IN his widely-read column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published by the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS exclusively reports on the resignation of North Queensland Chief Steward Mark Hill to take up an appointment in Victoria.
Butts questions who will replace Hill, whether the position will be advertised allowing the best steward not to have a job in the north in Patrick Cooper to apply.
He also reports on the appointment of a new chief steward in Mackay, the resignation of the Rockhampton Jockey Club CEO and the two-day Ewan Amateurs.
Here is the Butts column:
NORTH QUEENSLAND CHIEF STEWARD RESIGNS TO BECOME RACING MANAGER AT MOE
RACING in North Queensland is set to welcome yet another chief stipendiary steward following the somewhat sudden resignation of Mark Hill last week.
Mark, who has been in Townsville since January and the last of a succession of stewards to chair the busy northern circuit, is returning to his home state of Victoria.
“With a heavy heart,” Hill said this week.
“I have really enjoyed racing in Townsville.”
But the offer to become racing manager of the Moe Race Club, the steward’s virtual home town, was simply ‘too good to refuse.’
“I will be back within a mile of my birthplace, where I road my first winner as an amateur jockey and where I commenced my 30-odd years association with racing and stewardship.”
Mark says he was head-hunted for the job in Townsville and is glad he took it.
“It is good racing in North Queensland. It is just a great pity Townsville didn’t get the new track that Mackay got.
“Quite seriously, I have enjoyed every moment but it will be good to be back close to my family.”
He departs early next month and has no idea who his replacement will be.
Hill took control after Ian (Perry Mason)Brown dashed back home to Brisbane around Christmas time last year and didn’t return.
Prior to that Jamie Dart was here for a short stint, replacing Patrick Cooper who was pushed aside, in fact forced out, after a clash with the somewhat controversial and much-disliked former head of RQL integrity Jamie Orchard.
PATRICK COOPER WILL APPLY IF THE NQ JOB IS ADVERTISED BUT THAT’S A BIG ‘IF’
PATRICK Cooper hasn’t worked since in the profession he virtually grew up in but it wouldn’t surprise if he applies for the Townsville post when it is advertised. Perhaps that should read: IF it is advertised.
It might be an opportune time to mention the words of former top jockey Harold Warren, who has spent a lifetime in racing, and is still an active steward, and often in charge of meetings in the north-west.
Some time ago he told me: “Patrick Cooper is the best stipendiary steward I have ever worked with.”
Not a bad rap for a bloke who is continually snubbed by the hierarchy of racing in Queensland, stewards included, some say because they feel intimidated by his ability.
When asked this week if he was interested in returning to the fold, Cooper said he would jump at the opportunity.
“I was offered a position before Bob Bentley retired. He (Bentley) asked me to ring Orchard who told me the only job available was assistant to Mal Braunburger at the dogs.”
Not surprisingly Cooper declined. The offer for a steward with his experience and ability was ‘the ultimate insult’ from an organization that seems hell-bent, for some reason, on keeping him out of an industry that desperately needs good stewards.
CARL SMITH FROM ROCKHAMPTON APPOINTED CHIEF STEWARD IN MACKAY
TALKING of stewards ‘big’ Carl Smith is about to be appointed chief stipe in Mackay.
Smith has been deputy to Luke Collins for a while in Rock Vegas and previously worked in both Townsville and Cairns in his earlier days.
He is another of the Patrick Cooper protégés, a list by the way that just happens to include the state’s top gun Wade Birch.
ALSO on the move is Rockhampton Jockey Club’s popular CEO Denis Cox who has been lured to the plum job as CEO of BEEF WEEK the triennial event that attracts 85,000 visitors – the biggest cattlemen’s convention in the land.
Cox, formerly attached to the Mooney Valley Racing Club in his native Melbourne, has been a big hit in Central Queensland since he arrived to take over the reins at Callaghan Park.
Insiders were somewhat surprised at his decision to switch base, particularly as his two predecessors at Beef Week have only lasted for one event each.
There could a couple of interesting applications for his old job at Callaghan Park- so we are told.
And who is the so-called track guru who is said to be moving on?
It is all very ‘hush hush’ but initially our man was going to pack his toolbag for Rockhampton to take the place left vacant by the resignation of track curator Richard Harris.
We hear now that he is heading for a racecourse much further south. In fact, well and truly over the border. But oddly, not everyone seems to know about it.
HORSES GEARING FOR THE BIG EWAN MEETING ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
HORSES entered for the big two grass fed meeting at Ewan on September 21 and 22 returned from the paddock on Sunday and early reports say the ‘did a treat.’
The top-weight Line by Line, a last start Prairie winner, survived the paddock beautifully, according to his trainer Olivia Cairns and the veteran stayer is primed for the Ewan Cup (1600m) on the second day.
His impost of 65.5 will be reduced by 4kg for up and coming apprentice Emma Jlung who landed her first winner at Ingham a fortnight ago and followed it up with another win at Home Hill on Saturday.
Last year’s Ewan Cup winner, Another Nip, has 60kg and Peter Cullen is expected to make a rush trip home from Brisbane to ride him and other horses for the powerful John Barr stable.
Cullen has been in Brisbane all week with the evergreen Cash Attack who will take on the city slickers again on Saturday.
There are big fields over the two days and a monster crowd of campers, party animals and punters are expected to flock to this unique outback Queensland race meeting, one of the few remaining grass fed carnivals in the country.
And kids by the thousands unless the licensing Gestapo again decide to get in the way of a good time
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..