THERE is welcome and long awaited action at Racing Queensland headquarters as the new board and CEO settle in to tackle the enormous task of getting the industry back on track.
Last week the head of operations Declan Martinski cleared his desk but his sudden departure was no surprise to many.
But he might not be the only scalp as the new brand RQ gets serious about regaining respect and sustainability after years in the doldrums.
In an era that has seen other states boast record profits and big boosts in prize money, Queensland has literally foundered in their wake.
The latest mail from the bunker is that UBet will come under strict scrutiny. The feeling, quite rightly, is that UBet has underachieved.
It is interesting to note that UBet’s Brad Tamer is one of many (too many in fact) appointed to the two new advisory boards recently announced and of which you might soon hear a lot more.
I am sure the present make-up of these boards will be tweaked for it is unwieldy – in its current form – and at least one chosen to represent a country area will certainly not last. More later.
UBet is the engine room of racing. But its secret deal with then RQ chairman Kevin Dixon two years ago that was designed to guarantee the financial future of racing for decades has been a financial flop. Racing was at that time – and still is – in a tail spin.
UBet has not kept pace. It seemingly doesn’t even try to match its opposition. Fixed price betting is what the punters want. Nowadays it reportedly exceeds the pari mutual (tote) turnover. So why does UBet continue to display its prices two days AFTER the opposition? It happens every meeting every week and in Queensland too.
Is that competing?
Worse, it is common knowledge now that bookies employed at UBet actually “lost” on the Melbourne Cup last year as well as the Stradbroke – the biggest betting events of the year.
And the UBet response was (wait for it) every corporate bookie lost on the cup.
As one racing administrator said, If UBet was a racehorse there would have to be a steward’s enquiry into its performance.
Another disturbing fact is that 70 per cent of UBet turnover is on southern races, and a mere 20pcon Queensland gallops. And you might ask why.
Have punters lost faith or confidence in the control of Queensland race meetings?
And, did you know if U Bet loses on its fixed price operation the return to RQ is nil. There is no return based on turnover, according to a highly placed source.
Unbelievable.
So it seems it is shape up or ship out time at Deagon and the skids are under the non achievers.
It is clear the new CEO Eliot Forbes and new board member Mark Sowerby are not to be messed with. They are both heavily endowed with a business acumen, have a common goal and are hungry for results.
Maybe there is hope after all.
LAST Tuesday the northern chief stipe Sam Woolaston left Townsville to join Terry Bailey and his team at RVL. He dearly loved Townsville and enjoyed the vast area that he covered – from Mackay to Mareeba and west to Camooweal.
In three years he made an indelible impression on all racing folk in all those far flung places.
When asked by he was leaving Queensland he simply said: “I see no future ahead and it was sometimes was immensely frustrating dealing with matters.”
So he resigned.
He reminded me too of the introduction this newspaper afforded him when he first arrived from NSW.
I must confess at the time I was a stickler for Patrick Cooper to get the job after the shabby treatment he had received from previous RQ regimes. And further, I had been told – on good authority – he had landed the job.
When Sam’s surprise appointment was announced I wrote that Patrick had missed out and that the job had gone to a Neville Nobody from Newcastle...
Sam reminded me when we bade our farewells on Friday.
Oops!
I am happy to say he soon became Sam Somebody, gaining respect all over the north... as no doubt he will in south.
Good luck to a good man.
