IN his popular column, ‘SILKS & SADDLES,’ published in the NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER, respected racing writer TERRY BUTTS reveals how the Racing Minister refuses to recognize the biggest training organization in Queensland – quite amazing.
He also has an update on the country trainers’ battle with RQ and their mates with the ATA in the south over Workcover and a starter’s fee.
Butts also questions why the industry in Queensland and not the Bowen Turf Club should not be paying compensation to trainers who suffered financially from the recent wet postponement blunder.
Here is the Butts’ column:
MINISTER REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE BIGGEST TRAINING BODY IN QUEENSLAND
THE Rockhampton Trainers’ Association is the biggest organisation representing trainers in Queensland. It continues to draw members from all over the state.
It has grown so big that current chairman, Jim Rundle, says his committee is seriously considering a name change.
Yet our esteemed Racing Minister has told Mr Rundle by letter that he doesn’t recognize the RTA. Minister Dickson says he will deal only with what he calls the peak body - the ATA (Queensland branch).
Well, he and some of the hierarchy of Racing Queensland, who think Queensland stops at Gympie, are in for a shock.
Another legal battle looms over RQ’s persistence to change the way Queensland trainers pay their Workers’ Compensation.
RQ wants to ‘finance’ the entire state by charging trainers a starting fee for each horse, all because a couple of the state’s top trainer’s in the south-east corner can’t afford their Workcover premiums.
The trainers, a great minority mind you, obviously haven’t factored their costs into to their training fees/business model, or perhaps had too many accidents or claims occurring in their stables.
At the end of the year they, like every other trainer with staff, face a demand from WorkCover - and the figure varies from trainer to trainer – as it should.
RQ ‘HAPPY TO MOVE THE GOAL POSTS’ TO APPEASE THEIR MATES IN THE ATA’
SO now those who can’t afford to pay their premium wish to change the rules – move the goal posts or whatever. And RQ, in its doubtful wisdom, has agreed to do it.
Bottom line is the big boys with the big premiums want others to pay for them. And the boys in the bush don’t want a bar of it.
All trainers in Mr Rundle’s group – the biggest in the state – have been told to ignore the options that were sent out last week by RQ with an April 30 deadline and opt for the status quo.
In other words the country trainers want to continue to pay their individual WorkCover fee and are looking at legal action (they already have taken advice).
They have rejected both options offered by RQ which are: (1) Introduction of a starter’s fee, or (2) Pay a $400 licence fee for a strapper’s license.
Mr Rundle described the strapper license fee as ‘ridiculous to the extreme’. He is highly critical of both the proposals and especially the wording of the document that was mailed to all trainers.
“We intend to fight this to the end. And if that means in court, so be it,” he said yesterday, on the eve of yet another meeting with the ATA and RQ in Brisbane.
“We won’t step down – and all our members have been instructed to reject their options.”
This could get very serious.
BOWEN TURF CLUB SHOULD ‘FOOT THE BILL’ NOT THE INDUSTRY IN QLD
MEANWHILE, Racing Queensland will offer compensation to trainers and jockeys who were inconvenienced by the late postponement of the Bowen Turf Club meeting on April 19.
It is a welcomed and I am sure appreciated decision, but the question many ask is why Racing Queensland?
They ask: Should it not be the Bowen Turf Club footing the bill?
The RQ statement says damage to the track was caused by the rain on Friday night and therefore the meeting should have been cancelled first thing Saturday morning.
Instead the club waited for the stewards to arrive around mid-day and they immediately declared the track unsafe.
It is a reflection on the incompetence of the Bowen Turf Club and this time RQ must act to ensure the club is in the hands of someone who knows when a track is either safe or unsafe for racing – and can make a responsible decision.
ISN’T IT ABOUT TIME RQ TOOK OVER THE ADMINISTRATION OF BOWEN TURF CLUB?
RQ CEO Darren Condon said it was regrettable the meeting had been postponed, but the control body would pay a subsidy of $200 per horse, which is payable to the trainer, and $100 per jockey to cover expenses.
“The track was quite wet in the wake of the cyclone and was inspected by Racing Queensland stewards on Wednesday and Thursday when approval was given to race,” Mr Condon said.
“Unfortunately, there was some rainfall on Friday night which Racing Queensland stewards were not notified of until they arrived at the track prior to the meeting.
“The track was deemed unsafe for racing due to water on the track and the meeting was postponed until Monday April 21.
“Because of the inconvenience caused by the late cancellation, the decision was made to pay a subsidy to those trainers and jockeys who travelled from outside Bowen to attend the meeting.”
We know that Cairns trainer Trevor Rowe who took five horses on a fruitless 1200km trek was on track for half an hour before he was told the meeting was off. That is inexcusable and, of course, he is in no hurry to return to Ben Bolt Park.
Then there was the little matter of Trinity Bannon being replaced on a mount she had taken for a Bowen trained galloper which saddled up at the postponed meeting on Monday.
Apparently they (the Bowen-ites) didn’t like Trinity’s comments that she aired publicly on the farce.
The horse didn’t win but Trinity rightfully sought and succeeded in getting her jockey’s fee and percentage.
Bowen should be apologising – not sorting out licensees for payback.
And Bowen should be paying for their mistake. It is not up to the industry.
NO ‘SUCK UP AND SURVIVE’ FROM THIS MEDIA OUTLET WHEN IT COMES TO THE CHAMPIONSHIPS
FOR a frank and totally differing view on the state of racing in Australia – and for an unbiased view on just how successful the costly Championships in Sydney were – we suggest you google Racing Bitch.
This column – arguably the best racing read in cyberspace – pulls no punches. And he (yes I know the author Hans is a HE) is extremely well informed.
He has some exceptionally interesting views on the current state of play in NSW, and says the Championships CANNOT be sustained, quoting sound and irrefutable reasons.
Recently he attacked the corporate bookies in this country and said they should be paying three to five per cent t turnover tax.
Guess what?
The mail around the gambling joints is that the big time overseas bookies who feed on the uninformed and bar the professional gamblers are bracing for an announcement anytime soon that they will be paying three per cent turnover tax.
That is expected to sort out the big fry and no doubt there will be an exodus to off shore destinations for some of them.
But this time government is said to be prepared.
In Hong Kong, for instance, punters are jailed for betting with overseas bookies – and it is tightly controlled.
MAGIC MILIONS TO SPONSOR SERIES FOR UP AND COMING STAYERS IN FNQ
MAGIC Millions will sponsor a seven-race series in Far North Queensland for Up and Coming Stayers. The series will commence at Atherton on May 3 and continue through to July.
Horses will accrue points on a 3-2-1 system for each meeting.
The owners of the horse with most points will receive $4,000, and the leading trainer will receive $2,000.
Races will be staged at Atherton, Cairns, Gordonvale, Innisfail and Mount Garnet.
BIT TOO LATE FOR THE LATE MAIL LUNCHEON IN TOWNSVILLE THIS YEAR
UNFORTUNATELY the timing for conducting a Late Mail Luncheon in Townsville for the Cup this year just wasn’t right.
But you can bet it will be a feature of next year’s carnival.
The Late mail lunch concept has been embraced by racing people (well most) everywhere and for the first time will be held in Brisbane this year as part of the Winter Carnival festivities.
Though it will miss Townsville, the TTC is gearing up for a big pre-Cup lunch and Calcutta at the RSL on Friday July 27.
Already Malcolm Johnston is among the acceptors, along with regular MC, Mark Forbes. Trainer Mick Price is also on the list with renowned bone cracker Michael Bryant other likely starters.
TONY BUTTON – A SAD LOSS TO THE TRAINING RANKS IN CENTRAL QUEENSLAND
THIS column mourns the passing of prominent CQ trainer, Tony Button, who passed away in Emerald last week after a long illness.
Tony will be long remembered by many, many people as a loveable larrikin. He was a highly popular and a very astute trainer of racehorses.
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.
