OLD Muttaburra Dickson, one of the legends of racing in north Queensland charged up to your scribe at the Clued jump-outs last week and declared: “They (RQ) have put the scratching fee up . It’s gone from 44 bucks to $71. How come? Get up ’em. It’s bloody robbery.”
And he had a chorus of support from a group of trainers who heard the exchange.
So I finally inform Mutta, a trainer for many years and known all over the dry and dusty west for wit and bountiful charm, that it all happened three months ago, albeit without a whimper from his colleagues – the trainers.
Seems like Mutta hadn’t heard until they got an invoice.
However it is an increase that might just backfire. After the nomination fee was raised to $44 in 2013 there have been, comparatively, very few scratchings.
You can bet now trainers will only nominate when they are near certain to start, so that could impact on nomination fees revenue. It certainly won’t be a gain.
The RQ also states (quite wrongly) that the increase will “be commensurate with, and in most cases be less than those charged in other jurisdictions”.
Well, for the record there is no charge whatsoever in Victoria TAB provincial, and in country NSW the fee is $20.
Still on parity, horses scratched with a vet certificate do not incur a penalty in other states. In Queensland owners are required to pay the $170 jockey’s fee if their horse is, for instance, injured on its way to the races. Or kicked at the barrier by another runner, and scratched by the vet. That, you would agree, is preposterous.
And there’s more. Horses that finish in the first four at Queensland TAB fixtures (usual winning prizemoney of $8000) now have a starter’s fee of $190 deducted from their cheque. In metropolitan Brisbane, the engine room of racing where the winning prize is $40,000, a mere $247 is deducted.
Howzat for parity?
Yes, who is the trainer who had the temerity to state at a meeting of the ATA that “Brisbane is the engine room of racing in the state”. The engine room, mind you, is in pretty poor shape. It has lost considerable horsepower and clout and makes more noise these days than progress. And running on empty.
We also hear that some city trainers are re-negotiating the old issue of the workers compensation starter’s subsidy. In the Dixon era RQ was all set to slap a $25 subsidy on city runners with owners to foot the bill. Not everyone agreed and it led to the breakaway trainers’ association (QTA) being formed.
Well it has reared its head again – unofficially that is. Brisbane trainers want owners all over the state to be levied a subsidy to start their horses on all tracks, with the proceeds to pay for trainers’ workers comp.
Country trainers, many if not most of whom are float driver, farrier, vet, stablehand and track work rider rolled into one, are naturally opposed. Just when we thought the issue was put to bed… the government changed.
Watch this space.
The contentious issue of Queensland apprentice jockeys is one matter that hasn’t been put to bed and is causing nightmares down at the Deagon bunker.
The latest development is a direct request to the Integrity Commissioner from QTA president Ross Shannon to investigate RQ, which it accuses of operating outside the Rules of Racing.
The letter states that “RQ has been operating with a five tier category of apprentice riding permits over a period of at least two years – full metropolitan, restricted metropolitan, full provincial, restricted provincial, country.
“RQ has made references to Australian Racing Rule 92 to support their case for this type of categorisation.”
However the Mr Shannon believes RQ has erred in the interpretation and application of AR92 and is operating in breach of the gazetted rules.
“AR92 seems to be quite clear in the way it defines three categories of licence for apprentice claim allowances. The only categories referred to are metropolitan, provincial and country.”
RQ actions have discriminated against some apprentices and restricted their opportunities to ply their trade in accordance with the gazetted rules of racing.
“At worst, a case could be made that some apprentices may have been disadvantaged based on the postcode where they have been indentured,” Mr Shannon said.
Currently 90 per cent of apprentices are based in the south-east corner. Is that by design? Or is that the way the regime at RQ prefer it. Close and comfy to the engine room!
The Rockhampton Jockey Club for instance offered to take on the responsibility of indenturing an apprentice to be shared among trainers at Callaghan Park.
Apparently the gesture is in the too hard basket down at Deagon.
There seems to be a lot of angst among the ranks at present, and for too long the apprentice training has been in chaos. But just maybe things are going to change.
Maybe it’s time someone had a serious study of the acclaimed Apprentice Academy at Durban, the nursery and training ground of Lloyd, Fradd, Schofield White Coetzee and so many more.
Or is it too late?
