Trainers snub nominations, threats of more strikes
THE Queensland Thoroughbred Alliance have threatened further strikes across the state after a stunning show of unity yesterday in which nearly every Saturday race field was left without nominations.
Race major meetings in Queensland were all but left bare for this weekend in a powerful response to the ongoing stoush over the Point of Consumption (POC) tax, one which prompted an alliance of trainers, jockeys, owners and breeders to already boycott Saturday’s Cox Plate day and Melbourne Cup day a week later.
Gold Coast’s nine races on Saturday failed to draw a nomination as the pressure mounts on the Queensland Government to divert proceeds from the tax into prizemoney for thoroughbred racing.
No income from the tax currently goes into prizemoney.
“There could be further strikes after (the first two),” racing industry alliance spokesman Cameron Partington said. “Once we start striking we can’t stop.
“We can’t strike every weekend because we need to make a living but we will target iconic days until we make our point and the government starts to listen.”
Interestingly, one trainer, Townsville’s Cherrie Lindgren, bucked the trend and nominated two horses, Wakool and Beautiful Love, for two $12,000 races at the North Queensland track.
Partington, though, hailed the bulk of those who got onboard.
“We had one trainer out of 960 (across Queensland),” he said.
“(Lindgren) believes we need to get out there and race because we are getting a good enough deal. But I’m overwhelmingly proud (of the boycott) – we were relying on everybody getting behind what we are doing and making a stand.”
Gold Coast premiership-winning trainer Les Kelly backed further strikes should they be needed.
“Everybody is supporting it (these strikes),” he said. “I’m not involved in organising things but I’d expect there to be more strikes.”
Racing Queensland CEO Brendan Parnell extended race nominations until 9am today.
“Racing Queensland continues to engage actively with Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe and the government to seek enduring funding to support the industry’s viability,” he said.
Kelly, 60, moved from the Northern Rivers to the Gold Coast more than 20 years ago but says he risks losing owners if prizemoney is not increased in the state.
“Queensland is falling further and further behind everybody else,” he said. “As a trainer it’s hard to hold owners when you can go elsewhere and make better money than you can here on the Coast.
“It’s just sad to see Queensland racing going backwards. I only hope that eventually we get some common sense.”
RACING NEWS: Pages 38, 43