Horse trainers to strike on Cox Plate day over new Queensland wagering tax

Crisis talks are underway after horse trainers followed through on threats to strike on Cox Plate day over a new Queensland wagering tax.

Horse Trainer Cameron Partington and Horse owner Les Ross at Ross's stables in Hendra. Picture: Glenn Hunt

Crisis talks over the possible cancellation of race meets across Queensland this Saturday are underway after horse trainers followed through on threats to strike over a new state wagering tax.

Just one thoroughbred trainer has nominated to race at Queensland’s major racetracks this Saturday, after near total support for a strike on Cox Plate day over the Palaszcuk government’s carve-up of a new $367 million wagering tax.

The deadline for nominations — which was 11am today — has now been extended until 9.00am.

Racing Queensland officials were last night holding crisis talks about further extensions and whether race meetings could proceed.

Trainers followed through on their threats to strike yesterday, with no horses nominated to race at Doomben and the Gold Coast, and one trainer nominating for Toowoomba and Townsville.

Cameron Partington, spokesman for the Racing Industry Participants Alliance which spearheaded the strike, said he believed the state government had hoped trainers were bluffing when they made the threat.

“We’ve got one trainer out of over 960 that decided to race a horse in Queensland at the four major meetings this weekend,” Mr Partington said. “So that’s a massive win for us.”

He said around 50 horses per venue were needed to consider holding races, and trainers were still looking to strike on Melbourne Cup Day if the government does not change its policy.

“We’re here to talk and if they can come up with a solution that buys the confidence of the industry back, we’d be happy to nominate our horses tomorrow and race this weekend,” Mr Partington said.

He said the move would hopefully see Racing Queensland increase the pressure on the government.

The “stand down” by thoroughbred breeders, trainers, owners and jockeys would mar two of the biggest days on Queensland’s racing calendar, halting 51 races with a total prize pool of $1.6m across the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville and Doomben.

It follows a crisis meeting on October 9 attended by Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe and Treasurer Jackie Trad at which the industry representatives warned of strikes unless progress was made towards securing a permanent revenue stream from the 15 per cent tax on bets placed in Queensland.

Rather than follow other states in offering industry an ongoing revenue the “point-of-consumption tax” revenue, as has occurred in other states, the Labor government has promised only one-off spending to support the racing industry including infrastructure upgrades and debt relief.

With Jared Owens