Concerns raised over state of Eagle Farm

Eagle Farm track anger has reached boiling point with an industry crisis meeting called and some trainers even demanding the unthinkable of tearing up the controversial racing surface for the third time.

An email from the Australian Trainers’ Association Queensland division to Racing Queensland bosses, including chief executive Brendan Parnell, outlines how the premier track which was first closed for renovations in 2014 has again reached the flashpoint of “immediate concern.”

Trainers believe a series of renovations and refurbishments have been botched, despite about $1 million being spent on the maintenance of the troubled track in the last 12 months.

The ATA’s Queensland representative Cameron Partington penned the email, seen by News Corp, after he surveyed trainers about the current state of the muchmaligned track. “There are many comments that are welfare-based, from the hardness of the track and the kickback causing injury,” the email said. “There are many comments that are performance based, with horses just not handling the hardness below and the shifty surface on top.

“Very soon even more trainers will just stop running their horses there, out of pure concern for their welfare or for their ability to perform there.”

Responses of trainers were included in the email, on an anonymous basis.

Many of them followed a similar theme and included:

RQ have quickly agreed to a crisis meeting.