has been consistent in major NQ races for two years with limited wins.
And his win lat Saturday was well deserved too, for his owner Tom Hedley, arguably the best known face in North Queensland racing.
To say Hedley has faced more hurdles than the mighty Moss Trooper in recent years would be an understatement. But he certainly didn’t lie down, as other fallen giants have, and while he doesn’t wield the influence on racetracks that he once enjoyed, the Hedley colors are still prominent and plentiful.
Tom would have got a great thrill from Common Objective’s win as would the trainer Roy Chillemi who has faced a mountain of problems with a horse that left his Randwick stable three years ago with a huge wrap.
But until Saturday he had not delivered. On Saturday it was a classic case of ‘reward for effort.’
‘GOOD’ CAIRNS TRAINERS FRIGHTENING OFF TOWNSVILLE RIVALS HAD TO BE A JOKE
WHILE on the FNQ Amateurs, a few were somewhat miffed (but most had a chuckle) by a statement in the local press by a Cairns Jockey Club spokesman who slammed the scheduling of a Townsville meeting that raced in the same week as the Amateurs.
He claimed the clash weakened the Amateurs, as the Townsville trainers preferred to stay at home.
He said the 83 nominations received by Cairns would have been greater if Townsville had not raced on the previous Tuesday.
But this was the clanger: “Anyway, why would the Townsville trainers come to Cairns to take on all the good trainers?”
Pardon!
The ‘good’ trainers were not named.
WELL, this column can report the reason why the biggest trainer in Townsville, Olivia Cairns. did not return to Cannon Park had nothing to do with the so-called clash of meetings. She refused to go because of the state of the track – and with good reason.
Olivia has been a regular for many years but decided to ‘give it a miss’ after her promising horse, Bear in There, suffered a career-ending injury on Cairns Cup day last month.
He put his foot in a hole and suffered irreparable damage,
HAVE THE DILLS THAT MAKE THESE AWARDS GOT ANY IDEA OF PERFORMANCES?
WHILE there plenty of worthy winners at the Queensland Racing Awards night last Saturday in Brisbane there are plenty who question the choice of Coco Loco as Horse of the Year for the Leichardt region.
Coco who?
What about Townsville’s unbeatable sprinter Last Gift, winner of eight races all up and five of them last season.
I really believe the connections of Last Gift are entitled to an apology- if not a late gong.
He was obviously overlooked by whoever did the judging – it was like comparing Black Caviar and Intertheblack.
And then again you would reckon Rockhampton and Mackay Cups winner Writer would be entitled to the gong in Capricornia
Nuh. Jamdit … well that’s what the official Racing Calender reported-won three races and got the nod.
Please!
AUSTRALIAN RACING COULD LEARN A LOT FROM THE HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB
FORGET Gold Lotto, Pools and the Casket.
Punters should try the Hong Kong Triple Trios that operate each race day.
At least, by making your own selections you are adding some input to your chances – and this popular betting option is attracting very big pools – and of course paying massive dividends.
Last September a winning $HK10 ($A1.20) ticket returned $18,681,601 (A$2.16million).
The new racing season started on Saturday with a total Triple Trio payout guaranteed at $60 million ($A7.2mn).
The Triple Trio jackpots for the season’s first day meeting on Saturday 8 September and the first night meeting on Wednesday 12 September will be topped up to $22 million from the Triple Trio Reserve.
Statistics for the last racing season show that more than 12,000 customers won a Triple Trio dividend and/or consolation dividend. Of these winners, close to 90 hit a dividend of over a million dollars each, three bagged over $8 million each and one took home over $18 million.
And no, there is neither Betfair nor Paddy Power, or any other betting agency in Hong Kong – and there never will be.
Please ask why?
The only betting is with the Jockey Club and on Saturday the total turnover was $929 million ($A115.3million) with $111million going to Government coffers and the Jockey Club retaining $5.2 million for operating expenses and charity distribution.
Not a bad day’s work.
What a pity Australian racing decision-makers couldn’t put greed and petty prejudice aside and establish a HK tote system in tandem with on-course ONLY bookmakers.
Punters then would have the best of both worlds.
We wish!
JUST A TOUCH BOUNCES BACK FROM BIRDSVILLE FLOP TO WIN AT BEDOURIE
MT ISA warhorse, Just a Touch, a minor place-getter in the Townsville Cup this year, made a lie of his inglorious 21 length last in the recent Birdsville Cup with a resounding win in the Bedourie Cup at the weekend.
At Birdsville, the old stager took a total dislike to the weather, according to his owner Andrew Simpson and just refused to ‘put in.’
“It was blowing a gale down there this year. Very unpleasant and leaders had a distinct advantage,” said Andrew.
But undaunted by the defeat, connections carried on to Bedourie and the result was never in doubt.
Now it’s off to the Cloncurry Cup next month for the old boy. And there’s also a chance he will accompany his well performed stablemate Outstandingly on the 1500 kilometre trek to Roma in November.
Yes, they’re tough out west – they have to be.
COLUMN COURTESY OF TERRY BUTTS AND THE NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, one of Australia's leading rural newspapers.
TERRY BUTTS can be contacted by e-mailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
