THE website continues to listen to what our readers have to say and has introduced a ‘Wednesday Whinge’ where you can express your feelings on racing industry issues of the past week. Try to keep them objective. Just e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
IT was a mixed contribution in the e-mail bag for the past week focusing largely on racing in Queensland where our website copped a bagging alleging we were taken for a ride by the Office of the Racing Minister in the excuse provided for the failure to name the new control Boards. There were a number of other contentious topics with mixed feelings about the decision to run the Toowoomba Weetwood on Saturday night rather than the traditional Thursday afternoon or even Saturday twilight once the Brisbane meeting was washed out. Please read what our readers have had to say. We welcome your contributions.
As usual we start the WEDNESDAY WHINGE with our popular feature: THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY SIDE OF RACING over the past week:
STARTING WITH THE GOOD, the BAD & UGLY
FIRST THE GOOD NEWS
MOODY DESERVES HALL OF FAME STATUS IF BLACK CAVIAR SAVES THE QLD CARNIVAL
RACING Queensland should induct trainer Peter Moody into their Hall of Fame if he returns Black Caviar to Brisbane for the BTC Cup next month.
It will save the carnival in Queensland from oblivion and convert a financial nightmare result into a block-buster for the Brisbane Racing Club.
Moody is obviously keener to have Black Caviar race on in Australia than another visit to Royal Ascot which would mean immediate retirement.
It is no secret that he would prefer to bring the champion mare to his home state of Queensland and contest the BTC Cup which would be at her mercy.
Without Black Caviar the carnival in Queensland will struggle to attract a draw-card and apart from a couple of traditional ‘big days’ – like the Stradbroke and Ipswich Cup – could well prove a financial flop for racing in the north.
INDUSTRY WANTS REDUNDANCIES REPAID AND CUSHION TRACK CONTRACTS INVESTIGATED
THERE were a couple of interesting e-mails received concerning the news broken by The Courier-Mail that some former directors of Racing Queensland Ltd could face criminal charges, or a ban from serving on other Boards, in the wake of an audit into the control body’s financial processes.
Concerns have been raised about the Bob Bentley Board’s handling of major building contracts worth $150 million allegedly being awarded to an engineering firm without tenders being called.
It has also been revealed that investigations by the CMC and ASIC are continuing into the RQ Board’s approval of new employment contracts for four executives which led to almost $2 million in payouts when they quit days after last year’s State election which saw Labor swept from power.
Here’s one of those e-mails that hopefully gets the general message across:
“AS if these redundancy payments to loyal servants of the Bentley Board weren’t bad enough we now learn that Malcolm Tuttle and Paul Brennan were subsequently employed by the Sunshine Coast engineering firm which was the recipient of the building contracts under investigation.
“These blokes should be made pay back their redundancies – money that rightfully belongs to the racing industry of Queensland. One thing you can bet on neither will show their faces on a racetrack in south-east Queensland again.
“So much for the claims made last year by Bob Bentley that there was nothing untoward with these contracts. Why was the required contractual process not adhered to then?
“Here’s hoping that while the investigations are underway they take a long hard look at what happened with the cushion track installations as well. The industry needs to know that the letter of the law was abided by where RQ was concerned with these contracts as well, considering the amount of money that was spent on these useless tracks.” – Vic Hurley, Sunshine Coast.
NOW TO THE BAD
LETSGOHORSERACING copped plenty of criticism for publishing a response from the Racing Department on why the new Boards have not been announced in Queensland.
There was a general perception that we accepted the explanation that the delay had been caused by the Racing Minister undergoing urgent spinal surgery.
Here are just a few examples of what our readers think about the situation:
WEBSITE CRITICIZED FOR ‘SWALLOWING’ MINISTERIAL EXCUSE FOR BOARD DELAYS
‘LETSGOHORSERACING must be the new ‘mushroom’ of the racing scene in Queensland after swallowing that excuse from the Racing Department for the delay in naming the new Boards.
How could you possibly believe that the only reason for the continued delay was the recovery from urgent spinal surgery by the Racing Minister Steve Dickson when he has been actively involved in other racing announcements in recent times?
If his condition is ‘too bad’ to announce the new Boards, how can he possibly be ‘good enough’ to comment on these other major issues, like praise for the RQ move to again look after their mates at the BRC and boost the first prize purse for the Stradbroke?
You guys have been taken for a political ride and made look like idiots.
The reason for the delay is pure and simple. The ‘big honcho’ in harness racing doesn’t want Chris Garrard to be the All Codes Board representative as that code’s Chairman because he can’t control him and the guy has dared to disagree with him in the past.
It’s a simple as that – nothing to do with the conspiracy theories which are doing the rounds (these are quite defamatory to Mr Garrard and should be investigated and raised under Parliamentary privilege to show just how low this industry can stoop).
If Mr Garrard is overlooked after he has been recommended by the Independent Panel appointed to oversee the selection process then there needs to be a CMC investigation. He is highly respected and has the best credentials for the harness job in the opinion of most in the industry.
For too long the ‘head honcho’ of harness racing in Queensland has had too much influence politically behind the scenes on the sport. It is time for him to bow out and accept the umpires’ decision in this case.
The Racing Minister, the Treasurer (who most believe is the de facto Racing Minister) and also the interim RQ Chairman are – if you believe the mail doing the rounds – having too much to say in what is supposed to be an independent process.
Here’s what you quoted the Racing Department spokesperson as saying about this issue last week:
“It was originally planned the racing board announcements would be made before Easter. However, due to Minister Dickson’s urgent spinal surgery this decision was deferred. It’s anticipated that an announcement on the Boards will be made in the coming weeks.”
That is an absolute ‘porky’ but what makes it even worse is the following ‘political’ clap-trap:
“Applications were sought from qualified people who had garnered wide industry support. The recruitment process has been undertaken by an independent selection panel of impeccable standing,” the Ministerial spokesperson said.
“In stark contrast to the past, we have designed a Board appointment process that is both transparent and at arm’s length from Government.”
Who are they kidding to suggest ‘at arm’s length from Government’ when the real reason for the delay is an attempt to usurp the authority of the independent selection panel and have Mr Garrard replaced by an appointment that is merely a ‘yes man’ for harness racing’s head honcho?
To make matters worse it has been suggested that Mr Garrard might not be in the camp of Kevin Dixon who will be the All Codes body Chairman (at least that’s what his supporters are telling everyone is a done deal) and that threatens his ‘numbers’ control.
How does that old quote go (they should hang it over the door to the Racing Department after last week’s explanation)? ‘Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.’ – Colin Spratley, Brisbane.
HOW CAN HARNESS CHALLENGE AN APPOINTMENT THAT HAS STILL TO BE ANNOUNCED?
‘CAN someone explain how harness racing can challenge the appointee suggested to chair HRQ and represent them on the All Codes Board when there has been no announcement by the Racing Minister or the Government?
Even the corporate bookmakers – who paid out early on Black Caviar winning the T J Smith Stakes – wouldn’t bet on whether Kevin Dixon will be Chairman of the All Codes Board. He is that big a certainty.
Now if this whole process is above board and transparent – unlike the days of Bob Bentley – as we keep getting told by Racing Minister Steve Dickson, then can he explain how so many with political ties and connections are claiming to know what is going on?
It’s an absolute farce. The tip is that Mr Dixon took the All Codes Chairmanship because he was told he couldn’t be chairman of RQ as well but a deal was allegedly done to make sure that his close supporter Greg Hallam got the chairmanship of RQ.
There is also strong mail that Michael Byrne will be Chairman of Queensland Greyhounds and that race-caller Steve Hawkins will be on that Board.
The ‘bun fight’ in harness racing has occurred because a harness identity with political clout wants Warwick Stansfield to be the chairman and all codes representative but the independent panel apparently believed that Chris Garrard was a better choice.
The Racing Department can hide behind the Minister’s spinal surgery as an excuse but the real reason for the delay in naming the Boards is that the Government is trying to appease the political pressure being applied.
The one thing that still remains a mystery is whether the country will have a voice, who it will be and if instead of that occurring a lawyer mate of the Racing Minister from the Sunshine Coast gets the other independent Government gig on the All Codes Board.’ - Matt Holmes, Brisbane.
SPINAL PROBLEM BLAMED BUT MINISTER SEEMS TO ALSO HAVE TROUBLE WITH WRITING ARM
‘ISN’T our Racing Minister in Queensland a great bloke who is working under terrible pressure?
He is still able to step up to the propaganda plate to make political statements when it suits – despite his injured back – but it seems he is unable to use his writing arm to sign a document to allow the new Boards to be announced.
Why only the day after the Racing Department blamed Steve Dickson’s urgent spinal surgery for the delay in naming the new Boards here he was supporting the increase to prizemoney for the Stradbroke and boasting how the LNP Government’s $5 million contribution to QTIS over two years has facilitated an environment in which RQ was now in the position to increase prizemoney across the state.
We wait with interest to see everyone enjoy an increase and not just the south-east corner.
Before that we had the Minister quoted in a story about the Gympie Turf Club playing host to the Flood Recovery Cup next Saturday. He told how RQL had committed an additional $4000 to boost prize money for the Country Sustain race.
"The local Member David Gibson has lobbied for the additional funding to support the local community after the recent flood events. This funding is part of the LNP's $4 million commitment to Queensland's country racing industry as part of the Showcase, Celebrate, Sustain series," Mr Dickson said.
Come on Minister stop pussy-footing around, announce that the Government’s ‘chosen one’ Kevin Dixon is going to take permanent control or if you can’t do it then let the politician who is pulling the strings behind the scenes in ‘Tim the Toolman’ do it for you.’ – Greg Rowe, Sunshine Coast.
WEBSITE RESPONSE – BIG LOSERS IN THIS CHARADE ARE THE INDUSTRY STAKE-HOLDERS
‘IF we have been ‘kept in the dark and fed horse manure’ as many e-mails are suggesting then it is not this web site that is the big loser but the industry stakeholders and the tens of thousands who follow the three codes of racing in Queensland.
I did find it quite strange that the Racing Minister was available to comment on the big Stradbroke news that required an 11pm embargo to satisfy the needs of Kevin Dixon’s mates in the mainstream racing media.
Little wonder that the majority of them have not been reporting on or asking questions why there has been such a long delay in the naming of these Boards.
If the Racing Minister is ‘well enough’ to comment on the exciting plans for the Stradbroke then he should be ‘well enough’ to announce the new Boards. That is unless there is a problem that no-one wants to talk about.
It was pretty obvious to us when we asked the question: ‘Is the delay being caused by a challenge from within harness racing to their appointment?’ that we were greeted with a deafening silence and not even a ‘no comment.’
All we can do is ask the Minister or his Department for a response and print what they give us. If we are being misled, as e-mailers are suggesting, then the loser is the industry who have waited 12 months for the LNP to deliver on racing.
I have always been confident that the three gentlemen appointed to recommend the right Boards to run the three codes of racing in Queensland would do just that. But I have never been confident there would be no interference if certain high profile identities didn’t get what they want – which is control of the industry.
Rest assured when the Boards are finally named – the big K and little K – will be running the show. Kevin Seymour will get what he wants in harness racing and Kevin Dixon will get the numbers to control the gallops.
Which begs the question why the Government would bother putting us through the charade of this appointment process? Here’s hoping if there are changes made at the 11th hour one of those on the Independent Panel calls for an explanation.’ – John Lingard, Editor of letsgohorseracing.
MASSIVE TAKEOVER BID FOR BETFAIR BEING TIPPED IN BRITAIN
ONE wonders what repercussions this will have for the corporate bookmaking scene in Australia:
SKY NEWS in BRITAIN reports in an EXCLUSIVE that the private equity group behind Formula One motor racing is mulling a takeover approach for Betfair, the online betting exchange which floated on the London market three years ago.
CVC Capital Partners, one of the biggest buyout firms in the world, is in the early stages of considering a bid to take Betfair private.
Insiders say the private equity group, which has reaped a handsome profit from its investment in F1, has not approached the Board of Betfair and has yet to line up financing for a bid.
Betfair's share price has risen sharply in recent months, largely on the back of speculation that it might be ripe for a takeover.
Key to the success of any bid to take control of Betfair would be the attitude of the gambling exchange's founders, Andrew Black and Edward Wray.
Between them, they own approximately 20% of the company, with a number of big technology investors such as the Japanese firm Softbank and Balderton Capital also holding significant stakes.
Betfair has endured a torrid time during its brief life as a public company, parting with a string of top executives.
The current boss, Breon Corcoran, joined in 2012 from rival gambling group Paddy Power. He has opted to reshape the company's operations, withdrawing from troubled Eurozone markets such as Greece, and selling non-core assets such as its stake in LMAX, a financial trading platform.
AND FINALLY TO THE UGLY
INDUSTRY DIVIDED ON WHETHER FERGUSON WOULD MAKE A GOOD RQ CEO
THE racing industry in the Sunshine State is divided on whether Brisbane Racing Club CEO Stephen Ferguson should move to that role at Racing Queensland when the new Boards are finally announced.
When it comes to Mr Ferguson it seems to be a case of ‘like him or loathe him’ – there are few grey areas. Some say the downside is his abrasive nature when it comes to any form of criticism – sound familiar – bit like his old boss Kevin Dixon.
We’re not entering into the debate – if the industry in Queensland believes that the team of Dixon and Ferguson can lead them out of the racing wilderness only time will tell.
What we do however insist – or at least hope - should happen is that there will be national and international advertisement of the position of CEO to ensure that the best possible candidate for the job is appointed.
RUMORS PERSIST ABOUT ALLEGED ‘TUBING’ OF QUEENSLAND WINNERS
THE rumors persist about the alleged ‘tubing’ of many winners in racing in Queensland.
There is a story of one metropolitan trainer whose horses are loaded into the back of the float and travelled several blocks before arriving at the track when they could walk there.
But the biggest stories involve a number of trainers at a major TAB venue outside of Brisbane who are enjoying unbelievable success.
Officials maintain horses are being tested before they race and nothing is showing up. If that is the case perhaps what is allegedly being used is not detectable.
The tubing issue also prompted this e-mail from Bob Sauer of the Gold Coast:
‘I am unable recall any horse that was the centre of any swabbing case during or even after the Spring Carnival returning to their recorded best.
If this is so, is it possible that the poor performances are due to seasonal factors?’
THE NICK GIANOPOULUS OF THE TRACKSIDE MEDIA MUST BE EASILY UPSET
OUR spies at the track report that we got up the nose of the Nick Gianopoulos of the trackside media unit for the Brisbane Racing Club with our innocent comments last week about the on-course TV coverage being sidelined waiting for a part from America.
It seems that Nick or Joe or whatever his name is was running around like a Bear with a Sore Head after reading our report and telling everyone that we needed a haircut.
Change hands pal and stopped blaming the bloke you should have stood beside when he got dumped by SKY for giving us the information. He’s now doing his best in another media field and we haven’t spoken with him in months.
And by the way we understand that the Trackside TV is up and running again at Doomben and Eagle Farm which is good news for some and bad for those who say it intrudes on their desire to watch and listen to the southern events.
Now here are the e-mail contributions in full that we have elected to publish this week with apologies to those who missed out:
‘BARRY O’FOOL’ SHOULD STICK TO POLITICS AND FORGET ABOUT RACING
‘IT was good to see the racing media in Melbourne – and to a lesser extent trainer Peter Moody – respond to the silly remarks made by the Premier of NSW in the lead-up to the Black Caviar race at Randwick on Saturday.
I am still amazed – considering his highs and especially the lows of his career – how officialdom in NSW, and now it seems the politicians, can bed down with Jim Cassidy when it comes to promoting the sport.
Barry O’Farrell should have been nick-named Barry O’Fool when he tried to drum up interstate rivalry by suggesting he hoped Jim Cassidy rode the horse that beat the mighty mare on Saturday.
When I first read the story on the Racenet website quoting the NSW Premier I dropped them an email questioning why a politician of such high standing would want to back a jockey who had been accused in the Fairfax media of an offence which would result in a jail term in Honkers.
Admittedly Cassidy has never been charged with breaching any rules of racing in relation to this by the stewards in NSW and more importantly I am unaware of any legal action taken by Cassidy against Fairfax over their allegations.
Under the circumstances one would be entitled to question the Premier on his ethics - or something similar.
Then again who cares? It is consistent with many things in Sydney racing
I went back to the Racenet site about three hours after sending my email and not only had my comments disappeared but 20 comments on the Black Caviar situation seemed to have been wiped as well.’ – Percy Smith, Melbourne.
EDITOR’S COMMENT: Rather than mention what a goose I believe Barry O’Farrell made of himself, here is part of what MATT STEWART had to say in the MELBOURNE HERALD-SUN:
O'Farrell's comments were disgraceful, a crude attempt at state versus state rivalry that revealed an utter lack of appreciation of Black Caviar's borderless status as a national icon.
Moody simply said he hoped the Premier lost the next election.
GROUP OF OWNERS CLAIM COUNTRY IS BEING NEGLECTED IN FAVOR OF SE QLD
‘AS a group of owners who have long supported racing in the country we decided to pen this email in response to the boast by RQ Chairman Kevin Dixon that his Board is on track to deliver $2 million in prizemoney increases across Queensland this year.
‘Make no mistake the majority – if not all – of that rise has been allocated to the south-east corner. We are trying to recall just what has gone where and here’s our summation.
First there was the boost to Gold Coast prizemoney (starting in July we believe) to help off-set the flow of horses across the border to northern NSW where they are due for yet another increase soon.
Then there was the boost to midweek metropolitan prizemoney during the carnival – the major beneficiary being the BRC. And now the increase to the Stradbroke first prize purse – again to Brisbane.
I am sure we will be reminded of some obscure increase in the country or to QTIS prizemoney but across the board stakes are long overdue for a rise and this just isn’t happening.
The first thing Mr Dixon did when he got his feet under the table was make a major administration grant – several million – to his old club the BRC which he said they had been deprived of under the Bentley administration.
Talk about the need for some independence and a country representative to protect the interests of country racing in Queensland – well it is long overdue.
Will we get it when the new Boards are finally announced?
We don’t expect so. Then again if you come from Toowoomba – I guess they call that the country – things will happen but as for the rest of us in areas that don’t count – racing in our areas are destined to wither on the vine.’ – Names with-held for obvious reasons.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We did have the Racing Minister (from his sick-bed) reported recently as saying that the LNP Government’s $5 million contribution to QTIS over two years has facilitated an environment in which RQ was now in the position to increase prizemoney across the State. The Newman Government has also committed $4 million ‘to help rebuild country racing’ in Queensland, involving a series of races. Those commitments shoot down the claims that only the south-east corner is being looked after. Having said that the country does deserve a voice on the All Codes Board and hopefully it will get a worthy one.
PLENTY ON DOWNS WOULD PREFER WEETWOOD ON SHOW HOLIDAY THURSDAY
‘THE racing industry on the Downs is up in arms at the decision to move the Weetwood from its traditional Show holiday time-slot on the Thursday to the following Saturday night.
About the only beneficiary will be the Toowoomba Show where most of those I ran into on Thursday were asking why the races weren’t on.
The story goes that Saturday’s move is a forerunner to a stand-alone primary status Saturday meeting for the Weetwood and Toowoomba Cup once the new turf circuit is reintroduced.
From the perspective of the Downs that could be a winner but to run the Weetwood at night when it could have been held in its traditional, public holiday, Thursday afternoon time-slot seems like just another silly idea of this new committee that seemed more intent on having a love-in last Saturday evening with their good mate the RQ Chairman rather than worry about what the racing and punting public wanted.’ – Peter English, Toowoomba.
EDITOR’S NOTE: It’s hard to imagine the Show holiday not being Weetwood day in Toowoomba but statistics would suggest there was merit in the move. Toowoomba Turf Club reported that the threat of rain didn’t chase the crowds away when almost 7,000 – close to 2,000 more than last year – turned up at Clifford Park on Saturday night. The other big winner was the Toowoomba Show where the biggest crowd in 13 years turned out which officials attributed largely to the decision to move the Weetwood from the holiday to Saturday night.
SEVERAL QUERIES ON WHAT THE TAB TURNOVER ON WEETWOOD NIGHT WAS
‘PLENTY has predictably been written and spoken in the Toowoomba media about how successful the move of the Weetwood from Thursday to Saturday has been.
But little has been said about how much better the TAB turnover could have been if the meeting was moved forward to the afternoon when the Brisbane meeting was rained out.
Club officials have explained that there was an option to take that time-slot but there were too many marquee and dining bookings for the Weetwood at night.
Would it not have been a more common sense move – bearing in mind the importance of turnover – to switch to a twilight fixture? Surely those involved in entertaining at night would have agreed to that.
The off-course, stay-at-home punters should have been considered. By the time they had waded through the big meeting at Randwick and seen Black Caviar do her thing in the T J Smith most had had their ‘fix’ of racing for the day.
How many were likely to stay tuned for a Weetwood run at 8.35pm – not too many – especially when they had to wade through the dogs, the trots and the support card which throws up so many hard to select winners on that despicable cushion track.’ – Jose Caruso, a regular to Toowoomba for the Weetwood over many years but not last Saturday.
EDITOR’S NOTE: We asked TattsBet for some turnover figure comparisons but hit a hurdle. What we requested was how punters responded to the night Weetwood meeting on Saturday; how that figure compared to a normal Saturday meeting in Brisbane; how it compared to the Weetwood Thursday fixture last year; and how much more was held than an average twilight meeting at Toowoomba. BRAD TAMER from TATTSBET, who is normally very accommodating when we make an approach for answers to e-mails, replied:
‘OUR relationship with RQL is important to us. As you can appreciate we do not wish to compromise this arrangement therefore the best I can do is to direct you to the results section of our website and suggest that pari-mutuel turnover be acquired for comparison purposes in that manner. Sorry I cannot be of more assistance on this occasion. Hope you understand.’
We understand that like many other stake-holders in racing in Queensland TattsBet isn’t prepared to upset RQ by producing turnover comparisons that would have embarrassed the control body and Toowoomba for pressing ahead with a night Weetwood meeting. Until we hear otherwise the response suggests that whilst they were prepared to shout how good the crowd was from the roof-tops, their deafening silence suggests the TAB turnover must have been a disaster.
DID SKYE ‘SLAUGHTER’ THE WEETWOOD WINNER OR IS THAT HOW TO RIDE ON THE CUSHION?
‘MUCH has been made of Skye Bogenhuber becoming the first lady jockey to ride the winner of the Weetwood Handicap at Toowoomba on Saturday night.
But little was mentioned about the slaughter job she did on the Michael Nolan-trained mare which staged one of the most remarkable and courageous efforts ever seen to win a big race.
We will all hear how Skye went on to take out the Stathi Katsidis Medal for the most successful jockey on the Weetwood card.
Again little will be said of her winning ride in the last on the heavily backed The Storeman – in my opinion another slaughter job.
And on the subject of betting on the cushion track and why punters hate it so much, just have a look at the results from Saturday’s Weetwood meeting.
Three favorites were successful – but one at odds-on got beaten and there were winners – hard to find – at $21, $9 and two at $8.
And what about Uanimously in the Weetwood beating only two home after racing classes better than those who turned up here at his recent starts in Melbourne? It just goes to show how hard the form is to follow when it comes to the cushion.’ – Percy Jackson, a regular punter who wouldn’t bet on cushion tracks if they paid me.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Percy, I think you are being a bit harsh on Skye. The pretty rides don’t always win races on these cushion tracks. Some jockeys scout wide – especially on wet nights – to dodge the flying sand coming back from those in front that horses travelling behind resent. Miss Imagica is an exceptional horse on the cushion where she has won nine times. She worked very hard from her wide alley then came back off the canvas after looking beaten. It should be remembered she became only the fourth horse to win the Weetwood in successive years in the 118-year history of the race.
MORE ACCUSATIONS OF FAVORITISM FOR THE BRC FROM RACING QUEENSLAND
‘WHILE the battling owners of racing in Queensland struggle to survive and their calls for across-the-board prizemoney increases fall on deaf ears the powers that be have found sufficient funds to boost the stakes for the Stradbroke.
What a joke – the extra $360,000 that has been added to the winner’s prize-money this year won’t – in the opinion of most local owners and trainers – attract one more good horse that wasn’t already coming to Brisbane.
It was more a case of too little, too late. Plans for those who were heading elsewhere – like Singapore which requires inoculations – had already been locked in.
No-one questions that the Stradbroke needs to be protected as the main race on the Queensland carnival calendar. But at what cost to the rest of the program?
The Doomben 10,000 desperately needs a prizemoney boost. Instead, like everything else that the old QTC inherited from the BTC in the merger, it is being allowed to run down until it basically doesn’t exist anymore.
I won’t go down the track of what will eventually happen to Doomben, like being relegated to nothing more than a midweek track leading up to that dirty four-letter word ‘sale,’ but the once great facility is now the poor relation to Eagle Farm.
Could we be about to see the Doomben 10,000’s downward spiral continue further with the Stradbroke becoming a weight-for-age race?
Last week’s surprise announcement revealed that RQ and the BRC have committed to a wider review of the Stradbroke after this year’s running. That involves a consultation process, to begin in June, to establish whether changes to the race conditions are necessary.’ – Tim Collyer, Brisbane.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Sorry Tim but I’m not going to bash RQ or the BRC for pumping more money into their biggest race. I hope the club does not tinker too much with the Stradbroke conditions and turn it into a weight-for-age event. If they go for a Quality with a maximum topweight the club also runs the risk of detracting from the draw-card they now have. As the saying goes: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
READER QUESTIONS OUR ASSERTION THAT CHRIS WHITELEY IS A ‘TOP JOCKEY’
‘I was intrigued by Terry Butts’ recent (Silks & Saddles) column whereby he stated -
‘TOP JOCKEY Chris Whiteley reckons the StrathAyr track at Mackay is the best he has ever ridden on.
And the Gold Coast-based jockey has ridden on a few all around the country so he is well qualified to make a judgment.’
A few bold statements have been made that need closer scrutiny.
For starters, that ‘Top Jockey’ assertion gets right up my nose.
His current strike rate for the 2012/13 season (335 rides for 35 wins - 10%) is appalling for a ‘Top Jockey’ and as a betting proposition particularly for punters at the Gold Coast he's a definite no-go zone!
Long gone are the heady days when the Alan Bailey team was in full flight and Whiteley's strike rate was in the mid 20's. However ancient history doesn't pay the mortgage, feed the kids and keep the bride in bling.
And finally when you consider the rather limited number of rides Whiteley has had on all weather tracks around Australia - 38 rides in total from Devonport, Sunshine Coast Cushion, Toowoomba Cushion and Mackay, it's hardly earth shattering news that the StrathAyr at Mackay is the best that the ‘Former Top Jockey’ has ever ridden on.’ – Jim Bourne, Gold Coast.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks for the stats on Chris Whiteley’s rides this season Jim but it doesn’t alter the fact that he is a ‘top jockey’ and always will be ‘one of the best jockeys’ riding at the provincials in Queensland, especially at the Gold Coast. I think the point that Terry Butts was trying to get across in his column is that Whiteley was comparing the ‘safeness’ of the ‘stathayr’ surface at Mackay to surfaces of any type that he has ridden on – not just all weather circuits.
GIVE US A BREAK WATCHING FOOTBALL FROM HAVING TOMMY SHOVED DOWNOUR THROATS
‘MY friends and I have had a gutful of watching Tom Waterhouse during our football coverage and were even less impressed when his mother Gai stepped up to the plate and suggested the critics should lay off him.
We love our punt every weekend and are not great fans of columnist Peter Fitzsimmons when it comes to his criticism of all things gambling. But we do support the stance he is taking against the Waterhouse’s.
Our kids should be able to watch the football free of the message that you need to have a bet on the game to enjoy it. And to see them treating Tom Waterhouse like a superstar and lining up for his autograph at games is a bit too much too bear.
‘Leave My Son Alone!’ bellowed the headline from Gai supporting young Tom’s right to spend millions on advertising during the footy. ‘Leave Our Game Alone!’ is the message from those of us who love to restrict our punting activities to horse racing.’ – Cliff Whalley, Sydney.
EDITOR’S NOTE: HERE’S what PETER FITZSIMMONS wrote in his column recently in the MELBOURNE AGE under the headline: ‘BELLY UP? NO THAT’S JUST THE PUNTERS DOING THEIR DOUGH.’
IF it please the court!
Yes, Your Honour, over here.
If it please the court, despite being sued for defamation by Tom Waterhouse, I should like to say a few delicate and hopefully well-chosen words in response to the plaintiff's mother's extraordinary outburst at the weekend.
I table an article carried in the News Limited press, on Sunday, headlined ''LEAVE MY BOY ALONE!'' where the famous horse-racing trainer did what mothers do - at least when their children are still in primary school and can't speak for themselves - which is to robustly and publicly defend her child against the flood of criticism he has endured lately.
A quick burst if you would, Ms Waterhouse, starting with your comments on politicians.
''They should stop criticising,'' she thunders, ''[as that's] all they can ever do, the Greenies and all the rest of them. Bugger the criticism. They want to kill every industry in Australia and then they wonder why they are going belly up.''
Ummm, no. For a start it's not just the Greenies who have pleaded for sanity on the issue, as alarm has been sounded from across the political spectrum, including shadow treasurer Joe Hockey, who, I think, you can be sure is interested in seeing Australian industries prosper.
Secondly, those politicians are doing no more than expressing the views of millions of their constituents: that the exposure of gambling advertising across sports has gone from endemic to epidemic, and it is not fair to kids to allow the bookies to leverage their otherwise healthy passion for sport into the brain-dead pursuit of gambling.
Thirdly, the issue is not at all about the gambling industry going ''belly up'' - I believe your son received an offer of $500 million for his business a week or two ago? - but the poor bastards going belly up, that that very gambling industry lives off.
But back to you.
''I tell you one thing, he is out there working his butt off. If everyone worked as hard as my son Tom we'd have a much better society in Australia.''
Madam, no one has ever suggested he is not working his butt off. Indeed, he seems so ubiquitous on every sports broadcast going, some of us think there must be three of him! But I ask you for an intellectually honest answer on this: if everyone in Australia really did work as hard as he does, not actually producing anything, but simply expanding and refining a model to separate fools from their money, what sort of society would we have then? Could we even go on?
You must know the answer. And that is the issue. No one wants to shut down the bookies. Plenty of people do want to gamble and the bookies service them. But up until a few years ago, the bookies were ''over there'', surrounded by a pod of punters pissing their money up against the wall. It wasn't really any of our business.
Now, the bookies are ''over here'', surrounding us, infesting us, getting their clutches into people we know, elbowing us in the ribs trying to get us to cough up our own money, and inevitably making kids think that gambling on sport is simply what everyone does. And with the line now SO blurred between advertisers and the sports coverage itself that some kids even think the bookies are the stars - as you will see with the kids in the photo getting young Tom's autograph at the footy - it really is time to act.
I know, I know, you say, ''They have got the freedom of choice of turning their television off, [if they don't like it,]'' but, first up, the kids don't have that freedom, as they mostly watch what their parents watch. And we parents don't particularly want to switch the television off. We simply want to be able to watch sport the way we always used to be able to, without being constantly bombarded with lures to lose our money.
But let's go to your defence of Tom taking his spot on the commentary panel.
''He is not a pseudo commentator,'' you say. ''First of all, he does a lot of research into it. Secondly, he has been passionate about sport since the year dot …''
Please. So Ray Warren is not throwing to Tom because of the mooted $15 million he has thrown into Channel Nine's coffers, but actually because he is genuinely interested in young Tom's insights into the game? PLEASE.
Still, perhaps this is all too harsh, and you're only speaking out because as a loving parent you simply want to protect your child?
Funnily enough, that's exactly how we feel. Millions of us. And that's why there is an outcry.
IT SEEMS THE RULES PREVENT AN OWNER FROM BACKING AND LAYING HIS HORSE IN THE SAME RACE
WE received an interesting query from a long-time follower of our site who has been puzzled by the lack of mainstream media coverage of the following stewards’ report and has also posed the question:
“Can’t an owner have a bet on his horse to win then take a saver on it to lose – in case it gets beaten?”
It is certainly an interesting situation and here’s how the Racing Queensland stewards’ panel comprising Ian Brown, Daniel Aurisch and Jamie Dart, dealt with the situation, which, in the circumstances seemed to be the best outcome:
RACING Queensland Limited Stewards today (February 28) opened an Inquiry into a report that Mr Mark Mclean, a part owner of the registered thoroughbreds DEVILS MELODY and SNIPZU, had placed lay bets on those runners with the betting agency, Betfair, when they raced at Eagle Farm on 22 August 2012 and Doomben on 8 September 2012, respectively.
After taking telephone evidence from Mr Mclean the following facts were established:
Mr Mclean had placed lay bets on DEVILS MELODY and SNIPZU on the abovementioned dates;
Mr Mclean had also placed win bets on DEVILS MELODY and SNIPZU on the same dates with a different corporate bookmaker and that the lay bets were placed to reduce his overall position;
Mr Mclean did not lay DEVILS MELODY or SNIPZU for a financial benefit.
After considering the evidence Mr Mclean was found guilty of a charge under the provisions of AR175B(3) which reads:
A nominator must not lay any horse that is or may be entered by him or on his behalf, provided that a bookmaker may lay a horse in accordance with his license.
The specifics of the charge being that as a part owner of the registered thoroughbreds DEVILS MELODY and SNIPZU, Mr Mclean did place lay bets on those runners when they competed at Eagle Farm on 22 August 2012 and Doomben on the 8 September 2012, respectively.
Stewards were mindful of the particular circumstances of this case where the lay bets were an attempt to reduce his liability and that the overall wagering position of Mr Mclean was for the horses to be successful.
In circumstances were a nominator lays a horse of their own for a direct financial gain then the penalty for a breach of this rule would be a significant period of disqualification.
In determining penalty Stewards were also mindful of the perception of owners placing lay bets on their horses and the negative impact such perception has on the integrity of racing. After taking into account Mr Mclean’s unblemished record and his long standing association with the industry as an owner Mr Mclean was fined the sum of $500.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in the above e-mails should not be interpreted as those of JOHN LINGARD, the owner of the letsgohorseracing web-site. That is why he has added an ‘EDITOR’S NOTE’. Every endeavor is made to verify the authenticity of contributors. We welcome any reasonable and constructive responses from parties or individuals.