{"id":132539,"date":"2016-01-23T12:51:58","date_gmt":"2016-01-23T02:51:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=132539"},"modified":"2020-10-29T12:03:42","modified_gmt":"2020-10-29T02:03:42","slug":"partial-reprieve-for-rural-racing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2016\/01\/23\/partial-reprieve-for-rural-racing\/","title":{"rendered":"Partial Reprieve For Rural Racing"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
A tight tussle at Eagle Farm foreshadows the struggle for rural racing funding (Photo: Ross Stanley)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Gunsynd's<\/a>January 23, 2016<\/strong><\/p>\n

Racing Minister Grace Grace has confirmed that State Government funding will override the cuts detailed in Racing Queensland\u2019s Tracking Towards Sustainability document published last December.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Their (country clubs\u2019) prizemoney and number of meets and races are not going to be affected and we are funding those now fully,” Grace told the media.<\/p>\n

“The sustainability report is out of date (in regards to country racing) because the Government stepped in and said \u2018we will support country racing\u2019 and we are putting $21 million towards it so that none of those measures have to take place.”<\/p>\n

The package includes $13 million directed towards covering cuts to country prizemoney planned by Racing Queensland.<\/p>\n

The $13 million will be delivered across four years from July 1 this year, with $4 million each year for the first two years and then $3 million in year three and $2 million in year four.<\/p>\n

Racing Queensland confirmed there will be a freeze on any changes to country racing prizemoney or meetings for the next two years from July 1.<\/p>\n

They will then work through possible changes to race programs with country clubs in years three and four as State Government funding for country racing decreases under the package.<\/p>\n

The other $8 million in the State Government’s $21 million package will apparently be directed towards capacity-building funding in a bid to reduce country clubs\u2019 reliance on subsidies.<\/p>\n

In essence, rural racing should expect two years of business as usual.<\/p>\n

However the tapering of the government income stream in the following two years will have serious consequences.<\/p>\n

Who will invest in a racing sphere that is subject to a halving of purses in a two year time span?<\/p>\n

The industry needs to ensure that racing per se becomes an issue in the next State election.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the South East Queensland Racing Association will be conducting its annual meeting at Doomben on Saturday, September 30.<\/p>\n

Clubs involved extend from Monto to Beaudesert.<\/p>\n

No doubt the problems looming ahead will get robust air time.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A Long Journey Turned Out Well<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As Hannah English took Moonlight Nova ($10) into gate 14 for the ninth and final event at Ballina\u2019s TAB program last Sunday, she faced the prospect of heading home to Nanango empty-handed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Her lead up mounts Casla ($51), Enter Sandman ($21) and Overrule ($31) had all missed a place.<\/p>\n

However the Beaudesert trained Bel Danoro mare prevailed comfortably and Hannah registered her initial interstate success at her first attempt.<\/p>\n

She picked up minor place money with Kenkerjoca ($17) at Toowoomba on Friday, and sports silk at Goondiwindi on Saturday, Beaudesert on Sunday and Kilcoy on Australia Day.<\/p>\n

Also at the Toowoomba meeting, Hannah Phillips combined with Lord Wivenhoe ($9) to collect runner-up cheque with the four-year-old Mosayter gelding that is raced by Marshall Thoroughbreds.<\/p>\n

Trainer James Curtain made some gear changes for the maiden galloper, whose only other appearance was also at Clifford Park.<\/p>\n

On that occasion way back in July 2014, the grandson of Dehere ran a distant third in soft going.<\/p>\n

The first up result this time over 1050 metres in is an encouraging effort.<\/p>\n

The bay\u2019s stablemate The Equine Bolt (Hannah Phillips, $10) was not disgraced in finishing fifth, a half length astern of the third placing, in the 1200 metre Maiden for Three-Year-Olds.<\/p>\n

Phillips holds engagements at the forthcoming Goondiwindi and Kilcoy race days.<\/p>\n

Given that last weekend\u2019s Dalby fixture was washed out, it was no surprise to see Toowoomba assemble a mammoth 10 race card on Friday.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Reminder:<\/strong> “Pandemonium” Pink is naturally the fashion theme for Nanango\u2019s pre-Valentine meeting on Saturday, February 13.<\/p>\n