Aquis Farm declare they won’t race in Queensland until integrity issues are fixed

Aquis Farm CEO Shane McGrath says the Gold Coast-based racing and breeding powerhouse has drawn a line in the sand after declaring they will not race in Queensland until the integrity of racing in the state is fixed. It’s a decision that could see them miss the upcoming winter carnival.

GOLD Coast horse racing powerhouse Aquis Farm has yanked its horses from competing in Queensland citing integrity concerns, with its CEO saying someone needs to show leadership.

Aquis Farm owner Justin Fung, a billionaire Hong Kong property mogul, met with company directors in Sydney on Thursday at the end of this week’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale before dropping the bombshell decision that will reverberate through Queensland racing.

“The decision has been taken that where Aquis Farm is the Managing Owner of a horse it owns wholly or partially, it will not race that horse in Queensland until a number of integrity issues concerning Queensland racing are fully resolved to ensure a level playing field for all participants,” an Aquis statement yesterday said.

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“As a consequence, Aquis Farm will be directing the scratching of all its runners nominated for Queensland races effective immediately.”

In cases where Aquis is not the majority shareholder of a horse, they will donate their prizemoney to a nominated charity.

The decision follows a long-running and controversial battle between Toowoomba trainer Ben Currie and Queensland racing officials that has drawn our for months.

Currie is facing 37 charges and four swab irregularities, which has garnered national attention, with the trainer granted two stays of proceedings by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Shane McGrath the CEO of Aquis Farms, based on the Gold Coast at Canungra, who bought lot 34 - a Redoutes Choice bay cold out of Purely Spectacular for $1.6million at the Magic Millions Sales complex at the Bundall sale. Picture by Luke Marsden.

Stewards inquiries into the charges he is facing have been re-scheduled over a period of many months, after the original chargers were handed down in May last year.

Those original 28 charges are yet to be determined and since then, QRIC has issued two new sets of charges against the trainer.

Currie was stood down by stewards in February but given another stay of proceedings until April 18 where it will be determined if he can continue training.

Aquis Farm CEO Shane McGrath said it was time someone in the racing game showed leadership.

“At the end of the day we just want a level playing field,” McGrath said.

Jockey Luke Currie rides Sunlight to victory in Race 8, the Magic Millions Two-Years-Old Classic, during the Gold Coast Magic Millions at Aquis Park, Gold Coast Turf Club, Queensland, Saturday, January 13, 2018. (AAP Image/Jono Searle)

“Queensland is the heart and soul of Aquis. We have been fortunate to win two Magic Millions races but we need to get things sorted.

“Someone has to take a bit of leadership and until we can put our hand on our heart and say the integrity issue is resolved (then we won’t race),” Mr McGrath told the Bulletin.

“It’s unfortunate we had to make the call but we stand by it.

“It’s going to hurt us as much as anyone.”

Aquis Farm boast around 100 winners around Australian each year and will scratch around the same number of horses from Queensland racing immediately.

McGrath said Aquis Farm were willing to hold out as long as necessary in a move that could see them miss out on taking part in the upcoming Queensland winter carnival.

Justin Fung (left) with father Tony Fung, Aquis Australia CEO Shane McGrath and another connection. Picture: Supplied.

Aquis Farm are the one of the biggest investors into Queensland racing and are the naming rights partner of the Gold Coast Turf Club.

GCTC chairman Brett Cook supported Aquis Farm’s stance and said integrity issues could threaten every club’s commercial viability if sponsors began to distance themselves due to it.

“We are in strong support of our partner’s position,” Mr Cook said.

“Enough is enough. This is a State Government and Racing Queensland issue that needs to be fixed.

“The system is clearly broken, it’s as simple as that,” Mr Cook said.

“We have corporate sponsors not involved in racing involved with the club and the last thing we want is to potentially lose sponsors because of integrity.”

Racing Queensland CEO Brendan Parnell said: “We exist within an industry that expects and demands natural justice and we should be unrepentant in our support of that view.

“However, I echo the Racing Minister’s recent comments exploring reform within the appeals process so that justice can not only be dealt with fairly, but also swiftly.”