‘WAKE UP OR SCRATCH ME’
THE Gold Coast’s leading horse trainer says he will seriously consider packing up his stable and move south if the Queensland Government does not bolster prizemoney.
Speaking for the first time about the tax scandal, Toby Edmonds says he wants to continue supporting Queensland racing, but the Government needs to “wake up” – and quickly.
“I want to race in Queensland but it’s becoming very difficult to keep supporting it,” said Edmonds, who trained 107 winners last season.
Owners, trainers and jockeys said they would boycott Queensland TAB meetings on Cox Plate day and Melbourne Cup day because of the bitter feud over a new tax on bookies.
THE Gold Coast’s leading horse trainer says he will seriously consider packing up his stable and move south if the Queensland Government does not bolster prizemoney.
Speaking for the first time about the tax scandal, Toby Edmonds says he wants to continue supporting Queensland racing, but the Government needs to “wake up” – and quickly.
“I think about moving all the time but we are here for a reason,” said Edmonds, who trained 107 winners last season. “We have our own property and family here.
“I want to race in Queensland but it’s becoming very difficult to keep supporting it.
“It’s not hard to do. We have six horses in Victoria at the moment who have all won stakes races. To be quite truthful they are very professionally run and more welcoming.
“If the Government doesn’t wake up and tip some money back in ... we would seriously think about moving.
“This (point of consumption) tax is one chance to get good prizemoney. They need to come to the party quickly.”
The stoush between industry figures and the State Government reached new heights last week when owners, trainers and jockeys said they would boycott Queensland TAB meetings on Cox Plate day on Saturday and Melbourne Cup day on November 6.
The strike means there will be no live racing on the Gold Coast on those days. However, the gates will still be open so punters can party on two of the biggest days on the national racing calendar.
Key thoroughbred figures are annoyed that the State Government plans to spend the proceeds of a new 15 per cent tax on all bookmakers betting on Queensland races.
NSW has introduced a 10 per cent tax while increasing prizemoney by $24 million while Victoria has 8 per cent tax and has increased prizemoney by $12.4 million for participants.
It has been estimated that the Queensland tax will take $70 million in its the first year and $100 million the next.
The government has proposed to split the $70 million three ways:
One-off $20-million grant to harness and greyhound racing;
The $17.5-million “write-off’ of an existing $35-million loan Racing Queensland owes the government;
$35 million to cover the tax of Ubet which has an agreement for Racing Queensland to cover additional taxes it owes.
THE STATE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO COME TO THE PARTY QUICKLY TOBY EDMONDS
Racing Queensland wants some of the money to be used to increase prizemoney.
Until a solution is found, Edmonds said he would continue to send horses south.
The number of Gold Coasttrained horses racing in NSW has increased from 7 to 25 per cent this season.
“We would rather go to NSW chasing better prizemoney for our clients than run at the Gold Coast on a Saturday,” Edmonds said.
“The government is ignorant to the fact that they have put on a tax derived from the racing industry and they don’t have the foresight to put anything back in. “