IN his popular weekly racing column, Silks and Saddles in the North Queensland Register, Terry Butts drops a couple of bombshells about rumors that the three code merger has been placed on the back-burner, retirement plans for a leading Queensland race-caller and the failed attempt to torpedo Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland boss Bob Frappell.
We are delighted each week to reproduce the Butts’ column, courtesy of he and one of Australia’s leading rural newspapers, the North Queensland Register.
RUMORS RIFE THAT GOVERNMENT HAS PUT MERGER ON BACK-BURNER
IT is difficult to get confirmation, but that controversial amalgamation of the three codes (racing, trots and dogs), which Government has announced will be in play on July 1, might be on the back-burner.
Naturally the plan hasn’t gone down very well with a few on each side of the respective industries, and there’s been a little whisper of a court challenge to prevent its implementation.
Just a rumor - we’ll see!
IT’S A ‘SECRET’ BUT TOP RACE-CALLER IS PLANNING TO RETIRE
ONE of Queensland’s most popular and long-standing race-callers is about to fade from the airways.
Gladstone-born and raised, Wayne Wilson, the son of an SP bookie, has been the voice of Queensland racing for several decades but is planning to announce his retirement soon.
His announcement is supposed to be a ‘hushed-up secret’ but you’ve read it first here in Silks and Saddles.
Happy days, old mate!
‘BOB THE BUILDER’ CAN’T DISMANTLE ‘BREEDERS BOB’ – even with help of mate
LONG-STANDING and obviously popular Thoroughbred Breeders’ Queensland Association chairman, Bob Frappell, has withstood a concerted effort by a couple of racing heavyweights to have him deposed or overthrown.
And at the same time alleged threats to withdraw the QTIS 600 scheme has also been averted.
This seems to be the latest in what has been a sometimes bitter brawl over recent months between QRL and the TBQA.
It all started with Bob Frappell’s support for QRL Board member Bill Andrews in that much publicized court tussle that left plenty of “egg on the face” of QRL and its chairman Bob Bentley.
A $200,000 omelet, in fact! Straight from the racing industry coffers.
Until then the two Bobs (Bentley and Frappell) had supported each other.
And while Mr Frappell doesn’t wish to comment on the situation he claims he is stronger now in his position as chairman of the TBQA than ever.
There was certainly talk about a break-away association. But then again the main instigator of that idea had been down that track before – 15 years ago, in fact. He failed then and this time his plan, in spite of support from the top, hardly got off the ground.
Suffice to say the breeders are standing by their chairman.
And for the sake of the game its time the two Bobs drew that line in the sand and moved on, though you get the distinct feeling the relationship will never be the same.
A CALL FOR HELP THAT PROVED AN EMBARRASSMENT FOR QR LICENSING
ROOKIE Mackay trainer, Darren Young, who took over the stable of his retired boss Paul Dwyer about six months ago, got more national publicity than he had bargained for when he sent off an e-mail to the racing segment of TVN at the weekend.
Darren wanted some help with his horse training and wrote to the panel.
Ex-Queenslander Bruce Clarke reckoned it was a ‘set up’ and Richard Callender also questioned its authenticity.
But Darren (who missed the show– he was watching Sky to which he had also sent off an e-mail) confirmed it.
“I just wanted to know where you can get videos or books on horse training - when and why to use winkers or blinkers and a lot of other things like how long to swim a horse etc. So I sent them an e-mail. Is there anything wrong with that?”
Of course not Darren!
LICENSEES IN THE DARK ON WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR CAIRNS RACING
UP in Cairns everyone still seems to agree to disagree over what might or should happen to racing at Cannon Park.
Certainly the licensees and on-course trainers are still in the dark and no one knows for sure what the next step by the developers, Trafalgar, might be.
Currently the matter is still before the courts.
Trafalgar, as you might be aware, wanted the Cannon Park course to develop and offered to relocate the racecourse to a site near Gordonvale.
That fell through, allegedly due to Council requirements but Trafalgar still want Cannon Park or compensation and Cairns Jockey Club with not a lot of “lolly” in the bank to argue with, will rely on QRL– yet again.
But this time there is less likelihood of any give-away grant.
By the way who were those two strangers in a flash hire car casing the place on Sunday afternoon ?
NOT PLAIN-SAILING FOR QR JOINT VENTURE AT ROCKHAMPTON – JUST YET!
DOWN in Rockhampton it seems there is also a bit of ‘to-ing and fro-ing’ between the committee members over the joint venture proposal being offered by Queensland Racing.
The RJC are seeking some assurances from QRL before the proposition is put to the 350 members who will ultimately decide the future of the rich-in-history club that first raced on the banks of the Fitzroy in 1868.
Among other enticements is a promise by QRL to offer Thursday TAB racing three times a month plus 10 Saturday TAB dates.
We wonder which club might be the loser there.
Under the proposal, RJC will have little or no say in the operation of racing and will be restricted to marketing and catering.
It’s a situation that suits the new CEO, Darren Cox, who arrived in Rocky a few months ago after 28 years with Melbourne race clubs.
“I won’t mind whichever way the vote goes. There’s so much that can be done in this city with marketing. I am looking forward to the challenge,” he said.
The proposal is expected to go to members within four weeks.
COLUMN RUN COURTESY OF TERRY BUTTS & NORTH QUEENSLAND REGISTER
