THE decision by Tim Mander to step down from his Ministerial portfolio might be a blessing for the racing industry.
The immediate reaction to the news was perhaps the opposite, with many lamenting the fact that progress and momentum would be lost while Andrew Powell is in charge on an interim basis.
But my response to that is: What progress and momentum?
Under Mander’s leadership, racing in Queensland hasn’t really gone anywhere. It spent a year on a Review, didn’t like the results, has implemented very little change since the Review was delivered, and was so bereft of ideas that Mander made the bloke in charge of the Review the Chair of Racing Queensland. He also put one of his mates on the Board.
I think the investigation into Mander is a blessing for the racing industry if it can lobby for the right guy to be put in charge. David Crisafulli should do two things.
Firstly, separate the Ministerial portfolio to have a solo Racing Minister and a solo Minister for Sport and the Olympics.
Secondly, make Sean Dillon (pictured above) the next Racing Minister.
Many reading this will have no idea who Sean Dillon is and what makes him qualified to be the next man in charge of racing in this State. Well, I can tell you from an unbiased perspective (I have no political alignment and I’ve only spoken to Dillon once) that the Member for Gregory in Central West Queensland is a future high-flyer in Parliament. Not only that, but he’s got a close connection to the racing industry. As Mayor of the Barcaldine Regional Council, he was a massive supporter of bush racing, both as an owner and as an administrator. You could argue that the Alpha Jockey Club would be dead and buried if not for Sean Dillon. It was killed off by Racing Queensland and went 11 years without a meeting, but Dillon and a host of other locals not only successfully fought to revive the club, but now have to cap attendance at 3,500 – such is the popularity of the meeting. When you consider Alpha’s population is about 500, it’s an incredible achievement.
Perhaps the biggest argument in favour of Dillon being named Racing Minister is the fact that he’s ambitious. I’ve been saying for far too long that racing in Queensland lacks ambition. There’s a reason Peter V’landys has become a success story in NSW (even with some major flaws) and that’s because he has great ambition for racing. With respect to Mander, who was given a huge portfolio with the Olympics and Paralympics on the horizon, racing really wasn’t a high priority for the former NRL referee.
I don’t know Sean Dillon, but those I speak to rate him as a future leader who is immensely respected throughout his electorate. Mr Premier, I urge you to shake things up and take the opportunity that has been presented to you.
### TRIBUTES FLOW FOR THE LATE SHANE McGOVERN
THE racing industry was in mourning on Saturday as news quickly spread of Shane McGovern’s passing in the early hours of the morning. Jockeys (picture shows those at Cunnamulla) wore black armbands at venues across the land and held a minute’s silence before the first race in tribute to the former Kiwi who made Australia his home. His death is a tragic reminder of the dangers of the sport we love. Our thoughts are with his wife, Kim, and their children.
### WEEKEND LIKES
* **FOUR winners for AMIE MEISSNER (pictured):** It was a girls’ day out at Gladstone as female jockeys won all five races on the card. Apprentice Meissner picked up four while Minonette Kennedy won the other.
* **SHIFTING TO SUNDAY:** and Cunnamulla was forced to push back its meeting to Sunday as a result of some unseasonal rain during the week, giving the track a chance to dry out. It was great to see the industry nimble enough to move, and the club was rewarded with good fields and good jockey numbers. More Non-TAB racing on Sundays should be encouraged, particularly in regions where getting jockeys can be difficult.
* **REVOLT BOOKS TICKET TO BRISBANE:** There was a ding-dong battle in the Mount Isa Battle of the Bush heat and the Jay Morris-trained Revolt had to pull out all stops to beat Casino Lord over 1200m. Revolt hasn’t lost a race in the care of Morris and would be considered a good chance in the Eagle Farm final, although there is talk from the camp that the owners are getting cold feet. It would be disappointing not to see Revolt in the Battle of the Bush considering he is clearly the best sprinter in the North West.
### WEEKEND DISLIKES
* **CASINO LORD PASSES AWAY:** Why does it always happen to the good ones? Thoughts are with Mount Isa trainer Emma Morton after her talented sprinter died shortly after the race on Saturday from an apparent heart attack. Beaten a small margin in the Battle of the Bush qualifier, Casino Lord finished third in last year’s Cleveland Bay Handicap in Townsville and his presence will be missed in the region.
* **REGIONAL CAST COVERAGE:** The company contracted by Racing Queensland to deliver live streaming of racing continually disappoints. Every Saturday it appears a ‘technical issue’ prevents them from streaming races from at least one venue. I’m not sure who is in charge of making sure Regional Cast fulfils its obligations, but I’m guessing that person has zero interest in racing.
* **SLACK STEWARDS REPORTS:** There were eight thoroughbred meetings in Queensland on Saturday, yet there were only three Stewards Reports available for reading on Sunday morning. As I enjoy my morning coffee I like to peruse the findings and all I could get were the reports from Doomben, Mackay and Mount Isa. Is it too much to ask QRIC to publish them within 12 hours of the last race?
* **SPARKS SUSPENDED:** Just what the North West needs – a jockey to get suspended over something trivial. Stewards rubbed out David Sparks for 11 days as a result of whip use at the Hughenden meeting a week earlier. I went back and watched the replay, and OK, he was a little overzealous, but the horse got beaten a lip in a photo finish and it was the feature race on the day. It looks worse because the winning jockey Peta Edwards barely used the whip on Mission House. With a jockey shortage in the bush, what is gained by suspending Sparks for effectively one meeting? A $1,500 fine, with $1,000 of it suspended, would have been a more appropriate punishment.
