Racing Queensland boss resigns

AS the Eagle Farm track debacle claimed its first big scalp, one of Brisbane’s top trainers has welcomed a changing of the guard.

Eliot Forbes announced his resignation today. Picture: File photo/Tara Croser

THE Eagle Farm track debacle has claimed its first big scalp, with Racing Queensland this morning announcing the resignation of its CEO Dr Eliot Forbes.

Speculation on the future of Dr Forbes and the Racing Queensland board heightened last week after Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe launched a scathing attack on its handling of the Eagle Farm rebuild. He renewed that attack in State Parliament this morning.

Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe slammed the Eagle Farm delays. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Dr Forbes was an absentee from the marquee QTIS Jewel meeting at the Gold Coast on Saturday and also did not attend the record-breaking Magic Millions March Sale on Monday and Tuesday.

Eagle Farm was closed in May last year after widespread criticism of the surface after less than 12 months racing on a track that was originally closed in August 2014.

Racing Queensland took control of the rebuild last year and the project has been dogged by delays, rumours of the grass not taking and infighting with the Brisbane Racing Club and contractors.

Earlier this month, superintendents Dalton Consultant Engineering walked away from the rebuild project, citing a difference in “methodology” to those being adopted by RQ.

Off the back of their resignation, Hinchliffe put the writing on the wall when he said he had “run out of patience” with the project and “if that means changes at RQ, then get on with it and make those changes.”

Originally, a return to racing at Eagle Farm had been planned for April this year, but as of today, there is still a 700m section of track yet to be turfed and the earliest possible return is now considered to be December.

RQ Chairman Steve Wilson thanked Dr Forbes for his dedicated service and acknowledged his role in the substantial progress made at Racing Queensland during the past two years.

“Dr Forbes led a significant turnaround for racing in this state which provides a base for further growth. He goes with our very best wishes for the future,” he said.

The highlight of Forbes’ tenure was persuading the state government to fund Country Racing, a $70 million policy that was announced in the lead-up to last year’s state election.

Forbes began his Racing Queensland position in mid 2016.

Mr Hinchliffe has this afternoon issued a statement paying tribute to the ougoing CEO.

“Dr Eliot Forbes made an important contribution to Racing Queensland,” he said.

“He delivered a much-needed turn-around in RQ’s finances, which has laid the foundations for a more resilient racing industry.

“Dr Forbes also worked closely with the Government on its hugely popular $70 million Country Racing Support Package, which is a big hit in regional Queensland.

“He also oversaw significant prizemoney increases, which have put the industry on a stronger footing and made Queensland more competitive.

Horse trainer Rob Heathcote says Queensland’s racing industry is crying out for leadership. File picture.

“His is a positive legacy for Queensland’s racing industry, and I wish him well for the future.”

Multiple premiership winning trainer Rob Heathcote has been a vocal critic of Forbes and said the industry was sick of the “spin.”

“We are in desperate need of a leader because this industry has gone through some very tough times,” Heathcote said.

“We need someone to stand up and get us out of it.

“Eliot Forbes was not the man for that job and the Racing Queensland Chairman Steve Wilson has been the invisible man for the past six months.”

However, Stan Johnston, a champion for Country racing who travels his horses across the state to race, said Forbes had done more to bring the industry together than anyone in 20 years.

“He was very popular in the country and northern part of the state,” Johnston said.

“There’s a lot of disappointment from those people. They regarded him as the first CEO who made them feel like everyone was getting a fair go.

“Everyone was pulling together for the first time in about 20 years.

“Now he’s gone and it’s all over this bloody track. The rest of the industry is going terrific – prizemoney is up and there’s good things happening.”

Originally published as Racing Queensland boss resigns