OF all the racing States in Australia, for some unknown reason QUEENSLAND is the hot-bed of rumor mongering and racetrack gossip – perhaps it’s the warmer climate. We will continue to air some of the ‘grievances’ and ‘inquiries’ received in dozens of e-mails to this web-site daily in a regular racing 'BELIEVE IT OR NOT' column.

We refuse to be intimidated by threatening e-mails from anonymous sources – several of which have now been traced. Some of the senders will be exposed in another forum. We attempt where possible to verify claims made in e-mails. If we publish something found to be incorrect we are willing to follow up with any reasonable response.

The hottest topics to the e-mail box in recent times have involved: Questions whether the proposed three code merger has been placed on the back-burner; Claims of intimidation of the Gold Coast Turf Club over its refusal to accept Queensland Racing as the major equity partner in a redevelopment proposal; Queries concerning the role Queensland will play in a Night Racing Circuit; Suggestions involving the transfer of wet weather meetings; and a host of other topics.

‘BACK-BURNER’ RUMORS FOR INTEGRATED BOARD ARE JUST A MYTH

THERE have been several e-mails from concerned stakeholders asking what is happening with the proposed merger of the three codes in Queensland and if rumors that the proposal has been put on the back-burner are correct.

Here are a couple of examples:

‘HAVE Racing Minister Lawlor and his Queensland Racing battering ram, Bob Bentley, suddenly gone quiet on the merger of the three codes because it has been put on the back-burner?

‘Or are they lying low while the controversy has died down hoping to fast-track legislation through Parliament before they come under fire again?

‘I fear the latter could be true. The industry still hasn’t received full – or for that matter any reasonable disclosure – on what the merger will involve. Nor have the stakeholders been consulted.

‘That’s probably with the exception of those close to QR. No doubt the ‘in-crowd’ has been told ‘what they need to know’ and most would be delighted with that lack of information.

‘What a disgraceful state of affairs we have in Queensland. The Shadow Racing Minister cannot even get full disclosure on what is proposed. Minister Lawlor seems to be just sitting there while battering ram Bob forges a path through any small forest of resistance, no doubt with the backing of that Labor stalwart who found his way onto the Board, ‘Big Bill’ Ludwig.’ – John Ferguson, Townsville.

‘HASN’T the merger controversy died a sudden death?

‘Has Bentley and the boys got that much power that no-one is prepared to speak out against them for fear of reprisals for their clubs?

‘We don’t read anything about it in the media any more. Bart Sinclair (Turf Editor of The Courier-Mail) is on holidays but he might as well have been there before what little he is doing these days to criticize Queensland Racing.

‘If there is no official date announced for the merger soon Queensland Racing will be required to declare the two Board positions vacant. I am not sure but I think the deadline for that is March 31.

‘Now the three that are still to stand include Bentley, Hanmer and Ludwig and I’d like to be as sure of winning Gold Lotto that Bob the Builder won’t be putting his hand up this year.

‘There are strong stories doing the rounds again that Mr Ludwig will stand down soon due to ill-health and Bentley’s long-time mate, ‘Nifty’ Neville Stewart will replace him on the Board. Are those just rumours?

‘And if there is an election I can assure you that there are a couple of key figures keen to oppose Mr Hanmer. If my mail is near right even Bentley’s influence over industry stakeholders won’t save his deputy.

‘All this is immaterial if the merger is to proceed but if it isn’t what the hell is going on. How much longer is the racing industry in Queensland prepared to be treated like mushrooms – kept in the dark and fed bullshit?’ – Name and address with-held by request.

EDITOR’S NOTE: As far as I am aware the merger is proceeding as planned with legislation set to be introduced in State Parliament for an integrated three code board to be establishment from July 1. As for Neville Stewart replacing Bill Ludwig on the current Board, QR gave an assurance in a series of questions put to them a few months back that this would not occur. We can only take them on their word.

 

THREATS OF MOVING MILLIONS FROM GOLD COAST ARE WEARING THIN

A newspaper report that the Magic Millions Carnival could be lost to the Gold Coast over the local Turf Club’s refusal to accept a $75 million redevelopment because Queensland Racing refuses to divulge full details of the proposal prompted numerous e-mails.

HERE are a couple of examples:

‘IT’S not hard to see where Mr Chester from the Magic Millions has his head firmly planted.

‘Instead of parroting the praises of Bob the Builder, little Davie should admit that Magic Millions has been receiving Queensland Events money for years that was intended for the GCTC. He forgot to mention THAT when he said the club doesn’t put anything into Magic Millions.

‘For years the former boss of the QEC had his own table at the Magic Millions sales where he was wined, dined and kowtowed to. He’s gone now fortunately but the memory of his presence lingers on with most of us – unfortunately.’ – Mark Proud – Brisbane.

‘HOW much longer is the racing industry in Queensland going to have to suffer this sickening intimidation and stand-over attitude of QR chairman Bob Bentley?

‘Every-time an official refuses to toe the line he threatens the future of their club. It’s got to the stage where racing in Queensland almost resembles that film, The Stepford Wives. The boys at QR sound the siren and all the good little officials frog-march into line like hypnotized robots.

‘It’s time they showed Bentley and his gang the door before they get total control of this industry’ – Basil Murdoch, Gold Coast.

EDITOR’S COMMENT: I’m a little confused and tired of hearing all these threats of the Gold Coast losing the Magic Millions. Apart from the fact it won’t work anywhere near as well at another venue, GCTC chairman, Andrew Eggleston, has said he is not worried about losing the event with the GCTC close to sealing a five-year deal to retain it.

 

‘FRUSTRATION’ OVER FAILURE TO MOVE MEETING TO CUSHION TRACK

THE Cushion Tracks have won a few fans during the recent wet spell with meetings postponed or abandoned. We received several e-mails concerning our dislike for these ‘swamps’ and have chosen the best of them:

‘I write in absolute frustration at the three washed-out race meetings of the past week.

‘I am aware that not even the great Dictator himself (Bob Bentley) can control the weather.

‘Hitler could not even do that. Just ask the Russians on the eastern front. It cost that lunatic the War.

‘After the worst public fight ever witnessed with the racing industry we have a cushion track at Toowoomba. This was to be the great savior of provincial racing in that region. It was purported to have so many benefits.

‘I ask why the washed out Ipswich meeting was not transferred to Toowoomba? I understand the club wanted the meeting and had the capacity to accept it at short notice. My information is the President of the TTC even wrote to QRL and suggested the transfer.

‘It was obvious to all and sundry that the meeting would not proceed as early as Tuesday morning. No clairvoyants were needed to make that prediction.

‘I pose the question. Does QRL just want to save the prize-money?

‘This situation is ludicrous when the facilities were available an hour away from Ipswich.

‘Granted there would have been scratchings due to the bias against the cushion surface, but there would have been scratchings if Ipswich had gone ahead due to racing on a Heavy 10.

‘Yes. I hear you say the betting may not have been as good. but it would have been better than what we got – NOTHING.

‘No explanation as to why not and no excuses. QRL are so arrogant it makes you wonder why anyone wants to be in the thoroughbred industry in Queensland.

‘The other consideration is the expenses of owners and the lack of opportunity to win prize-money. None of that seems to matter to QRL.

‘Not to mention the welfare of the animals. Have they made plans to schedule some extra meetings soon in place of the three wash-outs?

‘I also wonder why no one else has raised this issue. Am I missing something? Am I misguided in some way? Is there something I have not been told about why this transfer could not occur?

‘It seems to me that Bentley is pursuing a policy of emaciating the clubs and, in his blind ambition to lurch into another crisis, he and his band of merry men have forgotten what the real job is.

‘This situation is farcical and we can only hope a change of Government brings some different thinking at QRL because the out-of-control attitude of Bentley and co seems to be coinciding with the lack of interest from this very unpopular Government. Name and address with-held by request.

EDITOR’S NOTE: While QRL has not programmed extra meetings to my knowledge they have increased the program sizes to 10 races at some venues with plans to divide races to give as many horses as possible a start.

 

ABOUT AS GROUND-BREAKING AS THE DISCOVERY OF THE LOCH NESS MONSTER

THIS was an e-mail received by our web-site concerning some ground-breaking piece of stewarding work by the Thoroughbred South Australia chairman, Graham Loch. Unfortunately, the writer got this web-site confused with another.

In any case this is what he had to say:

‘I have to take you to task about the story involving an inquiry into a positive swab taken from a horse that performed in a barrier trial at Morphettville in January.

‘You rabbited on in your ‘Dunny Rag’ about one of the best pieces of stewarding work you had seen in over four decades of following racing.

‘I just thought you should be informed that there was nothing unique about what this cast-off from a country Queensland stewards’ panel did in South Australia.

‘Racing Victoria stewards have had three or four positive swabs from barrier trials in the past 18 months. About the only news worth mentioning out of what occurred in Adelaide is that it was the first time the Chief Steward there had landed one in about a decade.

‘If you are going to go into bat for someone mate, try and pick a Chief Steward who ran no better than second in most jobs he applied for until he found a new home in South Australia. When it comes to positives from trials he’s running a distant last.’ – Vic Tyndale, Redcliffe.

EDITOR’S NOTE: I appreciate and welcome your regular contribution to this web-site Vic but on this occasion I think you must have confused us with another racing web-site. We certainly didn’t run anything on the Chief Steward’s ground-breaking work in South Australia nor would we have. What I do know is that favorites have a pretty ordinary record there. Big punters declare there are two venues to steer clear of – Adelaide and Brisbane. Perhaps that’s something that Mr Loch should be looking into.

 

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY THAT THE JOCKEYS LIKE

THE announcement that former Brisbane Turf Club chairwoman, Mary Collyer, had been appointed president of the Queensland Jockeys’ Association prompted this e-mail from a group of supporters.

‘On behalf of the Mary Collyer Fan Club let me say that we were delighted to learn that her talents have again been recognized by a section of the racing industry who she will no doubt serve very well.

‘We were very distressed by the manner in which Mary was treated by the Brisbane Turf Club and some of the criticism of the role that she played there is far from justified. We believe that they are just people with a political axe to grind.

‘It’s good to see the Jockeys’ Association has recognized her talents. We have been told that Queensland Racing chairman Bob Bentley is not a fan of Mary.

‘That makes her appointment even more interesting. Perhaps the QJA will no longer be the easy pushover it has been for Bob the Builder for far too long.’ – Sam North, Aspley.

 

WILL WE GET TO SEE MORE NIGHT RACING ON THE GRASS AT CALOUNDRA?

CONFIRMATION that Queensland would join the Night Racing Circuit next season came in the proposed list of race dates that were released recently and are currently under-going the consultation process.

This prompted a couple of interesting e-mails, from which we have chosen this one:

‘Good to see that Queensland will link with Moonee Valley and Canterbury in the Night Racing Circuit next season.

‘But how embarrassing will it be for racing in the north if we program Cushion Track meetings on a regular basis to coincide with them?

‘It’s a way of building up betting support for the Cushion Tracks, which punters normally don’t want to bet on. Give them a third venue and some would bet on three flies climbing up a wall.

‘Here’s hoping they at least program some racing under lights on the grass at the Sunshine Coast. One wonders why they even bothered lighting the grass track, the meetings there have been so few and far between.’ – Glen Atherton, Sunshine Coast.