Saturday racing scratched
QUEENSLAND racing participants have confirmed historic strike action for this weekend as under siege Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe revealed work is continuing on finding a prizemoney solution for the embattled industry.
Racing Queensland confirmed yesterday morning that all races for meetings scheduled at Doomben, Gold Coast, Toowoomba and Townsville this Saturday had been deleted after the racing industry stuck solid with its intent to strike, leaving those meetings with a total of only three nominations.
The industry wants to send a message to the Government.
Townsville Turf Club CEO Mindy Powell- Hodges wants racing fans to flock to the track and support the local industry.
“We’d run it like we normally do, just with no live racing on the day,” she said.
TOWNSVILLE Turf Club CEO Mindy Powell- Hodges has implored racing fans to flock to the track on Saturday and support the local industry after strike action across the state was officially confirmed yesterday.
All Queensland TAB meetings scheduled for Saturday have been abandoned after the government and industry alliance, led by jockeys, trainers and breeders, failed to meet a resolution to their Point of Consumption ( POC) distribution dispute by the Tuesday night deadline.
Queensland race tracks remain in grave danger of also being empty on Melbourne Cup Day if the situation is not resolved, although Townsville will continue to stage its nonTAB meeting.
Saturday’s Cox Plate Day meetings were scrapped after one nomination was received for Doomben and two for Townsville, both from Kelso trainer Cherrie Lindgren.
“We’d run it like we normally do, just with no live racing on the day,” Powell- Hodges said.
“We still have got bands and everything we’ve organised for the day. We’re going to reach out to the horsemen and the jockeys and make it an industry event, and have them come out and enjoy the day.
“There was conversations about this strike a couple of weeks ago and we called people who have booked to say you’ll see this in the media, but be assured you’ll still have a great day even if there’s no live racing.”
Powell- Hodges, herself a third generation trainer who hails from the United States, backed the local racing community’s extreme stance as they seek a fairer deal from the State Government.
They are seething at the fact other states, headlined by Victoria and New South Wales, are thriving and racing for far greater prizemoney after money from the POC tax was put back into the industry.
Townsville’s Cox Plate Day meeting would have been headlined by two $ 30,000 Pallarenda Stakes two- year- old races.
“I’d love to see the prizemoney go up, it would grow our industry. We would have more owners involved and trainers could train more horses,” Powell- Hodges said.
“Surely you can see that any type of money funded back into the industry is going to give it a lift.
“I think it’s tragic for the state. The model has been cast in Victoria and NSW. It’s not as though they’re walking into unknown territory with that funding.
“We’re not just talking about trainers and jockeys ( who are affected). We’re talking about dressmakers, people who make hats, feed providers, it goes far and wide.
“I think they’ve done a brilliant job in making their stance. I’m sure the Government will sit down with a good dose of common sense and work through this.”