QUEENSLAND Racing has produced a draft of race dates for season 2010-11 which provides for a Friday night circuit to coincide with meetings at Moonee Valley and Canterbury.
There are major changes in the proposal, which was relesaed on the QR web-site, including delivery of a fourth Saturday TAB meeting during peak periods.
Below is the information posted under the heading: ‘Draft 2001-11 Thoroughbred Race Date Schedule,’ which is apparently now in the consultation phaze. It readsFollowing major changes to the wagering landscape during the past few years, the board of Queensland Racing Limited (QRL) has undertaken a review of the principles associated with the allocation of TAB race dates.
There is little doubt that new product offerings have impacted our primary revenue source, “pari-mutuel wagering”, as well as the requirement to pay a product fee for the use of interstate and overseas content, which is netted off from product fee paid to the industry by UNiTAB.
This has necessitated QRL to develop a strategic racing schedule that provides for long term growth and sustainability, in an endeavor to mitigate the impact of race field legislation through the maximization of wagering returns on Queensland meetings.
The following core principles underline this strategy:
- Greater continuity within the racing schedule
- Optimization of race meetings conducted at TAB venues
- Defined night racing strategy
Greater continuity within the racing schedule
After reviewing the wagering outcomes delivered throughout the past 18 months it is evident that customers are seeking the delivery of a consistent racing product.
Within the revised schedule the following areas have been addressed to enable punters from differing day types to familiarize themselves with Queensland product.
- Consistency within the racing schedule
- 47 Saturday meetings conducted at Eagle Farm or Doomben
- 48 Saturday meetings conducted at the Gold Coast
- 51 Saturday twilight meetings conducted at Toowoomba
- 47 Friday meetings conducted at Ipswich
- 38 Thursday meetings conducted at Rockhampton
- 47 Wednesday meetings conducted at Eagle Farm or Doomben
- 50 Tuesday meetings conducted at Townsville (32) and Mackay (18)
- 50 Sunday meetings conducted at the Sunshine Coast
- Continuous 16 week night racing schedule
- Friday night racing from November 12, 2010 to February 25, 2011
- 11 of these meetings align with Moonee Valley night meetings
- Six of these meetings align with both Moonee Valley and Canterbury
- Delivery of a fourth Queensland Saturday TAB meeting during peak periods
- 10 consecutive Saturday meetings from north Queensland during the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival
Optimization of race meetings conducted at TAB venues
Currently there are 31 non-TAB race meetings conducted at TAB venues. Six of these meetings are conducted on Melbourne Cup day at Ipswich, Toowoomba, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville and the Sunshine Coast.
The remaining 25 meetings are scheduled at northern TAB clubs on Saturdays with these dates providing an opportunity for those clubs to attract on-course patronage, a vital component of their ongoing viability considering they predominantly conduct industry race dates on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
This proposal would see 22 additional TAB meetings conducted on Saturdays with a minimum of six races to be scheduled. The only remaining non-TAB meetings conducted at TAB venues throughout Queensland will be those scheduled on Melbourne Cup day.
- Additional Saturday TAB meetings
- Six meetings from Rockhampton
- Seven meetings from Townsville
- Eight meetings from Mackay
- One meeting from Cairns
After reviewing the wagering outcomes delivered on the first race at mid-week race meetings and taking into account the number of meetings conducted with only seven races throughout the year, the number of races conducted at the majority of mid-week meetings will be reduced to seven.
This initiative will enable the conduct of an additional 29 mid-week TAB meetings.
- 29 additional mid-week meetings
- 16 night meetings at the Sunshine Coast
- 13 additional Tuesday meetings
This initiative will enable Queensland to provide product on those 13 Tuesday’s that were not previously populated and will result in the delivery of a dedicated night racing strategy, as outlined below.
QRL is also considering the use of the inner grass track at Corbould Park for the purpose of racing. This track is 1600 metres in circumference with a consistent width of 25 metres and a 400 metre straight.
Due to the majority of fast work being undertaken on the Cushion Track, this quality grass surface is currently underutilised. Should this initiative receive support, it will provide a grass alternative when upgrades or remediation works are being undertaken at existing TAB facilities.
QRL remains committed to our synthetic racing strategy and 15 meetings are scheduled at Corbould Park on the Cushion Track and 59 meetings at Clifford Park, Toowoomba, within the draft schedule.
Defined night racing strategy
The 16 week night racing schedule will enable continuous Friday night racing from early November through until late February, it is important to note that all of these meetings will coincide with the conduct of an Ipswich day meeting.
Another important factor in the placement of these meetings is that 11 of the Sunshine Coast night meetings will align with Moonee Valley meetings and six of the meetings will also align with the conduct of a Canterbury night meeting.
The changes to the race date schedule will deliver an additional 50 meetings and 143 races to be covered by the UNiTAB, but due to the conversion of non-TAB meetings and the reduction of mid-week race meetings to seven races, this will only result in the conduct of an additional 24 race meetings and five additional races throughout the State.
The race date schedule is currently in the consultation phase and will be considered by the Board of QRL and Product Co. during March 2010.