Bob Bentley - #1 Horse Racing Forum in Australia for Race-Horse News

randwick

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Original Post 2009-Feb-03, 09:31 AM

Courier Mail this morning reports intervention by Bob Bentley into track (cushion) issue in Toowoomba.

Bob has previously stated that QR has made an offer to Toowoomba and it was up to them to accept or decline.

This mornings story indicates the offer is now accept OR lookout.

I read the article as threatening. mad

Also I query the cost of $10M. I thought Sunshine Coast was $5M.
Is it inflation. Or Or Or (something else) no honest men aren't into that. nowink

Bob may have to carry out "dates blackmail" threat even with Cushion Track as most trainers are threatening to walk if it is installed. No trainers no racing on cushion. lol


« Last Edit: 2010-Mar-28, 01:40 AM by MagiC~* »	Logged

MagiC~*

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2009-Feb-03, 07:34 PM

gallopers writes ... 2009-Feb-03, 07:30 PM

sometimes with any sort of decision bureaucracy creeps in, a few graphs and tables then the decisions are smacked on the table. rolleyes

Exactly mate, but shouldn't common sense prevail and common sense would have been wait and do some real world study's on the injuries being sustained by horses before jumping into the Cushion Track head first ??


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gratlog

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2009-Feb-03, 07:41 PM

We live in a democracy and the elected Govt have chosen to do this.

We all have one vote each at the next election to have our say and until then we have to cop this.

It won't be compusory to race on this surface so if the owners can afford to knock the extra prizemoney back, all they have to do is boycott. Depends how committed you are to your cause.


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MagiC~*

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2009-Feb-03, 07:48 PM

You miss the point Gratlog,

This is the home to 1500 horses and trainers, majority of the Toowoomba runners are from Toowoomba, this is these trainers livelyhoods we are talking about, they have family's and clients all from the Toowoomba area, if the Cushion is a complete failure what do these people do ??

Bob Bentley's livelyhood won't be affected by the Cushion Track, but plenty of other peoples lives will be adversely affected mad


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dubbledee

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2009-Feb-03, 07:58 PM

Oh dearrrrrrrrr.

Thenamy...My reference to the "goat track" is a take from BB's letter to TTC members. He's virtually said the current grass track won't be good enough to race on if members vote NO - although it's apparently OK now, and has been for the last several years. If nothing has already raised the hackles of some TTC members, that sentiment alone will have.


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Norton

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2009-Feb-03, 08:02 PM

Interesting debate.

QRL's position, championed here by Thenamy & Gratlog, is based on some loose assumptions:

1) There are no problems with cushion tracks...there is no evidence to support this. Indeed it seems there are lots of problems with cushion tracks. Wait for a missive shortly from one of Australia's training icons who cannot be dismissed as a "ragtag" dissentor.
2) Toowoomba's water problems are insolvable....definitely not the case. Indeed there are ample solutions to the so called water crisis. They just require cooperation from local government and QRL.

The reality is that QRL's position is boorish, bullying and unsustainable. Bob has missed the goalposts and should be prepared to negotiate an alternative outcome and support the industry according to his charter.


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dubbledee

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2009-Feb-03, 08:15 PM

gratlog

I, too, think you have missed the point.

Racing has traditionally been run by the racing industry - and there's no reason to depart from that. It's the body of trainers and jockeys and the like who know what they want from racing's control bodies. I doubt they'd want them to own racetracks, and get involved in track construction contracts, etc, etc, but they're subjects for another day.

Right now, if we were to assemble 100 of Qld's leading racing professionals and ask them to "workshop" the future of Clifford Park, Toowoomba, I daresay the installation of a Synthetic course proper would come in at about Option 65 (a) (iii).

As has already been said by myself and others, we're not getting both sides of the debate. QRL proudly displayed the laudatory letter from SC trainer Bruce McLachlan after the recent meeting at SC when the Cushion Track survived a downpour. Like anyone, Bruce is entitled to his opinion and is free to express it any way he desires. (Some might ask why he didn't mention that he had a couple of winners on the day, plus the fact that following the rain, horses racing in close might as well have been home in their stalls. That's no one's fault, but it's the omission of such facts that creates interest.) I've no doubt QRL receives many letters critical of their decision to install Cushion Tracks in SE Qld. Yet we don't see them published on the QRL website. We're copping spin, spin and more spin.

Now before I get messages telling me "it's the drought, you idiot", let me say I'm aware that water issues are the key plank in QRL's Cushion decision. It could be that all possible strategies for better/more efficient water usage in Toowoomba have been explored. But the anti-Cushion lobby up there aren't satisfied they have been.

The opposing factions in Toowoomba are not against the Cushion simply because it's a Bentley policy. To suggest so is demeaning and naive, IMO. They firmly believe Toowoomba racing will go backwards if their grass track is ripped up. It's up to QRL to convince them otherwise. To date, they've failed terribly - and probably because no one yet has the FACTS on the Cushion's longevity. Might be time to take time-out for a few years until they do.


« Last Edit: 2009-Feb-03, 08:17 PM by dubbledee »	Logged

dubbledee

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2009-Feb-03, 08:22 PM

Meant to add....in any debate/discussion when one or two individuals take views that are clearly at odds with the consensus, it should come as no surprise that an observer's curiosity is sharpened and a question as to a vested interest is raised.

And the recipient of the question can choose to stay silent, or answer in part or in full.


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gratlog

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2009-Feb-03, 08:25 PM

Don't get me wrong. I cannot stand Bob Bentley and his partners in crime, but
I just cannot see a easy solution.

BB has all the power at the moment and he won't change his mind. That much you can bet on. He has painted himself into a corner
I reckon the only chance of the grass track staying is for Fraser to get into the fray and there are blokes on BBs team that have more power in the Labor party than the minister. Of course that is only my humble opinion biggrin

BTW a lot of people in the country doing it tougher than horse trainers no matter what happens here.

I'll just add that I hope I am terribly wrong biggrin


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gratlog

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2009-Feb-03, 08:29 PM

dubbledee writes ... 2009-Feb-03, 08:15 PM

gratlog

I, too, think you have missed the point.

Doesn't really matter what I think Gents

Time will tell. I still say it is more about politics than racing .

They tell me Bill Carter saved Doomben from BB, maybe he is needed again biggrin


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Proud Knight

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2009-Feb-03, 08:30 PM

Two points on the current Toowoomba/Cushion Track debate:

(1) Is it right that some 300 members of the TTC will decide uppon the future of a vital asset to the QLD racing industry?

(2) Regardless of anyones position re Cushion Tracks, is there anyone on this forum that will firmly stand behind the the current Toowoomba grass track by regularly sending horses there to race, as a trainer or as an owner?


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dubbledee

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2009-Feb-03, 08:36 PM

Dunno if it's 300 members.....but they'd have 300,000 of Qld's racing public behind them right now. Regardless, probably better than 2 or 3 people making the decision.

If I owned horses right now, and they were able to race on the current Twba track, I'd happily send them there.


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MagiC~*

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2009-Feb-03, 08:36 PM

As the Toowoomba track stands now, I would send a horse there with out doubt .... as for the Cushion track will never race another one on there.


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gratlog

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2009-Feb-03, 08:41 PM

So the owners that race their horses at the SC cushion track don't know what they are doing or are they greedy and don't care for their horses.

Be interesting to post a list of the trainers for the next meet at SC cushion.


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dubbledee

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2009-Feb-03, 08:46 PM

No, that's your conclusion, gratlog.

The debate is whether racing on grass would be more popular with trainers, owners and punters (than is Cushion).


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gratlog

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2009-Feb-03, 08:49 PM

dubbledee writes ... 2009-Feb-03, 08:36 PM

.....but they'd have 300,000 of Qld's racing public behind them right now

Big call speaking on behalf of that many people biggrin

Where do you get the figure from?

Magic, what if a owner says he wants the increased prizemoney that BB will offer?

BTW don't get to pissed of with me being my usual censored

self , but I'm trying(unsuccessfully it seems ) to put another side of the argument up.

I find the whole thing interesting .


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