NO LACK OF 'STORIES' DOING THE ROUNDS IN THE NORTH
OF all the racing States in Australia, for some unknown reason QUEENSLAND is the hot-bed of rumor mongering – perhaps it’s the warmer climate. So we have decided to air some of these ‘stories’ doing the rounds in a regular 'BELIEVE IT OR NOT' column.
This week we look at Queensland Racing chairman Bob Bentley’s battle to save the Gold Coast; a suggested solution to the jockeys’ room blues in Brisbane and a couple of tongue-in-cheek tales about history books and senior stewards.
WARNING ON THE FUTURE OF GOLD COAST RACING & MAGIC MILLIONS
PETER Cameron, the Gold Coast Bulletin columnist referred to in racing circles as the ‘spin doctor’ for Queensland Racing Chairman Bob Bentley, has claimed this week that the future of Gold Coast racing and the Magic Millions could hinge on a Treasury dog-fight.
In a column printed today, Cameron warns that ‘the enemy will soon be at Queensland Racing’s gate’ and portrays Bentley as the Knight on the White Horse riding to the rescue with a proposal for Government assistance.
In his words: “Barnstorming Queensland Racing chairman Bob Bentley wants the Bligh Government to halve the annual $40 million tax slug on wagering to fund more than $100 million of borrowings on thoroughbred infrastructure.
The Gold Coast will grab a large chunk if the QR submission succeeds against the odds. Immediate flow-on bonuses would include Magic Millions bankrolling the world's richest two-year-old race worth $5 million -- up from $2 million.”
Don’t miss those three key words ‘against the odds.’ Cameron is a respected and experienced racing journo and he knows how to roll out a good yarn. But the fact remains that the Bentley track record on implementing new projects is not strong. His unsuccessful proposals have included a world-class racing complex at Palm Meadows on the Gold Coast and a new super track for Brisbane in the Wacol area.
Cameron says the car parks owned by the Gold Coast Turf Club, on both sides of Racecourse Drive, will disappear if racecourse and Magic Millions upgrades are confirmed. Bentley has offered to fund a tunnel and build a substitute car park in the centre of the racetrack.
The story goes that Magic Millions are ready to chime in with their own redevelopment proposal if the tax submission is approved. “Forget the rustic, tin-shed charm. The clapped-out MM headquarters at Bundall are more appropriate for selling chooks and billy goats than some of the world's best bloodstock.”
MM boss David Chester told Cameron: “It’s failing to bits. We've had more talks with QR but we're holding off pending the Government decision.”
Cameron goes on to point out that the Queensland Government has spent more than $100 million over the years to prop up Gold Coast Indy. “Little wonder,” he says, “that MM proprietors Gerry Harvey and John Singleton start whingeing every year seeking more promotions cash from the Queensland Events Corporation.”
It will be interesting to see how they go with that this year especially now that Des Power, the man labeled the ‘poisoned dwarf’ by some in Queensland racing, is no longer at the helm of the QEC. He’s apparently overseas filming some documentary and will be sadly missed at his normal corporate table at the MM sales centre in January.
TONGUE-IN-CHEEK SOLUTION TO JOCKEYS’ ROOM PROBLEM
THE news of a jockeys’ boycott over staff cutbacks being averted at the Doomben midweek meeting did not take long to reach a former club official on his annual pilgrimage to Birdsville races.
No sooner had he read the story of the ‘refusal to ride ultimatum’ over the absence of a long-serving jockeys’ room attendant when the outspoken gentleman fired off an e-mail to this website.
“There’s an easy solution to their problem,” he wrote. “The club should just enlist the services of a prominent racing writer who spends more time in the jockeys’ room than the press box and has done so for more years than I care to remember. He could easily hand out the party pies and the scones to the jockeys – and even the stewards for that matter. The only problem is, if the jockeys are absent, he probably wouldn’t want to be there.”
Personalities aside, a jockeys’ deputation was assured their concerns would be addressed and the matter resolved before they agreed to ride. “It’s an integrity and safety issue,” top jockey Larry Cassidy told AAP. “All our belongings are inside and no-one is there to look after it.
“I've ridden in five or six countries around the world and every jockeys' room I've been to have between two and five attendants. Sydney has three and I think Melbourne has about four and all we are asking for is one.”
The BRC denied it had sacked the long-standing jockeys’ room attendant claiming he had just been on a rostered day off. They wanted to trial using the Clerk of the Scales to look after the jockeys’ room as well.
But not only was there no permanent jockeys' room attendant for the guys, the female jockeys' room had no food, water or toilet paper for riders. Now we’ve heard of cost savings that would occur as a result of the merger of the two metropolitan clubs in Brisbane – but this is ridiculous.
WHAT SORT OF MENTION WILL FINE COTTON GET?
CHEEKY bookmaker has framed a market on the chances of the Fine Cotton Ring-In getting a run in the soon-to-be-released book tracing the history of the Queensland Turf Club.
Despite the fact that the bookie reckons an entire chapter should be devoted to the scandal he is betting $51 that this doesn’t occur. He is offering $21 Fine Cotton does not rate a full page cover and $11 it doesn’t get three paragraphs. The $2 favorite is a single sentence.
ODD NICKNAME FOR A SENIOR STEWARD
A group of prominent jockeys has given a senior steward officiating at near-Brisbane TAB meetings the nickname of ‘Stevie Wonder.’
The story goes they are on the lookout from their arrival at the track to see who’s in charge of the meeting that day and when this guy turns up a big cheer goes up in the jockeys’ room.
We don’t think the nickname has anything to do with the Stevie Wonder ‘hit’ record: ‘I Ain’t Gonna Stand for This.’ But it might explain why the Gold and Sunshine Coast race meetings have the worst record in the country for beaten favorites.
CHEEKY SUE A POPULAR WINNER
Who said that good guys run last? There were smiles all round when a lightly-raced galloper called Cheeky Sue saluted at Ipswich recently.
Cheeky Sue is owned by Susie Searle, a former racing writer with the Toowoomba Chronicle, who has been trying for years to race a decent galloper. Looks like she finally has one that will earn its keep!
Sue still works as a journalist but was taken off turf writing many years ago. It seemed the hierarchy at Toowoomba could not cope with her ‘no nonsense’ approach to the job or the objective coverage you provided of Clifford Park racing. It was their loss!
The industry as a whole remained loyal to Susie and the congratulations flowed freely when she made an overdue visit to the winner’s circle.
Speaking of loyalty a couple of key racing players on the Sunshine Coast should hide their head in shame for ‘bagging’ the efforts of Jason McLachlan to fill the giant shoes of his late dad, Bruce.
Jason may have struggled to a degree – on and off the track – since the big fella’s sudden departure but the last thing he needs right now are the vultures to circle. Bruce was always confident Jason would make it as a top trainer. He was a good judge who would be devastated by the behavior of a couple of his supposed former 'friends.'
