KERSLEY RATES GRAND NIRVANA AND ELLIOTTO TOP HOMETOWN HOPES
PUNTERS throughout the country have plunged on the Victorian Gold Salute to end a decade-long drought for east coast raiders in the $1 million Carlton Draught Railway Stakes, 1600m, at Ascot in Perth on Saturday.
The Mark Riley trained Gold Salute was the subject of strong support from the time betting opened on the Group 1 classic and has firmed from $4.20 to $3.20 favoritism with bets of $10,000 placed on the Testa Rossa six-year-old.
Read more: NATIONWIDE plunge on Gold Salute to end Railway drought for visitors
THE BOY FROM THE BUSH WHO MADE HIS MARK IN AUSTRALIAN RACING
BRIAN MAYFIELD-SMITH had an inauspicious start to his training career in the battlers’ backyard at Cluden Racecourse in Townsville.
Some of his old mates from Mt Carmel College in Charters Towers tell of Brian’s rise to fame in Australian racing and how he never forgot his roots.
Read more: THE Life of Brian through the eyes of his old boarding school mates in NQ
ANSWERS TO A SERIES OF QUESTIONS ASKED BY KEY INDUSTRY FIGURES
QUEENSLAND Racing Limited addressed a series of questions raised by key industry figures at today’s annual general meeting.
They ranged from expenses incurred by the QRL Board to Product and Program Fee payments to country clubs and profits recorded in the annual report.
Read more: QUEENSLAND Racing probed on contentious issues at AGM
MORE THAN $7.5 MILLION OUTLAID OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS BY QRL
LEGAL fees and consultancies had cost Queensland Racing in excess of $7.5 million over the past eight years according to figures revealed to today’s annual meeting by Chairman Bob Bentley.
In the period from the 2001-02 to 2008-09 financial years, the figures showed costs of $5.3 million on consultancies and almost $2.25 million on legal fees.
Read more: QUEENSLAND Racing legal fees and consultancies costs revealed
FUTURE FUNDING MODEL KEY CHALLENGE FOR FUTURE OF QRL
THE racing industry faced many challenges with one of the key ones being the future funding model, chairman Bob Bentley told today’s annual general meeting of Queensland Racing Limited.
“Developing technology and the rapid adoption and worldwide reach of the internet has led to a significant change in the wagering landscape and the traditional funding model is under stress and challenge,” Mr Bentley said.
Read more: CHAIRMAN BENTLEY'S Address to the AGM of Queensland Racing
FESTIVAL OF PERTH RACING MOVES INTO FULL SWING ON SATURDAY
EAST meets west when the Festival of Perth Racing moves into full swing on Saturday (November 21) with the running of the $1 million Group 1 Carlton Draught Railway Stakes, 1600m, at Ascot.
Some of the big names of Australian racing, including leading trainers David Hayes, Gai Waterhouse and Tony Noonan, along with Melbourne Cup winning jockeys Corey Brown, Glen Boss and Blake Shinn will be competing.
Read more: STAGE set for exciting $1 million Railway Stakes at Ascot on Saturday
ANOTHER SETBACK FOR QUEENSLAND RACING & RECRUITMENT COMPANY
THE Supreme Court today issued an injunction restraining Queensland Racing from acting on the short-list of four provided by Northern Recruitment Pty Ltd for the controversial election of new Board members.
The decision, which went in favor of current Board member, Bill Andrews, who amazingly failed to make the short-list, was handed down by Judge McMurdo this afternoon.
Read more: SUPREME COURT restrains Queensland Racing from proceeding with Board short-list
WEB-SITE PROMISED A COPY OF HIS ANSWERS TO CONTENTIOUS QUESTIONS
CHAIRMAN Bob Bentley will answer ‘on notice’ questions concerning legal and consultancy costs – alleged to be in the millions of dollars – at the annual general meeting of Queensland Racing Limited next Tuesday.
Mr Bentley has agreed to supply a copy of his answers to contentious questions on this and other issues to our web-site which we are appreciative of and prepared to run in full after the annual meeting.
Read more: 'COSTS' QUESTIONS to be answered by Chairman at QRL AGM
NEW BOARD SHORT-LIST – BUT APPARENTLY IT'S THE SAME AS THE OLD ONE
INTERESTING news has broken on the eve of the return bout in the Supreme Court between out-going Board member Bill Andrews and Queensland Racing Limited.
The Andrews’ team reportedly heads back to court later this week to protest the QRL decision to retain the same recruitment company for the fresh election of Board members.
SHEATHER AND FLETCHER TO SHARE ‘MASTER AND APPRENTICE’ ROLES
THE new Board of the Gold Coast Turf Club is tipped to today re-appoint Grant Sheather who was two years ago dumped as Chief Executive Officer.
Daniel Meers, writing in the Gold Coast Bulletin, reports that in a shock move Mr Sheather flew in from Hamilton Island last night and signed a three-year deal with the club.
Read more: SHOCK appointments tipped for Gold Coast Turf Club