Greg Mitchell urges Queensland Government to bring Albion Park’s facilities up to speed

GREG Mitchell is aiming for consecutive Redcliffe Gold Cups on Saturday but is striving for a much bigger goal for the state’s harness racing industry.

Alleluia will line up in the Redliffe Gold Cup on Saturday. Picture: Dan Costello

GREG Mitchell is aiming for consecutive Redcliffe Gold Cups on Saturday but is striving for a much bigger goal for the state’s harness racing industry.

Owner/breeder Mitchell, a former Racing Queensland harness chairman, will return from a family holiday on the Victorian ski slopes to watch his defending champion Alleluia at Redcliffe.

Alleluia will come off a 10m handicap but Mitchell feels the Queensland harness racing industry has been constrained by a much bigger handicap.

He is deeply concerned that the state’s Albion Park home of harness racing is still waiting for a new grandstand, which was first flagged in 2008.

Despite several Government assurances, there has been no progress and Albion Park has had to get by with a makeshift facility for eight years.

Mitchell, who fell in love with harness racing when he bought a claimer a decade ago, says the shambolic Albion Park facility means it is impossible for the industry to move forward with confidence.

“It is a total embarrassment,” he said. “Governments have to stop the blame game and playing games of political football and get on and build the new grandstand.

“From a trainer’s perspective if they recruit a new owner, it is just embarrassing for them to take them to Albion Park.

“We need to have confidence in the industry and we need to encourage new owners. With the way things are, it is hard to see a positive future for the sport.”

As Albion Park gathers dust, Redcliffe is also in dire need of an upgrade while the Gold Coast remains homeless following its closure in 2013.

Harness racing participants are also hoping for positive action on a proposal for Yatala, 40km south of Brisbane, to be the site for the state’s next harness racing track. The land at Yatala is large enough to also house light industry which could eventually be used to help fund the club.

While there are plenty of big-picture worries for the industry, Mitchell hopes for personal short-term satisfaction with Alleluia.

Carlton Blues AFL tragic Mitchell is striving for a third Redcliffe Cup success in three years after Alleluia won last year and Only The Brave in 2013.

“Alleluia is a real professional little guy and his win in last year’s Redcliffe Cup, when he sat in the death and still beat them, showed he can do it tough as well,” Mitchell said. “I think he can be a Grand Circuit performer but at the moment I want to get him through some Open Class races in Queensland.”

â–  THE long-running inquiry into the race fall at Redcliffe on May 18, which left leading horseman Darrel Graham with a broken, leg was concluded at Albion Park last Saturday night. Stewards questioned driver Bart Cockburn but found his actions were neither culpable, deliberate nor careless, and no further action was taken.

â–  TRENT Moffat, foreman for the powerful Grant Dixon for the past couple of years, has decided to move on and find a new challenge. The talented 23-year-old horseman plans on setting up his own stable and building his own client base. The Gympie born Moffat has driven close to 200 winners during his career while training 17 of his own winners.

â–  GIANT pacer Ultimate Art has headed back to NSW for a spell with owners Mick and Kirsty Formosa but future plans remain unclear. During his recent Queensland stint when prepared by Shannon Price and Scott Miller, the Modern Art gelding won nine of his 14 starts while amassing more than $100,000 in prizemoney. It is unlikely that Ultimate Art will head west for the Inter Dominion series in Perth later this year.

â–  PLANS for a comeback for former North American speedster Hurrikane Kingcole have been shelved. The 1:47.6 pacer was sent to Sydney where he was briefly prepared by Luke and Belinda McCarthy but has since returned to Egmont Park Stud at Toowoomba in preparation for the upcoming breeding season.

Originally published as Greg Mitchell urges Queensland Government to bring Albion Park’s facilities up to speed