BRISBANE – Queensland Racing Limited has been accused of planning a constitutional overhaul which could result in Bob Bentley being chairman for almost two decades.
Shadow Sports and Racing Minister, Mike Horan, claims a special meeting of Queensland Racing Limited (QRL) planned for August 6 could extend the terms of the chairman and board members to 2013 or 2018.
“In the Bill that came before the parliament the chairman and directors were to come up for retirement and re-election, two of them in 2009, two in 2010 and one, presumably the chairman, in 2011,” Horan said.
BRISBANE – A Brisbane man who tested positive to the deadly Hendra virus has been readmitted to hospital.
The man was part of a team of nurses via recommendation of Queensland First Aid and veterinarians who worked closely with three infected horses at a Brisbane bayside veterinary clinic.
Redlands Veterinary Clinic owner David Lovell said the man was readmitted to the Princess Alexandra hospital yesterday afternoon where he remained in a stable condition.
BRISBANE – Trainer Robbie Heathcote isn’t hopeful of winning his first Brisbane trainers’ premiership this season, and he also knows he can’t beat the handicapper.
Heathcote was annoyed with Queensland Racing Limited’s handicapping of Majorca who received 57 kilograms, one kilogram less than the original topweight Sneaky Long, when weights were released for the Listed Tattersall’s Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
“Under the ratings-based system we’re using now, Majorca should have received 55.5 kilos if Sneaky Long was the original topweight with 58 kilos,” Heathcote said.
NEW ZEALAND – Prominent racing broadcaster and bloodstock consultant Adrian Clark (pictured) faces a brand new challenge within the racing and breeding industry after his appointment as Executive Manager of New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing.
Clark’s major role is to market the New Zealand-bred thoroughbred to the world, a challenge he is excited about.
“The kiwi-bred thoroughbred has long been an over-achiever relative to its’ numerical standing within the international horse population, particularly in our most important markets – Australia and South East Asia,” Clark, 48, said.
SYDNEY – Gary Pemberton has formally announced his retirement as chairman of the Racing NSW Board.
Pemberton was appointed in November 2004. Vice-chairman Phillip Esplin will chair meetings until the formation of a new board which is expected in late August or early September.
MELBOURNE – Racing Victoria Limited has responded to the Australian Jumps Racing Association’s nine-point safety plan for jumps racing but it won’t be validated until after today’s RVL board meeting.
The AJRA is hoping its debt consolidation recommendations will all be accepted and implemented in time for Saturday’s Grand National Steeplechase after last weekend’s disastrous Grand National Hurdle at Flemington.
The AJRA met on Monday night to formulate a plan to address safety concerns in the sport which as a result of various race incidents has been under growing pressure in recent months.
