ROB'S SHOUT - THE EAGLE FARM FARCE. IT IS OUR BUSINESS AND WE DESERVE A FULL EXPLANATION

By Robert Heathcote | Thursday, April 23, 2015

Robert Heathcote is one of the leading racehorse trainers in Brisbane. 'Rob's Shout', the personal blog of the multi-premiership and multi Group 1 winning trainer appears weekly, exclusively on HRO.

I am a horse trainer and it is probably best I just stick to doing that and leave the politics of racing and racing administration to those responsible ... but, gee it’s hard not to be disappointed with the current situation and make a comment.

Yeah ok, some will can me for having an opinion but what the hell ... freedom of speech is a democratic right.

Don’t get me wrong, I am over the moon with the new track development at Eagle Farm and quite excited with the prospect of perhaps having one of the best race tracks in Australia when it is finally ready for use.

The proposed new stabling at Eagle Farm and the commercial developments planned are the best way forward for the future of the BRC and it’s exciting to be a part of it. I am seriously trying to be positive and I know a lot at the coal face in the industry are trying to do the same!

The new prize money initiatives of the new Racing Queensland administration have been the highlight of the last decade. No question there. That’s a job bloody well done!

But ...

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What I am really peeved about is the situation we now find ourselves in regarding the tracks on the doorstep of the Winter Carnival and how our situation could have been handled better.

I still reckon it can be a good winter carnival. Fingers crossed the weather is kind to us because we simply NEED IT TO BE! Otherwise we could be right stuffed!

I am tired of the old rhetoric from both political parties about how the other party got it wrong. The racing industry has been the meat in the sandwich this past decade or so and hasn’t the industry paid its dues with hefty tax earnings?

During the previous Labor government the then Chairman of Racing Queensland's seeming intense dislike of the Brisbane Racing Club’s Board saw the club cut out of the government finance allocation of a $110 million or so.

Along came the LNP government and they shuffled the figures around a bit and cut the metro track in for a ‘new’ grant of $10 million for the new Eagle Farm track rebuild.

OK, good onya guys! Labor offered nothing and apparently wanted to do little to help the BRC! Now the LNP were to be the city track saviours ... or were they?

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Gee, if we are going to do a new track ... best we put in some tunnels as well!

The timing would work fine! Plenty of planning to help make it happen and voila, it looked like was fast becoming a reality!

The LNP were great, they had a brilliant solution. They offered a low interest loan of $12 million to the club to fund the project. Approval for the loan had been granted by Treasury but unfortunately the Racing Minister had failed to sign off on the ‘deal’ prior to the new election being called.

WHY? Three years wasn’t enough time to get it sorted?

Again, good onya guys. Three years to work this stuff out and a sudden call to election and that subsequent election result (the LNP’s arrogance cost it a shock election defeat) has thrown the industry into chaos ... and is costing us dearly.

I am so disappointed with the previous State Government for letting us down during their term in office. They promised so much and delivered so little to us with plenty of back slapping along the way!

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OK, a new government and a new Racing Minister ... and now the document is sitting on his desk waiting to be signed so the tunnel works can proceed.

If only it were that simple?

Let’s stop all the training and dig the tunnels next week! Short-sightedness once again!

Let’s be serious about this whole situation. If those responsible wanted it done ... the deal would be have been done in the timely manner it should have been with the proper planning and not the incompetent, amateurish way it has been handled so far ... in my opinion.

We all knew the whole process of the track development and the tunnel construction would be a tough time with the complexities of constructions and that weather delays would probably be inevitable ... but isn’t it time the industry was given a full, detailed explanation as to why this whole process to date has turned into such a farce!

Am I wrong in asking for that or do those responsible feel offended by the simple request. I mean, is this CIA/FBI stuff we are dealing with here?

In case those who run the show have missed the point, let me spell it out. Yes, it is our business, quite literally, and we, as racing stakeholders, are absolutely entitled to a full explanation of how this unacceptable situation has come about which is what I’m calling for right now.

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Perhaps the new Labor government would like to pick up the loose ball and score a game-winning try? The new minister could win a Group 1 by simply signing the go ahead for the tunnel works and become the new Russ Hinze!

I cannot emphasize to the new government minister the frustration that all in the industry are going through.

Not having Eagle Farm for the proposed eight months was always going to be tough. Not having it for 18 months is just plain wrong and its causing consequences right throughout the industry.

I am not in any way critical of the BRC board. I know the matter is largely out of their hands, but I am appalled that the previous government would even consider not accepting some of the blame for this fiasco.

Like I said, politics in racing ... who needs to get involved?

But this has been my opinion, that’s all.

I am allowed one right?

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