How helicopter will transport jockeys for marathon Queensland metro Saturday across two meetings

A helicopter to transport jockeys is a key part of the blueprint for a marathon Saturday metropolitan race day across Eagle Farm and the Gold Coast on Saturday.

Send in the chopper.

Rarely has a helicopter been almost as important for a jockey on race day as a riding crop or a saddle.

But in unprecedented scenes in South East Queensland on Saturday, 10 jockeys will be flown in two batches from Brisbane to the Gold Coast so they can ride at two metropolitan cards on the same day.

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The marathon 21 metropolitan race Saturday, created in the aftermath of ex-Cyclone Alfred, will be split between 11 races during the day at Eagle Farm and then 10 races on a twilight card at the rich Jewel day on the Gold Coast.

There is overlap between the meetings, with Eagle Farm’s last race staged at 4.27pm while the first Gold Coast race is at 2.49pm (with the $500,000 Jewel 2YO and 3YO races on at 5.55pm and 6.30pm respectively).

Jockeys aren’t magicians and can’t be in two places at once.

But they can be transported by helicopter between the meetings, although the chopper must take off from Doomben due to the restricted air space around Eagle Farm.

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“The Brisbane Racing Club and the Gold Coast Turf Club have got all the logistics sorted,” Racing Queensland acting chief executive Lachlan Murray said.

“We have got one chopper landing at 2.30pm at Doomben to pick up jockeys and that will take the first group of five jockeys.

“That chopper will return and take another group of jockeys from Brisbane to the Gold Coast at 3.45pm.

“The chopper will go back and forth on two occasions, and that gives more options to the jockeys depending on their riding schedule at Eagle Farm and the Gold Coast.

“Until scratchings are known, the actual bums on seats in the helicopter won’t be known until closer to the time.

“The Gold Coast Turf Club is footing the bill.

“Having jockeys being taken via helicopter has really assisted in making these two Saturday metro meetings a possibility.”

Glen Boss arriving at Randwick Racecourse after flying a helicopter in 2006.

While the helicopter will assist some jockeys in getting between the venues, others such as Ryan Maloney, Michael Rodd and Andrew Mallyon have chosen to drive to the coast because their schedules allow it.

Queensland Jockeys’ Association boss Glen Prentice said the monster metro Saturday at two venues wasn’t ideal but “it is what it is, after a natural disaster”.

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“Fatigue will be a concern for jockeys on Saturday as well as for others like trainers and stable staff, they will manage it as best they can,” Prentice said.

“It is an unusual situation and everyone is just going to have to make the best of it.”

Murray said Racing Queensland turf guru Marty Synan, who had a long and distinguished history in charge of the Moonee Valley track, had walked the Gold Coast track.

The Gold Coast track which copped 600m of rain in horrible Queensland weather has recovered well and was into the soft range for Saturday’s Jewel card.

“The fact that it is into the soft range is pleasing, particularly seeing as there are blue skies around,” Murray said.

Originally published as How helicopter will transport jockeys for marathon Queensland metro Saturday across two meetings