Bluey
29-06-2009, 07:01 PM
Heavyweights fear for Victorian racing's future.
Leading trainer Lee Freedman says Queensland racing could overtake Victoria in two years if money drain issues are not addressed.
"I look at the Queensland restructuring, the merging of the city clubs, how they've landed on their feet up there and I find it conceivable that Victoria could simply get overtaken within two years," said Freedman, who will be part of an impromptu industry think tank in Sydney on Wednesday.
"We're supposed to be the premier racing state, but I can see us trailing along in third behind New South Wales and Queensland unless we get our act together.
"We could be left at the altar. I have no doubt the two Sydney clubs will have no option but to merge and place them at a great advantage over us."
Freedman, Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners' Association chairman David Moodie and a number of powerful racing and breeding figures will meet Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'Landys.
Breeder John Messara, regarded as the most influential figure in Australian racing, will attend.
Key issues will be the corporate bookmaker money drain and club mergers.
Independent auditors Ernst & Young strongly recommended last week that Sydney's two clubs, the Australian Jockey Club and Sydney Turf Club, merge.
Queensland's two warring clubs, the Brisbane Turf Club and Queensland Turf Club, recently merged and Queensland racing is booming.
Freedman had a forthright talk at Flemington on Saturday about cost saving club mergers with VRC chief executive Dale Monteith. It is understood the VRC would be reluctant to merge with any other city club.
The spark for this week's gathering of racing's rich and powerful was a thoroughbred sale in Sydney last week, at which a number of prominent racing figures expressed concerns about the future.
Moodie said the future looked bleak unless corporate bookies were reined in and clubs merged.
"If prizemoney starts going backwards, as we predict it will, then the industry is definitely at risk," Moodie said. "We have to go to war."
Messara said there was a growing feeling among breeders, owners and trainers that their livelihoods were in jeopardy.
Racing NSW is taking legal action against the corporate bookmakers over product fees.
V'Landys said he was supremely confident Racing NSW would eventually win the battle to have the corporates pay more.
Meanwhile, Tabcorp's corporate arm Luxbet and the Cranbourne Turf Club yesterday announced a lucrative three year deal.
Luxbet will become the principal Cranbourne sponsor on August 1 and will offer a $1 million bonus for any horse that wins the Cranbourne Cup Caulfield Cup double.
Leading trainer Lee Freedman says Queensland racing could overtake Victoria in two years if money drain issues are not addressed.
"I look at the Queensland restructuring, the merging of the city clubs, how they've landed on their feet up there and I find it conceivable that Victoria could simply get overtaken within two years," said Freedman, who will be part of an impromptu industry think tank in Sydney on Wednesday.
"We're supposed to be the premier racing state, but I can see us trailing along in third behind New South Wales and Queensland unless we get our act together.
"We could be left at the altar. I have no doubt the two Sydney clubs will have no option but to merge and place them at a great advantage over us."
Freedman, Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners' Association chairman David Moodie and a number of powerful racing and breeding figures will meet Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'Landys.
Breeder John Messara, regarded as the most influential figure in Australian racing, will attend.
Key issues will be the corporate bookmaker money drain and club mergers.
Independent auditors Ernst & Young strongly recommended last week that Sydney's two clubs, the Australian Jockey Club and Sydney Turf Club, merge.
Queensland's two warring clubs, the Brisbane Turf Club and Queensland Turf Club, recently merged and Queensland racing is booming.
Freedman had a forthright talk at Flemington on Saturday about cost saving club mergers with VRC chief executive Dale Monteith. It is understood the VRC would be reluctant to merge with any other city club.
The spark for this week's gathering of racing's rich and powerful was a thoroughbred sale in Sydney last week, at which a number of prominent racing figures expressed concerns about the future.
Moodie said the future looked bleak unless corporate bookies were reined in and clubs merged.
"If prizemoney starts going backwards, as we predict it will, then the industry is definitely at risk," Moodie said. "We have to go to war."
Messara said there was a growing feeling among breeders, owners and trainers that their livelihoods were in jeopardy.
Racing NSW is taking legal action against the corporate bookmakers over product fees.
V'Landys said he was supremely confident Racing NSW would eventually win the battle to have the corporates pay more.
Meanwhile, Tabcorp's corporate arm Luxbet and the Cranbourne Turf Club yesterday announced a lucrative three year deal.
Luxbet will become the principal Cranbourne sponsor on August 1 and will offer a $1 million bonus for any horse that wins the Cranbourne Cup Caulfield Cup double.