Racing Queensland aborts winter carnival as state split into zones amid coronavirus crisis
Winter carnivals for the three codes of racing will be abandoned as Racing Queensland looks to build a war chest for what it expects to be torrid times for the industry in coming months.
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Winter carnivals for the three codes of racing will be abandoned as Racing Queensland looks to build a war chest for what it expects to be torrid times for the industry in coming months.
RQ has moved to extend racing’s lifeline during the COVID-19 crisis by dividing the states into five different regions, where horses, trainers and jockeys have to stay and race in just one of those regions.
By cancelling the winter carnival, Racing Queensland hopes it can set aside up to $9 million as part of a hardship and sustainability fund – provided racing can continue.
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It comes after Racing Queensland rejected a proposal by the Brisbane Racing Club to quarantine Eagle Farm participants and horses.
“This is the most responsible way to support the whole industry,” Racing Queensland boss Brendan Parnell said. “It’s the right call to abandon the carnival. We will redirect the prizemoney towards sustaining the industry.”
The Brisbane Racing Club will take a $3 million hit by missing out on its five days of Group 1 racing in May and June, while the Gold Coast Turf Club has already cancelled $600,000 in bookings.
Brisbane Racing Club chairman Neville Bell noted feature racing was lost to the club during the 1942-45 war years, so it’s not unprecedented to lose a carnival, but COVID-19 was placing enormous financial pressure on the club.
“We understand the seriousness of this situation. And we’re not in this situation alone,” Bell said. “We will continue to adapt to ensure this great club can move with confidence once the COVID-19 situation eases (but) we face tough decisions as we review our immediate operational costs in these coming months.”
If racing is permitted to continue, the state’s 100-plus racetracks will be diminished to just 16 for at least the next two months.
The six major racetracks in south-east Queensland will make up two of the zones, with Doomben, Eagle Farm and Caloundra forming a “Metro North” region and the Gold Coast, Ipswich and Toowoomba being categorised as “Metro South-West.”
There will also be regions set aside for Central Queensland (including Rockhampton and Mackay), Darling Downs and south east Coast (including Roma and Charleville) and Northern and North West (including Townsville and Cairns).
Greyhound racing will be broken up into four regions, while Harness racing in Queensland is already confined to the south-east of the state.
Australian Trainers Association Queensland branch representative Cameron Partington said Thursday’s moves were a necessity.
“I’m very pleased we have gone to this method, it’s just unfortunate we didn’t go there earlier,” Partington said. “It’s something that hasn’t come quick enough. For example trainers and jockeys moving around the state put us more at risk than need be.
“The carnival going by the wayside was inevitable and it’s the sensible thing to do. The last thing we want to do is spend copious amounts of money at the moment.”
Queensland Jockeys Association representative Glen Prentice said all jockeys would be asked to assign themselves to a region, whereby they could only change after a 14-day stand-down period. “It’s not ideal for everyone, but at least we’re racing and everyone is happy we’re still going,” Prentice said.
It is understood racing has support from the Prime Minister’s office, but the message is that it needs to tighten restrictions if it is to continue during the nation’s lockdown and the RQ zoning move is designed to appease those concerns.
“By taking this measure, it gives our participants a possible opportunity to race,” Parnell said. “The impact to racing of a shutdown would be disastrous and the livelihoods of tens of thousands of Queensland participants will need hardship support.”
TRAINERS, HOOPS HAPPY TO FIT IN
At this stage of the game, trainers and jockeys remain grateful racing is still functioning, and they have welcomed any measures that might sustain the industry for a little longer.
Many Eagle Farm trainers were willing to go into lockdown with their staff as part of the Brisbane Racing Club’s quarantine plan but, collectively, trainers across the state just feel fortunate they are still racing at this point.
And that means forgoing bigger prizemoney opportunities during the Queensland carnival.
Gold Coast trainer Toby Edmonds, who had several horses being targeted at feature races in coming months, said racing was imperative for his business and his 37 staff.
“We welcome any initiative that the-powers-that-be put forward and are happy to work with them,” he said. “We understand this is a global pandemic, and anything that keeps us racing and the thousands of employees in work, is a good thing.”
Kelly Schweida employs a staff of 15 at Eagle Farm and fears for their futures in the current environment.
“We’re on our knees. We just have to do our best for as long as we can,” he said.
“It’s a day-to-day proposition. You look at your staff and worry about them.
“We were going to do whatever it took at my stable.
“We just have to do the best we can, because if we shut down for two months, it’s another two months after that before we will be racing again.”
Jockeys are equally pleased to still be racing, and Robbie Fradd called on his fellow riders to continue their diligence in keeping the wheels of racing in motion.
“To the youngsters, please, no mates around. Please guys, it’s not going to affect you if you can’t see someone for a few weeks,” Fradd said. “We need everyone doing the right thing. Stay at home.”
The world travelled jockey, who resides on the Gold Coast, said he was happy to go along with any ruling officials made around the coronavirus.
“I’m in total agreement with them. The longer we can keep going for the sake of everybody – not just up here, but nationwide – the better,” he said. “I just want to say thanks to the people who have been able to keep us going.”
With other sports being shelved one after another, Queensland racehorse trainers are grateful they have a window – however small – to continue their businesses amid the coronavirus pandemic.
To this point, government officials have not shut the door on racing, which is an industry that contributes $1.5 billion to the state’s annual economy. However, participants are well aware it is likely to take just one positive test to bring it to a standstill.
“I feel exceptionally lucky at this time that I can go to my job,” premier trainer Tony Gollan said. “The Prime Minister’s message was very clear Tuesday night. If you’re still working, go to work. It’s the same for our industry and every other industry. It’s important for the economy. Normally I am preparing three to four months ahead, but at the moment, it’s simply day to day, but I’m just grateful I’ve got a job and my staff have a job.
“We have reinforced to staff how important it is to be following the guidelines put forward by the government at all times, and we are doing everything we can to keep this going.
“We have certainly let (staff) know the gravity of what an outbreak would be. There would be no job for them.”
Gollan noted that while racing continued, it could contribute a valuable revenue stream to society. “While we’re racing, we’re generating turnover for prizemoney and taxes for government,” he said.
Fellow premiership-winning trainer Rob Heathcote hoped there was “some chance of keeping the wheels of racing turning”, with the alternative potentially having dire consequences.
“We are a pretty insular group of people in racing. We go to work early in the morning and go to bed early at night,” he said. “But there is a distinct fear that if we get shut down, people lose jobs.
“It’s a tangible fear. What will happen if we get shut down for three months? There’s a lot of trainers that won’t survive.
“Then there’s the animal husbandry side of the coin. We still have to look after our horses. You can’t leave them cooped up in their boxes for months. Where’s the spelling places that will take 1000 horses?
“It’s a nightmare worldwide and unprecedented. You couldn’t have imagined this in your wildest dreams.”
Cameron Partington, representative for the Queensland branch of the Australian Trainers’ Association, said the efforts of participants to get this far should be applauded, but warned one mistake could be enough to bring everything undone.
“The onus is on every individual, every participant in the industry, to strictly follow procedures so we don’t let the team down,” he said.
Racing Queensland on Wednesday night advised that any licensed participant who arrives in the state from Thursday onwards will be required to undertake a mandatory 14-day self-isolation period before being permitted onto a Queensland racecourse.
RQ has further taken the additional step of enforcing a mandatory self-isolation period of at least 14 days for any licensee – Queensland or otherwise – who is presently interstate.
Originally published as Racing Queensland aborts winter carnival as state split into zones amid coronavirus crisis