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Race 5 HORSEPOWER FEED & SUPPLEMENTS PACE 3:00 PM
R1 To R2. DC. MC. For horses that have not won more than $1, 000 in their last 3 starts. $1, 000 division for horses balloted from UGB26031103. Penalty Free event. PBD/R. Prizemoney: $1,000
1850 METRES MOBILE START
Form Horse Trainer Other Eng. Driver Class Hcp
1 58730 VICTREE REIGN G L Walsh Glenn Walsh R1 C1 FR1
2 77626 STILL STANDING B H T Copelin Gary Whitaker R1 C1 FR2
3 62997 DIVATRUMP T J Hodges Trent Hodges (C) R1 C0 FR3
4 4177s BOODUA EAGLE T L Fritz Steven Doherty R2 C0 FR4
5 s1876 MATISON S L Towns Dan Russell (C,cl) R3 C0 FR5
---------- Second Row ----------
6 88835 XAVIER NZ P N Smith Sonia Storie (C,cl) R2 C2 SR1
7 09468 MOUNTAIN RAINBOW B R Manzelmann Steven Doherty R1 C1 SR2
8 69s3s MARCHMONT DRIVE A M Perrin Dan Russell (C) R2 C2 SR3

Posted by dlsmith at 05:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"TROT TACTICS"..19/03/2011..

Up,up and away, was the story on Thursday as Blacks A Fake and Natalie Rasmussen jetted out for Auckland NZ bound for a sixth tilt at the Inter-Dominion Championship.The "winningest" pacer in the long history of Australasia's premier event confirmed his ticket with a convincing win at Albion Park last Saturday night.Taken straight to the front by Rasmussen,"Blackie" posted a mile rate of 1-56 and change for the 2138 metre mobile and was untroubled to do so.The New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club is ecstatic to have the four time Grand Final winner in the series,and expect the "Black superman" to pull thousands of extra fans through the gates of Alexandra Park.Their claim that Kiwis appreciate a true champion was borne out many years ago (1968) at the very same track and Carnival.Yours truly was able to witness the crowd reaction when Lordship came onto the track.Although well past his best,the son of Johnny Globe was greeted by a roar from the crowd and a surge to the fence as he paraded for each heat.Nothing has changed,and Rasmussen's charger will get the reception he has earned..

There are just 22 pacers left in the rankings,due no doubt to the natural disasters of the last few months.Given that Australian owned entries claim 4 of the top 5 spots,Blacks A Fake (1) Monkey King NZ (2) Themightyquinn (3) Mr Feelgood (4) and Washakie (5),it looks likely that the money and trophies will finish up in Australia.Racing is a chancy business however,and Auckland is a righthanded track.It won't be over till the numbers are in the frame..

Not much on today?Slip out to Marburg showground about 11.30 am and catch the five race non-tab card.Bookies,beer,good food and very keen racing make for an afternoon of fun.Anthony Perkins of Trump Bloodstock and Tony Nutley,representing Horsepower feeds and supplements have done the sponsorship thing and the main race carries an extra $250 a rug and a heap of Horsepower supplements,while winning drivers and trainers in the remaing races will receive gifts and products.Just be there!!

Meanwhile,if you want to make a positive contribution to the future of trotting in Queensland,ring the office of the new Minister For Racing,Mr Tim Mulherin,and speak with his racing adviser.You will get a good hearing from this gentleman.Remember,it is too late when the sport is consigned to the bin.Act now..Numbers do count..Phone.3239 3000..

Posted by dlsmith at 05:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by dlsmith at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Race 1: E/w 5: GIRL WITH PROMISE (Grant Dixon).
Race 2: Trifecta 1-8-9: GEORGE DUBYA (Todd McCarthy)--JACCKA LIMON (Hayden Green)--MEGA ALEXANDER (Natalie Rasmussen)..
Race 3: E/w 4: WATCHANDWONDER (Dale Chalk)..
Race 4: E/w 4: PRINCE HUMPERDING (Natalie Rasmussen).
Race 5: E/w 3: CRACKER SHOT (Grant Dixon).
Race 6: E/w 3: FOX VALLEY APPEAL (Brad Cowen).
Race 7: E/w 3: POLITICAL QUICKSTEP (Grant Dixon).
Race 8: Quinella 6-9: EARLDOM (John McCarthy) and SONNY SULIBOP (Bruce Birch).
Race 9: E/w 1: ELLE M AYE (Brad Cowen).
Race 10: E/w 4: CLOSE SHAVE LOMBO (Grant Dixon)..

Posted by dlsmith at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"TROT TACTICS"...12/03/2011...

Yet another harness racing casualty of the recent earthquake in Christchurch NZ,was the Australasian Kidz Kartz Inter-dominion Championship which was to have been run at Addington on Pacers Grand Final night.With the full size performers shifted to Auckland's Alexandra Park the "Kidz" series was somehow lost in the confusion and it seemed that Queensland's representative,Lauren Jones, would have lost the trip of a lifetime.All is not lost however with the NZ group ensuring that the "Kidz" will have a drive on Grand Final night and perhaps four other appearances including two races at the "Breakfast With The Stars" workouts on the Tuesday morning prior to the big one,and two more events at Cambridge on the Thursday night.So the Jones' family will be jetting out after all.Go Lauren!!

A couple of weeks back,I commented on the impressive strike rate of rookie trainer,Trevor Lambourn.I included him in this Ipswich oriented article because he used local drivers,Kelli Dawson and Ray Law.The wheel has turned a bit further and T.Lambourn is about to migrate to lower Mt Walker in a venture with his main owners,Clive and Margaret Scott.The likeable ex-jockey has joined the ranks of drivers in recent weeks and was successful at his first attempt,scoring with Parlo at a Gold Coast Thursday meeting.Trevor Lambourn and the Scotts will be assets on the Ipswich harness scene and we wish them well.

Back to the not so ongoing negotiations with RQ Ltd where,I am pleased to inform you,we have reached what might be called a "mexican stand-off".A check of RQ Ltd's website will reveal a document which purports to be the control body's "Final Communique" to Botra.In it,Mr Bob Bentley,among other pronouncements,repeated his judgement that Redcliffe will become a non-tab operation on 26 Saturday afternoons hosting a five race program for restricted penalties.There are two schools of thought here.A number of participants support the idea of five TAB meetings a week with a maximum of 8 races per meeting with a subsequent rise in prizemoney per race.Others claim that six meetings providing 48 races at a lower unit value for the same total figure gives a better opportunity to harvest the punter's dollar.One thing is certain,if RQ Ltd can make a sound case for a reduction in meetings from six to five,it will never be able to justify sacrificing a Wednesday night spot to keep Monday afternoon.Monday,the punters may well be short of funds after the weekend and many employers pay on Tuesday night.As usual,the control body has no policy on the introduction of a punter friendly race format.Until we have that format,Mr Bentley will not be taking light harness forward,if that is indeed his intention!!

Posted by dlsmith at 11:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

No doubt you are fairly up to speed on the running battle between Queensland harness racing participants represented by BOTRA and RQ Ltd.I am amazed at Mr Bentley's "do this or be damned" approach to the well aired problems which currently beset trotting in this state.Yes we are performing very badly when our turnover figures are compared with our 14.5% cut of the money distributed by Product Co.Yes,there are very negative perceptions of "team driving/race rigging" which have driven the punters away from us.Yes,(and Mr Bentley has alluded to this) we have suffered from lazy and inept control bodies,dating from at least the privatisation of the TAB.

However,Mr Bentley and RQ Ltd have been in control for some little time now and have achieved nothing from their end in two of the three areas which are of prime importance to any racing operation.(1) Turnover.For there to be any increase in harness turnover,(I believe that we should be looking at 20% market share over the next three years to have credibility in negotiating distribution share) we must provide a betting product which is punter friendly.It's out there,it has been there before and is easily policed by stewards thus ensuring punter confidence.(2) Prizemoney.Mr Bentley is about to apply the old formula of reducing the number of races run and dividing the existing funds by that reduced number.The result will be presented as an increase in prizemoney.Sadly,it is no increase,and,if tied to the current format of "mobile conditioned racing and or claimers" will not spread the money but will concentrate it even more to bigger stables.

Further,Mr Bently has announced the closure of Redcliffe as a TAB venue from June 30.Why anyone would give away a night TAB slot where you might market the product to people with disposable income in the comfort of their lounge rooms,and perhaps entice new enthusiasts to the track, and retain a Monday afternoon which will attract (maybe) an unknown number of pro-punters and an unknown number of unemployed.Keeping Redcliffe and a fresh approach means a strong chance of growth.Killing Redcliffe in favour of Monday is just one more nail in the harness coffin.

Posted by dlsmith at 12:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

'TROT TACTICS"..05/03/2011...

Obviously,the ensuing legal wrangle between the former harness control body,Harness Racing Queensland,and current bosses RQLtd for the control of Albion Park, has done nothing to dim Bob Bentley's appetite for "blitzkrieg".Earlier this week,Bentley informed the Redcliffe Club that that it would soon not be conducting TAB meetings in the Wednesday night time slot,and,would become a non-TAB club racing on 26 Saturday afternoons.Club President,Mr Kerry Ebert,expressed bitter disappointment at this decision by RQ Ltd,citing the financial performance of the Club which traded from a starting figure of $6,000 to a peak of $228,000 under the stewardship of himself and his pro-active Committee.Currently Club finances run at a healthy $200,000 after spending $28,000 on forensic accounting procedures to prove that RQ Ltd's earlier investigation into Club dealings was wide of the mark.The Redcliffe Club has been performing very well in recent years with the introduction of a yearling sale/2y0 race concept which now carries $50,000 prizemoney.The end result of this has been a lift in local interest as the race winners to date have been modestly priced and have performed well above their money.

Down to the nitty gritty,which goes like this.Down from 6 to 5 TAB meetings.Loss of a night slot.Means one less racing opportunity for the small or "hobby" trainer,who is essential to the continuance of the sport.What happens next is the announcement of an increase in prizemoney.What it really means is that the pie is sliced thicker due to less races being run while the pie remains the same.Less races run means less turnover which will ensure that our percentage of the TAB racing hold for three codes will be around 5% come 2014 rather than the dismal,under-performing 10% at which we are currently running..The end result of this,when Bob Bentley applies his yardstick of "corporate reality" to the light harness in Queensland is lights out for the trots.

The logic which led to amalgamation in the first place must be flawed.In a number of instances we are told that RQ Ltd is not a tri-code arrangement but simply one entity.At the moment it looks like a four-code entity with one sector considering the fratricide of the light harness brother.The other brothers should be attentive to these happenings..they could well be next.

There will be an open BOTRA meeting held on this coming Monday night 07/03 at Rocklea Showgrounds.The meeting is in the former betting auditorium and will kick off at 7.30pm..A detailed report of Thursday's meeting with RQ Ltd will be up for discussion.It is of the utmost importance that you attend this meeting..Your future depends on it..All welcome!!

Posted by dlsmith at 07:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by dlsmith at 07:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)