November 18, 2017
The country racing fraternity should be pleased that the two major parties have made key commitments to the sector in the lead up to next Saturday’s state election.
In essence, the plans offered by both teams seem to guarantee funding for prizemoney, infrastructure and some other elements for four years.
The savings to Racing Queensland that this strategy carries can be diverted to its TAB cards.
Implementation of the initiatives would give the bush racing participants much needed security.
Racing Queensland’s Tracking Towards Sustainability Report dated November 15, 2015 made for grim reading.
Proposals, to be introduced from July 2016, included the reduction of prizemoney from $7,000 to $5,500 and the downsizing of non-TAB clubs that raced between four and seven times annually to just three meetings per year.
Fortunately, the government stepped in and provided funding so that neither idea prevailed.
Several sections of the industry regularly argue that there is no return from country racing to the income side of the ledger.
Of course that is true if the only criterion considered is a contribution to TAB profits.
It would be interesting to contemplate the size of TAB meetings if, for a week, all jockeys, trainers and owners that have competed at a non-TAB program at any part of their career had to play no role. For starters, premiership winning conditioner Tony Gollan could go fishing.
Country courses do have basic roles in the sport’s structure.
Examples include acting as nurseries for industry beginners, wage providers, second chance makers that extend horses’ lives and as useful stimulants to breeding and equine commerce.
Because Queensland is a very decentralised state and a minimum number of meetings are needed to ensure the viability of the various district circuits, the state is always likely to have more of these meetings than other jurisdictions.
By the way, many gallopers interchange between country and provincial standard as circumstances arise.
Benefits beyond the industry category include the opportunities created for social recreation in places off the beaten track, and the underrated aspect of sustaining aspects of Australia’s unique cultural heritage.
* * *
Melbourne, Is There A Problem?
There is a trend with Flemington’s four day Spring Carnival attendance figures that may require exploration by the relevant administrations.
Firstly, per “flemington.com.au”, the 2017 combined total for the Saturday-Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday schedule was 310,608.
Twelve months earlier it was 318,854 and back in 2006, it was a staggering 418,069.
True, 2006 was the year that saw Makybe Diva land her Melbourne Cup hat-trick in front of 106,691, but the next year’s tally was still a respectable 397,413.
For the first 13 carnivals this century, only the 2001 festival attracted fewer than 350,000 patrons.
The key point is that this year’s Cup day drew just 90,536, almost 7000 down on 2016, while the numbers each year from 2004 to 2015 inclusive were all in excess of 100,000.
The data clearly shows there has been a drop in customer support through the last five editions, while at the same time there has been a growing overseas presence with raiders coming in on what could be termed a short term working visa.
There have also been a swag of dual citizens, with horses born in the northern hemisphere now calling Australia home – a situation probably a hand canter outside the High Court’s case load.
To add to the concern, Adam Rytenskild, a spokesman for TABCORP, says Cup turnover was down 5.7 per cent but the other nine events were up 4.1 per cent.
Maybe an increasing cohort is finding that the intensive internationalisation of the “people’s race” is tasting like flat champagne.
* * *
Bits And Bridles
- Nanango’s Christmas meeting is now just a fortnight away. The program, on Sunday December 3, has a special spot on the Lee Park calendar. Easter is a great chance to catch up with visitors, Cup day is important from a racing standpoint while this upcoming date is a great chance to have a form of festive season gathering. Groups based on families, friends, work colleagues or interests and pastimes can use the opportunity that is inexpensive and fun.
- Congratulations to Wondai’s Julie Brown and her husband Tony. Their mare Mrs Windsor, dam of the Queensland Oaks heroine Egg Tart, has been awarded the prestigious title of Queensland Broodmare of the Year.
- The Queensland winter carnival gained more status with the result of the Darley Classic at Flemington last weekend. Three of the first five home in the $1 million Group One feature had prospered during the Doomben festival. Redzel (10,000 winner), Impending (Stradbroke winner) and Clearly Innocent (Kingsford Cup winner) franked the form while the well fancied In Her Time, the Stradbroke runner-up, missed her chance in the race because she was injured.
- Racing fans everywhere will be distressed to hear that a barrier attendant was critically injured at Thursday’s fixture at Northam in Western Australia. Apparently the 57 year-old was struck by lightning. Witnesses told the media the flash and thunder came without warning. The worker remains in hospital. The freakish accident serves as a stark reminder of the potential danger that storm conditions can present at racetracks.
