CALL FOR STRIKE SUPPORT
TOWNSVILLE trainer Alby Molino insists the local racing industry is prepared to bear some initial pain to achieve long term gain, adamant they “must stick together” in their standoff with the State Government.
An alliance of jockeys, trainers and breeders is protesting against the State Government’s treatment of the industry by boycotting Queensland TAB meetings this Saturday and on Melbourne Cup day. The Government’s refusal to follow other states’ lead and allocate any prizemoney increases from the Point of Consumption ( POC) tax distribution prompted the alliance to make a bold statement.
Just two horses, both owned by Kelso trainer Cherrie Lindgren, have been nominated for Saturday’s Townsville meeting, with nominations to close at 9am today.
It is almost certain no resolution will be reached to enable Saturday racing to proceed, but the regular non- TAB meeting will still take place at Cluden Park on Melbourne Cup day on Tuesday.
Molino said the alliance made the decision to strike for the long- term future of the sport.
“We’ve got to stick together, otherwise they’ll walk all over the top of us,” he said. “We might lose out now, but we’re going to gain in the long term. I think they will make it ( strike) longer ( if a solution isn’t reached). Brisbane’s a big racing place and I feel they will take it further if nothing's resolved. If they put money back into the sport, it will pick up the industry like anything.”
The prize purses on offer in North Queensland racing are dwarfed by those on offer in New South Wales and Victoria, which have boosted prizemoney through the POC.
“I’ve got six horses and you have to have a fair few more to make a profit,” Molino said. “If they ( trainers) are making enough money to pay for their bills, they’re happy. If it’s going to cost you money all the time, they’re just going to give it up.” In a letter to the Townsville Bulletin, published on page 20 of today's edition, Townsville Turf Club president Malcolm Petrofski says the infrastructure needs to be improved for the industry to thrive in the city.
“Regardless of what the future is with government funding, the Townsville Turf Club desperately needs a fairer share of the available funding,” Petrofski writes. “We suffer like most other northern organisations with the majority of funding being trapped in the southeast corner.
“We need a better distribution of the available funding for our local organisation. Four key items are critical to our survival — night racing, oncourse stabling, improved entertainment facilities and a long- awaited upgrade to the female jockey rooms.
“It is interesting to note that every other racetrack in North Queensland and southeast Queensland already have on- course stabling, and in the southeast corner we have two tracks with lighting to allow for night racing.
“Surely we don’t need another one in southeast Queensland.”
Saturday’s scheduled Townsville meeting, highlighted by two $ 30,000 Pallarenda Stakes two- year- old races, will be postponed to a date in the near future.
WE’VE GOT TO STICK TOGETHER, OTHERWISE THEY’LL WALK ALL OVER THE TOP OF US, ALBY MOLINO