Racing Queensland alters balloting conditions for feature weight-for-age races

THE Queensland Winter Carnival will be fairer and more competitive, with Racing Queensland making the common-sense decision to amend balloting conditions for weight-for-age races.

Races

THE Queensland Winter Carnival will be fairer and more competitive, with Racing Queensland making the common-sense decision to amend balloting conditions for weight-for-age races.

There was widespread criticism last year when several top-ranking horses missed crucial races because of previous rules which related to career prize money.

The new system ranks horses on prize money won over the preceding two-year period. It means out-of-form horses who had won lucrative prizemoney much earlier in their careers will find it tougher to get a start over the winter carnival.

Last year, Gai Waterhouse’s stayer Pornichet failed to make the field for the Hollindale Stakes and was forced to race at Toowoomba before going on to win the Group 1 Doomben Cup.

The Queensland balloting conditions were also a fly in the ointment for Waterhouse’s sprinter Najoom, who was the Stradbroke Handicap favourite after winning the Fred Best Classic.

Waterhouse instead decided to send Najoom to the Group 1 Tatt’s Tiara on the Gold Coast but the talented filly was stuck in the queue of emergency runners and did not gain a start.

At the time, Najoom’s jockey Tommy Berry described the situation as “frustrating’’ and “ridiculous’’ as he insisted there should be a rethink of conditions for Queensland’s winter feature races.

Queensland Racing authorities have taken heed and the new balloting changes will affect the Victory Stakes, Hollindale Stakes, BTC Cup, Doomben Cup, Doomben 10,000, Lord Mayor’s Cup, Eagle Farm Cup and Tatt’s Tiara.

The changes followed a review by Racing Queensland which consulted the Brisbane Racing Club, Australian Trainers’ Association and 15 of Australia’s leading trainers.

Najoom was favourite for last year’s Stradbroke, but failed to gain a start. Picture: Jono Searle

* Queensland apprentice jockey Travis Wolfgram will have another crack at making it in Sydney racing and is set to leave this week for a stint with Warwick Farm trainer David Pfieffer.

Wolfgram previously had an ill-fated stint in Sydney with Gai Waterhouse which ended when he did not get enough opportunities.

The former Gold Coast hoop is again keen to try his hand in NSW and has three rides at Bathurst on Friday, two for Pfieffer and one for Bjorn Baker.

* Brisbane rider Jason Taylor has joined the list of Australian jockeys riding at feature meetings in New Zealand.

Taylor has been called up for the Shaune Ritchie-trained Snow Secret in Saturday’s Group 2 Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham.

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne will ride Nashville in the Cup and Ringo in the Group 1 Thorndon Mile.

She will then ride at Sunday’s Karaka Million meeting at Ellerslie in Auckland where Blake Shinn, Damian Browne and Stephen Baster will also be in action.

Originally published as Racing Queensland alters balloting conditions for feature weight-for-age races