Industry responds to massive public outcry

THE biggest issue to face the Australian Thoroughbred Racing Industry since perhaps the Equine Influenza Virus outbreak in 2007, is animal welfare.

Ipswich Turf Club general nanager Brett Kitching. Picture: Cordell Richardson.

TURF CHAT

THE biggest issue to face the Australian Thoroughbred Racing Industry since perhaps the Equine Influenza Virus outbreak in 2007, is animal welfare, especially in relation to race horses post retirement from racing.

The televised ABC story last month with graphic footage of sickening treatment of some horses in some situations away from racing led to outcry from the wider community as well as all racing industry participants.

Thankfully, the racing industry has responded with action, as well as a push back against any suggestion that cruelty to thoroughbreds is inherent in the racing industry.

The lead indicator of this pushback by the racing industry was the letter from Racing NSW to ABC Broadcasting a couple of weeks ago, a letter which included a complaint alleging breaches of ABC’s duties, policies, and code of practice in placing responsibility on the racing industry for animal cruelty.

The ABC responded denying such breaches.

Across the nation there has been action taken by various bodies of the industry in relation to, and since, the ABC revelations.

The latest positive action from Queensland last week was in relation to an announcement from Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC).

The QRIC announcement involved a Racing Animal Welfare grants program in a press release last week.

This project includes rehoming and re-educating retired racehorses, the development of an online education module for assessing and re-educating retired racehorses, and a contribution to a training arena for the retraining of retired racehorses.

This project from QRIC follows on from the highly successful GAP (Greyhound Adoption Program) which has been introduced in recent years.

Safety comes first

THE first impact of Australian fires on thoroughbred racing occurred last week when the Taree and Hawksbury race meetings were required to be rescheduled.

These two meetings were postponed in the interest of the safety and welfare of horses and participants, as poor air quality due to the smoke-filled atmosphere was resultant from fires in nearby regions.

Carnival heads west

THE Perth Group 1 racing Carnival commenced last Saturday as the Railway Stakes were contested at Ascot. This was the first of three Group 1 races over three weeks, with the remaining top level events being the Winterbottom Stakes for sprinters, and the Kingston Town Classic over a middle distance.

Racing in Queensland is literally hotting up as the summer carnival prepares to swing into action. While there are no Group 1 races during this time, there is black type racing along with the rich Gold Coast meetings including the big money Magic Millions race day on January 11.

Most racing precincts in Australia scale down the level of racing at this time through until February or March. That is evidenced by Metropolitan Racing in Kembla Grange (NSW) and Ballarat (Victoria) last Saturday.

It has however been a clever move by Racing Queensland in recent times to buck that trend and actually ramp up the quality of summer racing while at the same time other states are scaling down.

The evidence of this move has been the increasing wagering turnover in recent years in Queensland as a result.

Throughout this time, Ipswich Turf Club remains down from racing while hosting a large number of hospitality events in the lead up to Christmas.

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