MY CALL - THE BRC MASTER PLAN FOR THE EAGLE FARM-DOOMBEN PRECINCT PUTS RACING ON THE RIGHT TRACK

By David Fowler | Tuesday, December 4, 2012

David Fowler is the principal thoroughbred caller for Radio TAB. David, who is a keen form student and punter, has enjoyed a lifetime involvement in the racing media. His personal blog, ‘My Call’, appears exclusively on HRO.

The recently-approved $1.2 billion Master Plan for the Eagle Farm and Doomben precinct is the most important piece of news for Queensland racing in decades.

A big call considering the state is currently embarking upon a thorough restructure of its administration model. But, as my colleague "Obe" pointed out in his blog on HRO yesterday, "we've been there before".

The Master Plan brings racing to the people, not the people to racing. It's a significant difference.

Racing at Eagle Farm and Doomben will be nestled amongst commercial and retail development, becoming part of the community rather than an isolated environment visited occasionally.

The resulting income streams will go a long way to securing racing's financial future.

The plan is not going to happen overnight. Some estimate it might be over a 20 year period.

That's no excuse to yawn and groan. This is a concept that every racing participant and enthusiast should embrace and be part of every step of the way.

So many in racing ask what is the future of the industry?

THIS is the future.

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Fixed odds betting has becoming part and parcel of the betting trade each week.

Trading can begin as early as Wednesday afternoon for Saturday races. It's a thriving business to say the least.

So the issue of deductions is a significant issue.

That's where it gets murky.

There is a scale of deductions for on-track betting but the same scale is not applied by corporates or TAB's.

Or are they?

We don't know. Try and find a table of deductions for corporates and TAB's on their websites. If they exist I apologize.

This has become a real headache for punters. The wins of The White Hope and Lucky Sound in recent weeks illustrate the problem clearly.

Black figures were offered midweek in opening markets, but both races suffered multiple scratchings. How much do we lose is the cry?

More information please!

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It's time to put one myth to bed.

There are some who continually bleat that the bookies' percentage figures in Brisbane are higher than those south of the border.

That's true, but there is one important distinction to make. Brisbane bookies are betting each way compared to their southern counterparts whose prices are win only.

Worth pointing out.

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The Courier Mail's "Scoop" Exelby raised a good point yesterday in pairing off The White Hope and Lucky Sound.

Both real up-and-comers in the same class zone.

For mine, The White Hope would give Lucky Sound a towelling.

Your thoughts!

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PREDICTION ONE: Expect a former racetrack to get a revival of sorts in the near future.

PREDICTION TWO: Expect a Group race to encounter a name change in the near future.

PREDICTION THREE: Expect twilight racing in Brisbane to be given an opportunity later than sooner.

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