IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published by the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS reports on the contrasting fortunes of two clubs in the north – Mareeba where racing is booming and Charters Towers were it is at an all-time low.
He also has an interesting article on the impact that Arab racing is having and how this could be even greater with more events planned at gallops meetings next year.
Butts has an exclusive on a racial vilification case at Cloncurry involving and trainer and a jockey which is yet to be finalized at a stewards’ inquiry.
RACING IN MAREEBA BOOMS WHILE CHARTERS TOWERS AT AN ALL-TIME LOW
IT was in some small way the tale of two cities.
How incredulous it was that Mareeba, at the top end of the North Queensland racing map, attracted the biggest Cup day crowd in modern times last Saturday.
And down below, in the drought stricken west, Charters Towers attracted one of its smallest crowds in 140 years of racing.
It was to be a party at the Towers to celebrate the milestone. There was free admission, an hour long smoko, the public were encouraged to turn up in traditional turn of the century fashion and top entertainer Ron Sellars was booked to perform after the last race.
But, inexplicably, and in spite of the publicity, they stayed away in droves.
A couple of the committee did a quick canvass mid-afternoon and found 90 per cent of patrons were ‘going straight home’ after the last race.
“We had no option but cancel the entertainment. It was going to cost $600 and there would have been be only 30 at the bar. It just didn’t add up,” said a disappointed club spokesperson.
LATE SCRATCHING OF RACING MINISTER ANOTHER DISAPPOINTMENT FOR TOWERS CLUB
IT wasn’t the only disappointment. Racing Minister Steve Dickson was supposed to be on track to join in the celebration.
But on Friday his Office contacted the club with an apology. He couldn’t make it.
“We will get him here one day,” was the philosophical response from club secretary Val Cragg.
MORE THAN 30 CORPORATE MARQUEES BOOSTED THE BIG DAY AT MAREEBA
IT WAS a totally different story at Mareeba however.
Club secretary John Thurlow reports a crowd of thousands, many of them entertained in 30-odd corporate marquees that lined the running rail.
Cup sponsor Visyboard catered for 80 guests “and there was a real buzz-just like the old days,” said John.
Another highlight of the meeting was the running of a quarter-horse race and another for Arabs.
Thoroughbred purists should be aware that these breeds, particularly the Arabian horses, are back on the radar and part of the large crowd at Mareeba were followers.
It was their third appearance on a registered racecourse with previous racing at Mareeba and Atherton last month.
ARAB RACING READY TO MAKE A MAJOR IMPACT ON QUEENSLAND SCENE
BUT according to Gordonvale-based enthusiast Scott Green: ‘THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING’.
The Arabians will race next at the Gold Coast on December 7 where two $30,000 events will be conducted under the sponsorship of Shadwell Stud. A chartered plane from the UAE is already booked out with Arab race fans.
“Next year you will see a lot more Arab racing on Queensland racetracks,” Green predicted.
“I believe Cairns could become a hub for Arab racing. It is all very exciting.”
At present registered jockeys cannot to ride the Arabs in races, but registered track work riders are under a special permit and are covered by the Arab Racing Association insurance. The association also provides its officials and barrier attendants.
At this stage betting on Arab races is prohibited.
“We think down the track that this will change”, said Green, who scored a double over the weekend at different corners of the country.
He won the Arab race at Mareeba with Duo Park Yo Yo (his Gold Coast candidate) and at Seymour he was the winning owner of Crime Fighter who won the second on Sunday trained by an old mate, Peter Moody, with whom he has another three in work at Caulfield.
RACIAL VILIFICATION CASE INVOLVING JOCKEY AND TRAINER AT CLONCURRY
HAS the racial vilification saga spread from the football codes to the race course?
There was an interesting case before the stewards at Cloncurry on Saturday after a few words between jockey Adam Morrison and veteran trainer George Tipping following the first race.
A complaint has been lodged by the jockey against a word (or words) allegedly used by the trainer and stewards will hear the matter before the first race at Mt Isa on Saturday week (Spring Cup day).
LACK OF CONSISTENCY WHEN IT COMES TO HIGH PROFILE FIGURES IRKS SOME IN RACING
IT was a week quite sadly that really reinforced the age old saying: It is not what you DID – it is WHO you are.
To DISQUALIFY a person for not naming his informants in the infamous More Joyous case is quite simply wrong and above all un-Australian.
In the opinion of many old-time racing men with absolutely no involvement in the case, the real villain has escaped. But then again NSW has become renowned for some headline grabbing decisions.
And it is no better in Victoria.
If a jockey anywhere in the world did what Damien OIiver pleaded guilty to last year he would have been outed for five to 10 years. No risk.
Oliver admitted to having $10,000 on a horse (the eventual winner) in the same race that he was riding the second favorite. He was then allowed to ride on a stay – a privilege denied that Craig Williams a Melbourne Cup win the previous year for a matter involving interference.
Oliver surely committed the mortal sin of racing – and his penance was half a Hail Mary.
And remember it wasn’t the stewards who uncovered the Oliver bet either. It was the Victorian police investigating the Les Samba murder.
If a lesser known jockey was caught having $10,000 on the favorite in a race where he was riding the second favorite would the sentence have been the same?
What do you think?
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.