THE WEDNESDAY WHINGE has a new look but won’t be dispensing with the theme and focus on the THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY side of what is happening in racing. The Whinge will continue to provide an opportunity for The Cynics to Have Their Say. Thanks again for your support for the most read column on this website and one of the most read on racing websites in the country. Our popularity continues to grow despite the bagging it cops from some high profile officials, especially in Queensland, who cannot cope with constructive criticism of any kind. We encourage supporters – and critics – to continue to contribute but plan to restrict the Whinge to less than 10 of the best items each week. Our message to those who continually bag us is simple: IF YOU DON’T LIKE WHAT YOU READ, THEN DON’T REVISIT THE WHINGE.
‘TEAM’ GATHERING INFORMATION FOR NEW INTEGRITY UNIT BUTT OF MANY JOKES 
THE Government team gathering information to assist with the introduction of a new Integrity Unit in Queensland are being accused of knowing next to nothing about racing.
Stories that started in Brisbane spread to the Gold Coast during Magic Millions week. We received several emails concerning this and here are two that hopefully get the general message across.
GLEN KINGSTON of GOLD COAST writes:
‘I was talking to a couple of well known trainers at the Magic Millions and they told me of stories doing the rounds about the people responsible for gathering information to ensure Queensland racing has one of the best Integrity Departments in the country.
One would have thought those appointed to look into what is needed to ensure this happens would know at least something about the three codes of racing but apparently they don’t.
If this is where the Government, or for that matter the powers-that-be at Racing Queensland, is starting out in their determination to give us an Integrity Department to rival the southern states then one must question how serious they are.
These people are asking the most idiotic questions, showing their total ignorance of any form of racing and convincing stakeholders even more why Queensland is the laughing stock of racing in this country.
There is talk of consultancy with Sal Perna from Victoria and even John Schreck from New South Wales but what’s the point if the people dealing with these ‘experts’ won’t get the message across when they do their report or make their recommendations.
Is there any hope for RQ?’
HOW DO THE JOCKEYS GET ONTO HORSES – WITH A STEP-LADDER? 
AND this one from OUR SPY in the DEAGON BUNKER:
‘IT could only happen in racing in Queensland. I can assure you the information is correct as it was witnessed by officials.
Call them consultants, advisors or whatever you like – but a small Government team is currently doing the groundwork for the much-awaited launch of the new Integrity Unit which is planned for April.
Two of the ‘team’ visited a major racetrack and spoke to stewards and the like with some really probing questions recently fastidiously recording the answers for, no doubt, a ‘paper’ of some sort with recommendations for the establishment of the new Unit.
Here are but two of the questions that were asked:
What is the need for judges at racetracks?
And, if you had any doubt of how much these people know about racing, this little gem:
How do the jockeys get onto the horses?
I am assured the reply came from an official – with a serious look on his face: ‘They use a step-ladder’ – a response that was promptly recorded for future reference.’
SUPPORT FOR MOVE TO HAVE BRISBANE RACING SHOWN ON CHANNEL 78 
CYRIL FERGUSON of BRISBANE writes:
‘THE sooner racing in Queensland is shown on the Victorian free-to-air Channel 78 the better for all concerned.
I read with interest in the Sydney Morning Herald where the Brisbane Racing Club has had discussions with Victorian-owned racing.com about joining its platform.
It’s not as though they haven’t been loyal to Sky over the years. But the treatment that racing in the north is receiving at the expense of Racing NSW coverage is nothing short of a joke.
The BRC is reportedly ‘furious at how it is covered on the Sky premium channel, especially on Saturday, when the Doomben meeting is often relegated behind some second rate provincial meeting from NSW.'
Surely Sky is breaching their contract with Racing Queensland but the dills currently in charge of that outfit wouldn’t be aware of it. Here’s hoping the BRC doesn’t accept another ‘square up’ from Sky.
When they have complained in the past Sky improves their coverage of Saturday Brisbane racing for a couple of weeks and once the dust settles reverts to second rate treatment of its Queensland viewers.
Now that Racing NSW is obviously calling the shots at Sky – having got rid of TVN – there is really no option for states like Queensland to look elsewhere. It’s time to test the water in court and breach the Sky contract with TABCORP (surely there are sufficient reasons for doing this).’
‘UNITY GROUP’ ACCUSED OF PLAYING POLITICS WITH RACING IN QLD' 
GLEN MALONE of SUNSHINE COAST sent this email:
'MANY of us are far from impressed by the inaction of the Labor Government and their appointed ‘caretakers’ of Racing Queensland but the last thing we want is the industry run by a ‘Unity Group’ that many believe is nothing more than a politically motivated front for the LNP and the former Kevin Dixon Board.
This whole thing smacks of the ‘We Run As One’ philosophy but the launch of that failed venture probably attracted more people to the cow paddock west of Brisbane than the 450 who turned up for the rally at Doomben.
We are not criticizing the Queensland Racing Unity Group (QRUG) for attempting to speed up the process of a new Board being appointed by Racing Minister Grace Grace and the departure of KPMG Acting RQ CEO Ian Hall.
QRUG claims to have the support of the ‘majority’ of industry stakeholders with the Brisbane Racing Club and Queensland Race Owners’ Association the exception at the moment. Too many feel that those behind it are politically motivated.
The last thing that racing in Queensland needs is this mob running the show despite claims interestingly written by their apparent ‘spin doctor’ in the main fish a chips wrapper that ‘there is a genuine feeling that people want this to be a long-term representative of the participants’.
Racing in Queensland certainly does need a voice – not stakeholder groups who bow and scrape to the Government and Board of the day as has happened in the past. But the one stumbling block has always been politics – and if you look at those who are motivating the current ‘protest’ there are too many associated with the former LNP Government and Dixon Board.
Instead of threatening legal and industrial action to get what they want perhaps these orchestrators of racing action could stop and think why the industry in Queensland is in the financial mess it is in today.
Have a look in the mirror guys!’
‘NICE TO HEAR THAT INDUSTRY FUNDING HELPED THE MM SUCCESS STORY’ 
ANDY ARNOLD of NORTH QUEENSLAND made this contribution:
‘AMID all the feel-good stories about how wonderful Magic Millions Day was, perhaps it’s time for ‘Genial Gerry’ to think about returning some of those megabucks his company is receiving at the expense of the industry in Queensland.
I’ve listened to all the reports about how the richest race day in Australia was an unrivalled success, how it attracted record crowds, how it is so wonderful for the tourist economy of the Gold Coast and how the Yearling Sales have returned double what was budgeted for.
Well if it’s such a success do the owners of the private enterprise MM need the $35 million that the industry (Government) in Queensland is providing over the next seven years while overall the financial picture for racing in the Sunshine State is so grim?
Surely some of the massive profits of this tourism and yearling sales bonanza can be poured back into racing in Queensland at a time when prizemoney is being slashed because of the excesses of the past.’
SAFETY RISK CONTINUES WITH TOO MANY IN ENCLOSURE ON MM DAY’
THIS was contributed by a well-known TRAINER who, for obvious reasons, asked not to be named: 
‘FROM an insider's perspective the crowd at the Gold Coast for Magic Millions day didn’t look anything like the 24,000 being claimed. Some who attended reckoned the figure was about two-thirds of that at the most.
That argument aside one has to ask how many more than can fit into the enclosure or parade ring before a major catastrophe occurs.
Every man and his dog (apart from the connections of the horses) seemed to have access. Yet there are stories about stand over tactics by security guards against some trainers who had every right to be there during the day.
Sooner or later a young horse is going to take fright and run rampant through the crowd in the enclosure. Surely there is a safety issue here that the stewards need to address.
Then again there is a story doing the rounds that passes are over-ruled by wrist bands distributed by Magic Millions on the big day.
It might be their race day but when it comes to security and integrity of the meeting one would have thought that the final say rested with the stewards – especially if there is a safety issue at stake.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: STANDBY for things to get even bigger on Millions day next year. While we wait and hope that Eagle Farm will be ready for the ‘truly biggest’ race meeting in Queensland – Stradbroke Day in June – MM are already upping the ante for next January, according to this story by LEXIE CARTWRIGHT in the GOLD COAST BULLETIN.
IT’S perhaps the most exclusive marquee of the entire Spring Racing Carnival and now the Gold Coast is set to replicate the Melbourne Cup’s Birdcage.
Gold Coast Turf Club CEO Dale St George revealed a “Birdcage” may be a feature of next year’s Magic Millions.
Historically, getting an invitation to the Melbourne Cup’s Birdcage, which is full of the rich and famous, is a proposition in itself.
But with a record 24,000 revellers attending Saturday’s feature Magic Millions race day, organisers are looking to up the ante.
“I think there’s a lot of learning that has come out of this year’s race day,” Mr St George said.
“Crowds are only going to get bigger and there’s a lot we need to look at.
“We need to spread the venue and entertainment areas out, and we need to work out other options for transport.”
Mr St George confirmed he was in talks to introduce a “Birdcage” in the centre of the precinct, while adding air-conditioned rooms for members and general admission.
“We want to do something like they do in Melbourne and put a ‘Birdcage’ in the centre of the racetrack,” Mr St George said.
“I hope within the next month we’ve got all the additions organised and I would recommend buying tickets as early as then — as we will sell out.
“We want to open more gates and we’re in talks with the State Government to introduce more rooms.
“We’re the premier race day next to the Melbourne Cup and now we need to be better than them so we will be taking everything to pieces and having a look at it all to improve greatly.”
‘IS THE BRC & EAGLE FARM PLAYING SECOND FIDDLE TO MM & GOLD COAST’? 
TREVOR EARLE of BRISBANE writes:
‘BRISBANE Racing Club might be the biggest in Queensland and Eagle Farm might well be the best track (when it finally re-opens for business) but one gets the impression that all roads lead to the Gold Coast these days.
Big-noting politicians (plenty of them Labor Government heavies of the female variety) rubbed shoulders with the B Team from Racing Queensland at the Magic Millions and there was more manure pouring out of their mouths than you could have collected over a week across the road at the Sales Centre.
It was finger down the throat stuff as Parliamentarians from both sides of the floor joined old and new RQ hierarchy in claiming responsibility for the success of Australia’s richest race day. And all the while ‘Gerry and the Pacemakers’ couldn’t wipe the smiles off their dials or the dollar signs from their eyes.
Forget all this propaganda about racing and the economy being the big winners. There was only one winner last Saturday – Magic Millions (and its owners of course). And it was disgustingly funded by the taxpayers and racing industry of Queensland.
The same faces will be front and centre when Eagle Farm eventually returns to racing. Perhaps they should think twice about that old saying – ‘one swallow doesn’t make a summer’ – as that’s all Magic Millions is.
On the other hand the BRC and Eagle Farm – which some might say is getting a pretty shabby deal at the moment with a lack of certainty over when it will be back – is being relied on to haul racing in Queensland out of the financial quicksand.
It’s as though some magic wand (not magic millions) will provide rivers of gold for the racing industry in this State from the moment Eagle Farm returns to the Saturday circuit. All of a sudden turnover will skyrocket, race-goers will return to the track and to pinch a prediction from a Racing Minister of yester-year – racing in Queensland will be ‘a furlong in front’ of the southern states.
Sure – and pigs might fly!
ANOTHER ‘BAGGING’ FOR IAN HALL – THIS TIME FROM THE GREYHOUND INDUSTRY 
WE received this interesting email from a GREYHOUND LICENSEE angered by how he says ACTING RACING QUEENSLAND CEO IAN HALL has treated his industry:
‘I noticed Mr Ian Hall at the Ipswich greyhound meeting recently. Mistakenly and foolishly I thought he may have been there to speak to licensees about the future of the greyhound industry which is fairly and squarely in his hands.
Sadly, I and many others at that race meeting were disappointed to note that he was permanently attached to the Chief Steward of the day and then engaged with the Club’s Manager for the remainder of the time he was at the track.
One would have thought that given the disarray and turbulence many perceive that he has created since his unfortunate appointment to the CEO role, Mr Hall may have taken the time to stand up and face the music, so to speak. I guess when one can reportedly earn a five-figure sum for each week he imparts his business acumen and very limited racing knowledge, he never has to mix with the rank and file.
There are many issues greyhound participants would like to have a chat to Mr Hall about. Being a licensee, the future of the sport is uppermost in my thoughts as must be the case with Mr Hall. But as we are unable to communicate with him directly, next best is to air some problems created by Mr Hall on this forum.
Let me start with his decision to reduce the greyhound Starters’ Fee from $40 per starter to $15. This reduction is to fund the cost of racing integrity issues and in a 12-month period will raise just over $1 million. This is just the greyhound industry’s share of the overall three code industry costs for integrity.
What he intends to do with these funds is unknown as he has never given a cost breakdown of integrity issues. No doubt given his vast racing knowledge he will be right across this matter. I am not sure the new Racing Minister Ms Grace Grace agrees with him as some reports suggest she is going to discuss integrity issues with Mr Sal Perna, who is in charge of the Integrity division in Victoria. Strange, but in Victoria, the leading racing State in Australia by a furlong or more, integrity issues are separate from its racing. Perhaps Mr Hall might consider the same situation here in Queensland, especially after he appointed the greyhounds’ Chief Steward, who oversaw the live baiting scandal and apparently did little about it, to now be (acting) in charge of all racing integrity issues for all three codes. I wonder how much confidence the punters have in that move.
Back to the greyhound starters’ fee or lack thereof and when Mr Hall announced the reduction of the starters’ fee from $40 to $15, licensees to a man and woman strongly objected and asked Racing Queensland that this integrity funding be taken from the winner and place-getters prizemoney on a sliding scale. Reason being, and Mr Hall will be well aware of this, greyhound prize-money was increased from $10.8 million in 2013 to $16 million in 2014. This increase by the Board, dismissed by the newly-elected Labor Government early in 2015, made Queensland the second highest paying greyhound state in Australia. Even if he were to succumb to the licensees’ requests to take the $1 million annual requirement for greyhound integrity from prize-money it would still mean Queensland remained the second best greyhound state in Australia.
But he chose to completely ignore this request and dropped the Starters’ Fee to $15 per runner. No doubt he checked with both NSW and Victoria to see what they did with integrity funding. In Victoria all integrity issues are funded by the Government and from GRV reserves, the greyhound industry did not fund any integrity costs. Licensees are still paid $80 for first starters then $10 each dog after that. In NSW the starters’ fee was reduced from $40 to $35, a drop of a mere $5 not $25 as Hall has done.
Being an accountant, Mr Hall no doubt did a cost-benefits’ analysis when making this decision. I cannot think of any benefit his decision created. I can quite easily see what a disaster it has been.
As an indication, let me give Mr Hall some background on what this has done. Each month figures are provided by the person employed by RQ to brand pups so they may register as racing dogs. In November 2013 there were 128 pups ear branded, in November 2014 there were 111 pups ear branded and in 2015, thanks to Ian Hall and the lack of confidence caused by him, there was a grand total of 23 pups ear branded.
Similarly, a specialist greyhound vet who does the reproductive implants, reports that in October 2014 he implanted 19 bitches. In October 2015 he did four and in November 2014 he performed 17 implants and November 2015 he did two. Another long term breeder just retired two brood bitches both with Group winning performances because he will no longer breed because he has lost faith in the industry. This is also backed by stats from the greyhoundata.com website where there are 63 litters for sale, the lowest number for 10 years.
Basically, litter registrations in this State are down 46% year on year although it is now impossible to confirm any whelping or litter registrations from the new look RQ website which is void of any industry figures.
So Mr Hall can be assured that thanks to his decisions there is going to be an acute shortage of greyhounds in the next year and thereafter. No doubt those from Animals Australia and the RSPCA will be delighted to see these results. But it is not so pleasing for State Government coffers. Betting turnover on greyhound racing continues to climb and it is easily the best performing code of all three.
But the casualties of Mr Hall’s decision to wipe $1 million annually from what goes into the hands of licensees is going to have greater ramifications.
When you consider this scenario – if Mr Hall had left the Starters’ Fee at $40 and took the integrity funds from prize-money, which was requested by all and sundry – a licensee arrives at the track, kennels his dog/dogs, goes and collects the starters’ fee in cash from the race day office. then goes and buys a drink, has a meal, takes a ticket in the club’s raffle, has a few bets and most of his Starters’ Fee is spent at the club. It doesn’t take long to spend say $40 these days.
Let’s say half the people spent the $40 Starters’ Fee at the track, and this would be an absolute minimum, then an amount of $600,000 would be going directly to the annual income stream of the race clubs. On the same basis if half the people spent their current $15 Starters’ Fee the turnover by race clubs is about $200,000. I am not an accountant but do have a degree in Simple Logic which suggests to me that Mr Hall’s is basically depriving Queensland’s greyhound race clubs of $400,000 turnover on an annual basis.
But the sting is in the tail. As part of his ‘reforms’ offer an industry that has survived for hundreds of years being administered by people with vast racing and business knowledge, not merely a chartered accountant, he is going to introduce a user-pays system for capital works associated with race clubs. No longer will clubs be able to apply for a grant to carry out essential capital works from what was once the Racing Development Fund. Mr Hall is now asserting that clubs will have to fund any capital works from their own resources.
So he deprives them of about $400,000 of annual turnover then asks them to fund capital works from their own funds which have been completely depleted by his so-called reforms.
Here is an example of how his decision to reduce the Starters’ Fee is affecting one club. Just recently as a result of Mr Hall’s failure to listen to participants, this club was forced to close its restaurant, consider scrapping its 250 Club and reduce its weekly raffle. All these functions provide vital revenue for the club which could be used to fund its activities. Now Mr Hall wants clubs to fund their own capital works while he deprives them of crucial income. I guess only an accountant could come up with a scheme like this.
In the colorful history of Queensland racing there will be a lot of names bandied about and plenty remembered about the contributions that they made. Who can forget the Bob Gibbs era when we had Bob Bentley in command and people like John Needham running QRIS from a unit in Sanctuary Cove? Then we had the unforgettable Merri Rose, followed closely by ‘Furlong–in-Front’ Steve Dickson. This pair probably dead-heated for the worst Racing Ministers and when you add the ‘conductor’ of the latest fiasco. Kevin Dixon, the less said the better.
Then along comes Hall, got to be the topper of all toppers. What he has done in 10 months will go down in living memory. But if someone comes up to you and says here’s a million bucks, I understand you know nothing about a racing industry but hang around for a few months and see if you can stuff it up completely. Not sure if this is what the quickly sacked Racing Minister Bill Byrne may have told him but it would be a bit hard to knock an offer like that back, especially when you are an accountant of sorts.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: IF Ian Hall, or anyone else mentioned in this article above, would like right of reply, they are welcome.
FELTRE WIN WOULD HAVE BEEN BIGGEST BOILOVER SINCE POLLY PUT THE KETTLE ON 
PERCY the MAD PUNTER sent this email (it’s a while since we heard from him):
‘ISN’T it amazing – put on massive prizemoney and all of a sudden the favorites start to arrive one after the other at a Saturday race meeting in Queensland?
Then again was one of them – Tinto – lucky to secure the Magic Millions Trophy. It’s the hottest topic out of the meeting but should Feltre have caused the boilover of the day.
Stewards disagree maintaining that Ryan Wiggins was so close to the line when he stopped riding that it could not have affected the result. If I was an owner of Feltre I doubt I would agree.
Just as an aside a win by Feltre would have gone down as one of the biggest form reversals of the decade. His recent form was – arguably – woeful.
Tinto was unbeaten at three starts at the track and distance and had run second in the Villiers. Feltre had run 10th in the Bernborough and a struggling 5th in a Handicap at the Sunshine Coast. Go figure!'
MOVE BY VICTORIA TO SHORTEN RACE DAYS STEP IN RIGHT DIRECTION? 
ANGUS BRADY of MELBOURNE writes:
‘IN this day and age as racing fights a losing battle for its share of the entertainment and leisure market there is merit in the trial by Victoria of a condensed racing format. Perhaps some other states should follow this lead.
Times have changed – dads, perhaps even mums, can no longer afford to set aside much of their day at the races. There are too many other family commitments to compete with.
It would still be a nice afternoon out if the nine race cards on a Saturday were run at 30 minute intervals. The current mode is far too drawn out which is one of the reasons the traditional race crowds are dropping.
More racing followers and punters prefer to drop into the local pub or club. Some even watch their hopefuls race on live TV at home. Many no longer want to get dressed up and pay for the privilege of losing their money at the track.
The marketing of racing has to change. New means have to be found of getting people back to the track. If initiatives like this aren’t experimented with, that lost generation – in my opinion – will never return.’
EDITOR’S NOTE: HERE’S a story from FAIRFAX MEDIA that no doubt prompted the above contribution:
RACING Victoria will trial a condensed racing format across the state over one week in February in a bid to improve the race day experience for fans and participants.
The concept will emulate the popular format of the Friday night racing program, which already utilizes 30 minute intervals between races.
Launching on Saturday, 6 February, at Caulfield, the initiative will be run across nine country and metropolitan meetings, concluding on Friday, 12 February, at Moonee Valley.
RV’s Racing Operations Manager, Paul Bloodworth, said the shorter gaps between races would reduce the length of the day by an hour on metropolitan Saturdays and between 45 minutes and an hour at country meetings creating a better experience for participants, racegoers and punters.
“As highlighted in our strategic plan, it’s vital that we continue to look at ways to innovate our racing program to promote future growth, and this initiative affords us an opportunity to trial a unique concept,” Bloodworth said.
“As an industry we need to continue to engage our customers and entice more people to get involved.
“Innovating our race programming by undertaking a trial like this will help determine whether there is an appetite for more streamlined meetings in the future, while providing a better understanding of the impacts on operations, wagering and participants.”
“With greater flexibility afforded in the scheduling of races now that the industry’s free-to-air channel, Racing.com, is firmly established, and as other sports implement innovative customer engagement initiatives, the time is ripe to put 30 minute gaps to the test and trial them over a period of time where we can assess the impacts.”
PUNTERS NO LONGER INTERESTED IN CANTERBURY AS A SATURDAY VENUE? 
GLEN YOUNG of SYDNEY sent this email:
‘RACEGOERS voted with their feet in a big ‘thumbs down’ to Canterbury as a Saturday venue last weekend.
Less than 4,000 were in attendance (disgusting for a city the size of Sydney) and only 70 runners competed on the nine race card (even more disgraceful).
The ‘always positive’ mainstream racing media blamed the wet weather during the week fro the poor crowd and extremely large number of scratchings (more than 30).
Let's face it, the Gosford Cup meeting should have been run on Saturday as the primary NSW fixture and Canterbury could have hosted a night meeting. What is the problem with those running racing in Sydney when it comes to night fixtures?
They just don’t seem interested.’
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in the above e-mails should not be interpreted as those of JOHN LINGARD, the owner-editor 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.