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Posted by dlsmith at 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"TROT TACTICS"...28/01/2012..

"Every dog has his day" so the old saying goes.It seems that the greyhounds of Queensland may have had their day yesterday.Following Racing Queensland Ltd's meeting with greyhound participants last Monday the dogs are about to get their teeth into a topline "stand alone" racing facility at Cronulla Park in Logan.Funds btween $22-28 million are believed to have been allocated for the project.Divorcing the greyhounds from the Deagon dual code project requires RQL to provide the Racing Minister,Mr Tim Mulherin,with a revised Industry Infrastructure Plan incorporating both Deagon and Logan,which was to be submitted to Government by yesterday.Given that Deagon appears to have very few supporters and definitely not the residents,perhaps the Minister might suggest to Bob Bentley that he call a meeting with the harness folk and dig a bit deeper in the money bag.One thing has become evident.Bob Bentley does have to answer to someone and that someone is The Minister for Racing.A good thing too..Good luck at Logan to the dogs...they deserve it!

With the greyhound's future seeming much rosier at the moment,The Gold Coast Harness Racing Club has gone on the attack,taking a full page in last Tuesday's Courier Mail to air its grievances in a letter to the Premier.The Club is demanding fair treatment on a number of issues which have clouded the future of harness racing in that area for a long time now.GCHRC has had notice to cease operations at Parklands from July 1st 2013.(it could perhaps be a lot sooner than that now that the Commonwealth Games 2018 is a reality and Parklands is designated as the Games Village site).Gold Coast has been refused repayment at current values of capital which the club invested in the then new complex in 1988 from the sale of freehold land at Stephens Trotway (now the site of the Southport School).Further,they have been refused compensation for the termination of their occupancy of Parklands,they have been offered no alternate site,and, to add insult to injury,the Gold Coast Show Society,which had no capital investment in Parklands,has been given a site at Carrara.It is a shocking state of affairs to consign to the bulldozer a racetrack which very justly holds the reputation of "the best harness track in Australia"(Tabcorp Menangle included) without guaranteeing its duplication in the same area.

A recent communique from the industry body,Botra,indicates that they and Gold Coast Club are looking at parcels of suitable land in the Ormeau/Pimpama area.A good move no doubt,but,as neither body has any money at this point it is all supposition and hope.The trots are looking desperately for a Fairy Godmother,but, on the principle of "gender equity",a Godfather would be just as welcome.

Resultsville...Two washed out meetings in the last week and the total domination of the remaining TAB fixtures by Teams,Dixon,McCarthy and Vicki Rasmussen left us with just one district winner until Thursday...Albion Park 20/01..nil...Albion Park 21/01..nil...Redcliffe 21/01..Clay County (John Ballin)..Albion Park 24/01..abandoned..Redcliffe 25/01..abandoned...Gold Coast 26/01..Reddy Fire (Brad Cowen for Shane Sanderson)..Pemberton (Brad Cowen for Lynn Beaton)..Im Archie (Ricky Gordon)..Gemma Khan (Lola Weidemann for Ricky Gordon)..Rocket Beebee (Pete McMullen for John Davis)..Holy Camp Harry (Glenn Walsh)..

Posted by dlsmith at 12:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Grafmo Webber captures the moment at Motukara..New Zealand..A great shot..

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"TROT TACTICS...21/01/2012..

Here we are with 2012 just 19 days old (Thursday) and already some local drivers and trainers are putting up impressive performances on the TAB tracks.Again,the Glamorganvale influence is there with Kelly Dawson posting 7 winners,and the newest "star in the making"Narissa McMullen right behind KD with a running total of 6 winners.The sphere of influence shifts to the Gatton and Lockyer Waters area with Shane Sanderson producing 6 "trained to the minute" pacers,and Gary Whitaker landing 7 victories in the sulky so far.If we could claim ex-Rosewood girls,Vicki and Kylie Rasmussen back,we could produce some serious stats.With the month of January having 12 days to run,Vicki has trained 11 winners and Kylie has saluted the judge on 14 occasions.Compare these figures with Queensland's leading trainer/driver,Grant Dixon, who has racked up No1 in the gig on just 16 of many outings.The message here seems to be"get big or get out",and,while there may be some wisdom in that philosophy,I don't think that the remaining little guys should pull up stumps just yet.Just keep on trying!

Tonight (Saturday) sees the last round of heats in the "World Amateur Driving Championships" hosted in New Zealand by the Federation of European Gentleman Amateur Trot Drivers.Sadly,Australia,which provided the last World Champion in Bob Mellsop from WA,is not represented.This shameful omission is due to the decision by Harness Racing Australia in 2010 to ban amateur competition in this country.This in spite of documentary evidence from HRNZ to the effect that the amateur side of the sport was at that time putting $NZ 250,000 per year directly into the NZ harness economy.We could have done with a few amateurs here in order to keep the spirit of the game alive.Amateur racing is a side of the sport in this country that "professionals" and so-called professional administrators for the most part,appear to not have the capacity to understand.The resulting decisions and attitudes have done us great harm..

The third rankings for the V75 2012 Inter-Dominion Pacing Championships have been issued and Queensland owned or trained pacers fill three of the first eight slots at this point,Mr Feelgood is No 3,Washakie No 4,and the Lord Mayor of Fernvale,Darrel Graham,has Lanercost firmly in contention at No 8..Let's hope they all make it to the Grand Final!!

Racing Queensland's Supremo,Bob Bentley,has turned to the Greyhound participants in what appears to be an attempt to gain some last minute support for the Government in the countdown to election day.Greyhounds Queensland Magazine Editor,David Brasch has cast serious doubt on the new proposal from Bob Bentley which calls for an urgent meeting (this coming Monday) "to immediately start discussion with greyhound stakeholders to seek their views on racing and training infrastructure in South-East Queensland".Brasch and his many supporters are of the opinion that the proposal is little more than an election stunt,claiming that Bentley,with the backing of the State Government,could have already produced the essential one-code complex at Logan.The dog's share of the $80 million which was promised for infrastructure more than two years ago,would have seen Logan as a happy reality today.Had Bob Bentley done that,he would have had total support from the greyhound fraternity.Monday's meeting with 30 dog people will be crunch time.If Bob Bentley can produce a document from that meeting,guaranteeing the immediate construction of Logan and bearing his signature and that of the Minister For Racing,he will have re-invented himself.Anything less will be a waste of time and an insult for the greyhound folk in attendance.

This weeks decision by RQL to to reconsider all options for new greyhound and harness facilities was hailed by Brisbane Lord Mayor,Graham Quirk,as an opportunity for the State Government to take the reins of its controversial Racing Body and steer it in the right direction.More next week..

Resultsville..Gold Coast 13/01..Gallymont Cohort (Trent for Geoff Dawson)...Albion Park 14/01..nil...Redcliffe 14/01..Absolutely Adam (Mathew Clayton)...Albion Park 17/01..Yellfireinthehole (Narissa for John McMullen)..Star Of Jordaine (Lola Weidemann for Graham Harriott)..I Love To Win (Narissa for John McMullen)..Judd (Chris Petroff for Lynn Beaton)...Redcliffe 18/01..Greenmans Valley (Gary Whitaker for Shane Sanderson)..Lerrad Maharg (Adam Richardson for Darrel Graham)...Albion Park 19/01..Melton Macmax (Narissa for John McMullen)..The Twin Rivers (Chantal for Tony Turpin)..Lila Von Beltz (Adam Richardson for Darrel Graham)..Overcam (Gary Whitaker for Bill Crosby)...

Posted by dlsmith at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Another James Lewin super shot.

Posted by dlsmith at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"TROT TACTICS"..14/01/2012..

Coming off the back of her third successive "Club Driver Of The Year" title at the mini-trots,and representing Queensland at the 2011 Inter-Dominion Carnival in Auckland,Lauren Jones is in transition mode,on her way to what she hopes will be a successful association with the standardbreds of now and the future.Based at Lockyer Waters,LJ posted scores of 19 and 24 wins in two season and,for the most part,was hauled to victory by "Pony Of The Year",Twebby Twotter.Given that the minis get about two races per week,the strike rate is pretty impressive.However,once a mini driver takes out a trials licence,that is the end of the pony days.Jones Junior has had four trials drives,the first on December 29th.Father Peter is supplying the motive power from his revamped team of pacers,and Lauren who sported the purple with pink star when teamed with Twebby Twotter,will appear in purple with pink sleeves and white stars in full size mode.Happily,she has that all important family support to help her up the ladder of success.Next week we should have a look at a joint initiative between HRNSW and their mini group which is designed to stem the loss of the kids whose families cannot help them bridge the gap between small and large in the harness horse world.

When one takes one or a number of extracts from a document to illustrate a line of thought,or support an opinion of that document,there is always a risk that those extracts will be labelled as "out of context"in any action by the authors to defend the document.These two extracts are taken from a letter by Bob Bentley (RQL) in reply to Bob Lutherborrow (Queensland standardbred Breeders Association) who requested that RQL take into consideration the viability of a number of high profile sporting enterprises which actually make no money at all from their core business.Bob Lutherborrow argues that harness racing's poor financial situation should be addressed from "outside the square"..

Bob Bentley replied (in part),"with wagering revenues under significant pressure,and in decline,it would be a reckless control body that did not take into account pressure on its revenues when determining future budgets..Harness racing itself has been heavily subsidised over the past decade by the thoroughbred and greyhound codes.It has largely ridden on the coat tails of these codes,and it is far from folly to argue that the development of the greyhound code has primarily borne the cost of this cross code subsidy.Each code must remain relevant,and,in doing so,each code must have market appeal."

"Many are of the view that harness racing has had its time,and,had it not been for cross code subsidy in the last decade,it would have failed before now.RQL is not about to allow harness racing to fail,however,it has a keen interest in future allocations to each of the codes in Queensland in accordance with the performance of each of these codes,One code should not necessarily bear the brunt of another code's poor performance."

"Out of context".I don't think so.Harness in Queensland is about one minute from midnight on the Doomsday Clock.

Resultsville..Gold Coast 06/01..nil...Albion Park 07/01..nil...Marburg 07/01..Bullimore (Lola Weidemann for Steve Benham)..Lucky Bunny (Lola Weidemann for Ricky Gordon)..Biancas Luck (Ray Cross)...Albion Park 10/01..Cold Ideal (R.Gorman for John McMullen)..Cold Shoulder (R.Gorman for John McMullen)..El Charro (Brad Cowen for Shane Sanderson)...Redcliffe 11/01..Greenmans Valley (Gary Whitaker for Shane sanderson)..Lady Lager (Brad Cowen for Shane Sanderson)..The Twin Rivers (Chantal for Tony Turpin)..Party In Paris (Narissa McMullen for Ron Sallis)...Gold Coast 12/01..Lila Von Beltz (Adam Richardson for Darrel Graham)..Pemberton (Chris Petroff for Lynn Braeton)..Longwoods (Natasha Day for Mark Rees)...

Posted by dlsmith at 09:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Top shot by James Lewin.

Posted by dlsmith at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Greg Hand

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Many thanks to someone!!

Posted by dlsmith at 08:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"TROT TACTICS"..07/01/2012..

First things first,and the first thing today is to decide that a trip to the Marburg trots this afternoon is the way to go.Keep the New Year spirit bubbling with a great trot program and the finest of country burgers,cold beer,cool wine,all at bargain prices and a bet on the local trots and major gallops meetings with Rob Duncan and Terry Piccone,bookies who come to Marburg to have a go.Education starts at 11.00am,first trial at 11.25 and racing commences at 12.40pm..Don't miss it..

It's fair to say that most decisions made by a trainer when entering a horse to race,are based on his or her perception of the horses chance of success in the class for which it is eligible.In the light harness game,races fail to stand up because trainers are reluctant to enter runners where they feel that the opposition,while they may be the same class on paper,are in fact far superior.Dayl March,a Warwick based trainer who is faced with at least a five hour total drive time to race his team (which sometimes numbers up to twenty pacers ) is one such reluctant dragon.Who can blame him,as logistics for fuel,time and vehicle upkeep continually remind him of the need to earn.Dayl doesn't want much,just a re-jig of the ridiculous rule which allows a C1 pacer to start in and win an M0 race,and come home as a C2/M1.As Dayl points out,we were comfortable for many years with the requirement that a horse be at least a C4 to start in an M0 race,and,should it win,come home as a C6/M1...Think of this in the light of another factor,the drop back in class rule where after ten runs without a win the horse drops back one class,(even if it has run ten consecutive seconds in listed races and won $40,000).D.March wants the dropback deal to end at C3,thus fluctuating between C3 and C1,and therefore benefiting the moderate performers.It's worth a thought!!

I was somewhat disturbed at a suggestion in an email to by Pat Frazer of Toowoomba to the effect that "nothing can be done to save harness racing in Queensland".There are a number of things which are achievable in the short term,which may result in in a long term re-building of what was once a great sport and betting medium.

I for one would be amazed if the LNP would be interested in any distribution scheme which did not reflect our tote turnover percentage at the time of re-negotiation of code-share distribution.(2014)..The LNP is not,and can not be seen to be a benevolent society.What must be done,is what successive Queensland Harness Control Boards in the last twenty years have failed to do..(1) run the control body with a much reduced staff,and see that that staff performs to a high standard. (2) Make a serious attempt to present a sport which is tightly controlled and is seen to be so..(3)Prizemoney must fall,that must be accepted,but more races must be run.A minimum of 200 more than the current quota.(4) A portion of prizemoney must be withheld for promotion in print and electonic media but not necessarily 4TAB or Sky Channel as they have certain moral obligations to promote the products from which their income is derived. (5).Show racing must return.It is a direct form of advertising.

Back to Mister Frazer's well intentioned but ill-informed statements.Botra went to RQL,not looking for any extra funds,but to re-jig the Harness incentive scheme (QRIS with a sulky attached) so that it was possible that the budgeted funds might be better distributed among those Q-Bred horses eligible rather than RQL hoping that the races which were assigned the bonus would,in the most part, be won by horses imported from inter-state or New Zealand.Mr Frazer may not know that RQL reclaims for its own central coffers the prize from any race not run,any meeting abandoned and any incentives not won.There is no machinery for those reclaimed monies to be returned to the harness code.

Resultsville..Gold Coast 30/12..Meeting abandoned...Newcastle NSW 30/12..Final Champion (Gary Whitaker for Bill Crosby)...Albion Park 31/12..Our White Knight (Chris Petroff for Brett Cargill)..Albion Park 03/01..Veni Vidi Vici (Kelli for Geoff Dawson)..Beetee Bromac (Gary Whitaker for Shane Sanderson)..Highstead (Chris Petroff for Lynn Beaton)...Redcliffe 04/01..Black Cruiser (Narissa McMullen for Ron Sallis)...Gold Coast 05/01..Our Poppa Jack (Mick Dux for Francis Weston)...

Posted by dlsmith at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From the magic camera of Maria Sauer..

Posted by dlsmith at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"TROT TACTICS"..31/12/2011..

Well it's here at last.2011 is fast drawing to a close and all those who are keen enough,young enough or mad enough will raise a glass at midnight to send the old year packing and welcome in the new.It has been a mixed twelve months for Queensland owners and trainers,with some camps rocketing forward and the majority of others unable to produce the necessary firepower and being reduced to eating the paint off the walls.The gold-plated McCarthy operation diversified to Menangle with Luke at the head of the Sydney stable and proceeded to dominate in a fashion perhaps even more awesome than the last decade in Brisbane.John McCarthy,meanwhile,became the roving ambassador,popping up with Washakie and others here there and everywhere,usually in the winners circle.

Grant Dixon,for many years,right at the top of the tree in Brisbane driving premierships,was crowned King of "team Dixon",taking over the training of Bill's huge team at Tambourine.The mighty Blacks A Fake went into retirement,and,as yet,this writer is the only person to suggest that the "Black Superman" deserves a statue in a prominent position.The roundabout at Boonah strikes me as an ideal site.The gelding has only been among the missing for a few months and people seem to have forgotten that he is still the richest pacer of all time."Blackie" has great potential as a promoter of harness both as a monument or special guest at Albion Park feature nights.

Clive Palmer,owner of the mighty Cold Mountain Stud enterprise,succumbed to the lure of NSW money and has sent his Lowood trainer,Murray Sullivan, to Menangle with a team of pacers which have performed well. Palmer also had a large consignment of juveniles in the recent "ready to run" sale on the 1400 metre circuit.Rumour has it that the mining magnate is giving serious consideration to establishing a permanent base there.

I've said it before and,will no doubt say it many times again,if you want to do well in light harness,set up in or near Glamorganvale.Last night local trainers and drivers Geoff and Trent Dawson,and Bill Crosby and Gary Whitaker took Artzone and Final Champion respectively to Newcastle to contest heats of the Inter-City Pace.Formerly known as The Maitland Inter-City Pace,the feature in its early years was Australia's richest country race.Similar to Victoria's Hunter Cup,the Inter-City went through a slump and a once great race was destined to become irrelevent.It seems that,like the Hunter Cup,the Inter-City is headed back up the ladder of prestige..Someone obviously believed in it.

The other Glamorganvale hit last week was Saturday night at Albion Park when Narissa McMullen had Christmas a couple of hours early,driving her first city winner,Bye Bye Oscar,for,you guessed it, for Wanora based Ron Sallis..It was a bit of a family affair with father John mcMullen,brother Pete and Pete's best friend Chantal Turpin filling out the first four placings.Does it get any better..I don't think so..

Resultsville..Gold Coast 23/12..nil...Albion Park 24/12..Mighty Memories (Pete for John McMullen)..Longwoods (Natasha Day for Mark Ress)..Bye Bye Oscar (Narissa McMullen for Ron Sallis)...Redcliffe 24/12..Dream Of Tricks (Ricky Gordon)...Albion Park 27/12..Lila Von Beltz (Darrel Graham)..Overcam (Gary Whitaker for Bill Crosby)..Walton Van (Glenn Dawson for Gavin Crone)..Montana Pablo (Darrel Graham)...Redcliffe 28/12..Black Cruiser (Narissa McMullen for Ron Sallis)...Gold Coast 29/12..Megajon (Mathew Neilson for Denis Smith)...

Posted by dlsmith at 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"How about a plan to carry a bit of New Year over for an extra week.Next Saturday's the day and Marburg is the place to head for great day of racing and trials.Celebrate with the Best Burgers and Cheese Cake,(just part of an extensive menu)the Cheapest Drinks and the Bravest Bookies betting on the local trots and major gallops meetings here and inter-state.Don't miss it.More details in next Saturday's QT..

Posted by dlsmith at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)