Racing’s fighting force
Guy impressed as industry finally has united voice
VETERAN horse trainer Bryan Guy says racing has finally developed a backbone as he fights through the hardest period of his career.
The 63-year-old Gold Coast trainer has been involved in racing for 50 years, starting at 13 when he rode trackwork at Rosehill in Sydney.
Guy has watched as previous strikes fell to pieces but praised the united stance taken by everyone across the industry against the Queensland Government which won’t invest a cent of an estimated $70 million gained from the new Point of Consumption tax into thoroughbred prizemoney.
The respected horseman backed strike action – to be taken on Cox Plate day on Saturday and Melbourne Cup day on November 6 – by the Queensland racing industry.
“The whole racing community have finally stuck together,” Guy said.
“We have never had a backbone before and this needed to be done.
“(The strikes) needed to be done and it gives us an opportunity to work together as a team to show the (State) Government we are fair dinkum.”
The multiple Group 1 winner, who trains alongside son Daniel, said he had never faced a tougher period as the Queensland racing climate continued to lag behind rival states NSW and Victoria in prizemoney.
Guy said attracting new owners was the toughest challenge and the biggest reason why the Queensland Government needed to use some of the money garnered from the tax to increase prizemoney.
“I have a good crew here at the stable and while we have 30 horses, I’d like to have 40,” Guy said.
“It would be a nice number for me now and I could handle it. But it’s harder because my older clients have passed on or given it away.
“You try to get new people into the game but who wants to race horses here (in Queensland) when you can do it for twice the money in Sydney? It’s absolutely ludicrous.”
Guy was working in Sydney when the trainers announced they would strike in retaliation to the introduction of Sunday racing.
“We all had a big meeting and everyone agreed and when it came time for acceptances it didn’t happen,” Guy said. “It was a different era and Sunday was a day for your family.”