IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published in the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS reports on the multi-million dollar quarter horse racing project in the Mary Valley which is proving quite controversial.
Butts also gauges reaction to the four month suspension incurred on apprentice Brooke Richardson and raises some interesting points about the charges laid.
Here is his column:
RACING PURISTS ‘SEETHING’ AT INVESTMENT IN QUARTER HORSE PROJECT
PREMIER Campbell Newman’s announcement that his Government had issued a license for a private company to introduce and control quarter horse racing in Queensland has sparked considerable interest.
The $60 million investment to build a new equestrian facility on 1600 hectares in the Mary Valley has some thoroughbred racing purists ‘seething’. And many current licensees are said to be ‘considering their options’.
The proposed development at Mary Valley includes not only a floodlit racetrack but also a hotel, stabling for 400 horses, an equestrian school and an associated residential development. Races will be beamed to United States and Asia.
Government believes there is a potential to ‘transform’ the Mary Valley with the creation of the multi-million dollar industry and up to 145 jobs.
SEENEY SAYS PROJECT WILL PUT MARY VALLEY ON WORLD RACING MAP – REALLY?
DEPUTY Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jeff Seeney said the project had potential to put the Mary Valley on the world racing map.
Really?
“This project could create a major tourist destination for the region, attracting thousands of equestrian fans from across the country and the world.
“By simply getting out of the way and reducing the obstacles for this exciting new industry, the Government is helping the Mary Valley to bounce back from the dark years under Labor,” Seeney said.
“I encourage the fledgling quarter horse racing industry to get behind this proposal and capitalise on the early support shown by the Queensland Government.”
Racing Minister Steve Dickson, already under severe pressure from throughbred racing stakeholders and administrators, was a little more circumspect.
“I have approved Australian Quarter Horse Racing Development Pty Ltd as the control body for quarter horse racing in Queensland, subject to a number of conditions being met,” he said.
And then he added: “This government is about growing the racing industry in Queensland – in a responsible manner”.
Really?
This is the same bloke who decided (or took the ‘responsible’action to ignore some key recommendations of the recent Racing Commission of Inquiry) which is Government ordered at a cost of millions of dollars to the taxpayers of Queensland.
The same Racing Minister who breeders recently lambasted because he wouldn’t commit on a $4 million grant that is considered crucial for the QTIS Scheme – and the future of the entire industry.
Yep. Same bloke!
And it’s also worth noting that the Government announcement of its support for quarter horse racing came just prior to the QTIS sales and the upcoming Capricorn sales at Rockhampton.
Howzat for timing?
QUARTER HORSE RACING QUEENSLAND NOT A FAN OF THE NEW MARY VALLEY VENTURE
BUT not everyone shares the excitement of this new venture.
The new licence could have a direct impact on Quarter Horse Racing Queensland – a local quarter horse sprint-racing organisation which claims to have nine registered tracks ready to host up to 30 races in North Queensland this year.
Mareeba-based Chris Chalmers has been involved in the recent rebirth of quarter horse racing in North Queensland over the past 12 months and is highly sceptical of the new control body.
“We are purely quarter horse up here and we race only on registered race tracks. We are in no way involved with proprietary racing plans that have popped up in all states over the past 20 years and continue to hamper the name and progress of genuine quarter horse racing,” Chalmers said.
MEANWHILE, a community forum was held last week to provide all Mary Valley residents with details of the proposal.
Gympie MP David Gibson told residents the introduction of the quarter horse racing industry to Queensland and Australia is ‘a very exciting prospect’.
“Queenslanders will witness a dynamic new form of racing as quarter horse racing is the fastest horse race in the world.
“But perhaps more importantly a quarter horse facility in the Mary Valley will bring economic development opportunities to the whole region, providing a wide range of businesses to benefit.”
We’ll see!
TRANSLATION OF RULE IN BROOKE RICHARDSON CASE A SHADE CONFUSING
ONE of the major talking points in racing circles this week has been the suspension of apprentice Brooke Richardson.
She copped four months over her ride on Raeburn at Eagle Farm last Saturday week.
Richardson was found guilty of ‘failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to ensure Raeburn was given full opportunity to win or obtain the best possible place in the field’.
Stewards found she had failed to use any vigour and made no attempt to improve her position between the 150m and the 50m mark where they deemed there was room to improve.
Many translate that ruling to ‘giving the horse a run’ which is a totally different scenario to riding an ill-judged race.
Stewards heard evidence from the rider, her master and the horse’s trainer Brian Smith and Shane Scriven, the RQ riders’ advocate who made brief submissions.
The matter was adjourned to allow stewards to review the betting on the race and to further examine the patrol footage.
Richardson was charged under the provisions of AR 135 (b) which reads:
The rider of every horse shall take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout the race to ensure that the horse is given full opportunity to win or to obtain the best possible place in the field.
The apprentice pleaded guilty.
But there was no action against any other party.
In days gone by running and handling charges were treated very seriously by stewards and most times the trainer, jockey, the horse and often the owners were given a lengthy period of disqualification – not merely suspended.
So in this case stewards obviously didn’t think she stopped the horse deliberately.
A prominent northern trainer (no, not ‘Muttaburra’ Dickson) said he wished the stewards had been ‘more understanding’ 20 years ago.
“A jockey riding an ill-judged race wouldn’t get you off a charge of stopping one in the days of Allan Cooper (the former Chief Steward in NQ).
“And he didn’t have the benefit of head-on cameras like nowadays.”
HOOFNOTE: When concluding the matter, Stewards were satisfied that B J Smith (better known as the trainer of former Kiwi great Balmerino) had not breached any of the Australian Rules of Racing.
NSW POLICE PROSECUTION OF TAMWORTH TRAINER DEVELOPING INTO A FARCE
THE NSW police prosecution of young Tamworth trainer Cody Morgan continues.
Morgan is due to face a committal trial for alleged race day treatment of a horse – now a criminal charge in NSW – in Tamworth Court on May 16.
It is a case that has lingered on since May last year involving his horse, the 2013 Mackay Cup winner Prussian Knight.
The trainer has denied all charges and already a charge of corruption has been withdrawn.
The outcome of this committal hearing is of significant importance to all trainers all over the country.
Police swooped on Morgan as he was preparing his horse for the Gunnedah Cup last year. They claimed he was attempting to stomach drench the horse which he totally denies.
Cody had a broken leg – but that didn’t deter the arresting officers from hand-cuffing him to a rail and later locking him in a cell (can you believe it?), then charging him with corruption and three other related charges under the criminal code.
Stewards in NSW have yet to lay any charges under the Rules of Racing. They are said to be waiting for the police matters to be finalised.
And on the contentious topic of the licensing of veterinarians by Racing NSW.
Imagine had the new regulation been in vogue at the time El Roca was treated with a Lang’s Solution drip a day before the Hobartville Stakes – the vet who administered it might even be facing corruption charges.
That’s how downright stupid it is. Pathetic in fact – as is the case against Cory Morgan..
RACING MOURNS THE PASSING OF A TRUE LEGEND OF INDUSTRY IN QUEENSLAND
THE racing world in Queensland is mourning to death of one of its true legends, Rob Atkinson Snr, who [passed away last week.
He was head of the family that operated the famous Furlong Stud on the Darling Downs, a nursery to many top-line gallopers. Rob’s father Monty founded the Droughtmaster cattle breed.
Rob grew up on Glen Ruth station and was one of the most influential members of Mt Garnet racing which he helped establish and actively supported for many years. He had a similar association with Oak Park.
In fact he was a great supporter of country racing for many years and belonged to a family that is the recognised pioneers of thoroughbred breeding in North Queensland.
One of the best known Atkinson horses was Crewman.
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.
