"THE WEEK THAT WAS".18/12/2010..
"TROT TACTICS"..18/12/2010..
In yet another of those "guess what happened last night" scenarios,an important milestone in the journey of Australian trotting was passed with the running of the last meeting at Harold Park.Trotting commenced at the Glebe circuit in 1890 and the venue was originally known as Forest Lodge later as Lillee Bridge,then Epping, and finally as Harold Park.The NSW Trotting Club commenced racing there in 1902 and have been proprietors of the site ever since.This writer first saw the place "where the Stars race under the stars" as a 12 year old in the mid 50's,and became a life committed addict to the light harness sport in 1961.Fortunate was I to have seen Cardigan Bay,Gramel,Tactile,Robin Dundee,Voice Derby,Hondo Grattan and Paleface Adios,all in the flesh.Fortunate to have stood,packed like sardines in pouring rain with 36,600 others to watch Chamfer Star take out the 1966 Inter-Dominion Grand Final.Time and progress have pushed Harold Park to the side of trotting's stage,but the megabucks which the sale of the site will bring to the NSW Trotting Club's Menangle venue puts a financial floor under the sport and gives great hope for the future.
In the light of the benefits which are to accrue from the sale of Harold Park it was a shame indeed that the directors of Harness Racing Queensland and Greyhounds Queensland saw fit to make a gift of Albion Park to Bob Bentley.A Questionnaire conducted this week by the BOTRA group indicated that participants strongly oppose the sale of Albion Park.Of 146 responses counted so far,128 were in favour of retaining "The Creek' as the main track and 111 rejected the notion of Redcliffe reverting to Non-Tab fixtures.
As it is the festive season,RQLtd has seen fit to bolster our already high spirits by announcing that,as from January 1st access to the stabling area will be severely restricted.The motivation for this action is a combination of Workplace Health and Safety Protocols and "integrity issues".Those allowed in will include trainers,drivers and stablehands with runners engaged at the meeting in question.Owners who provide proof of identity at the racing office.Trainers will be held responsible for their owners while in the stable area.RQLtd officials will have full access and also accredited media..
Those excluded will be,the general public, licencees without a valid reason to be in the stabling area,members of competing licencees families,owners who do not have a horse racing at the meeting and all children (no exceptions)..Failure to apply with the above and/or direction from the hired security officers WILL result in punitive action by RQLtd integrity officers..We as owners and licencees may be charged with "bringing harness racing into disrepute" usually by word or action.The content of this latest directive appears to put RQLtd in the same boat by its inference that the conduct of owners and licencees requires such drastic action..