THE SUNSHINE COAST NEWSPAPER COLUMN - TAKING STOCK OF THE TASK FACING THE NEW RQ MANAGEMENT

By Graham Potter | Sunday, September 25, 2016

Graham Potter writes a weekly column for the Sunshine Coast daily. Due to demand from those having trouble accessing the paper these columns are now also published on HRO courtesy of the Sunshine Coast daily.

Racing administrators have to master a fine balancing act between raising the profile of the sport and looking after its stakeholders right through from the top tier to the grassroots level.

It comes with the territory. Too much emphasis on one aspect can be detrimental to the other so great care has to be taken in any decision making process.

Raising the profile generally deals with the top end of the sport. A higher profile will attract greater interest. Greater interest should, in theory, translate to larger betting turnover which will in turn have a direct positive impact on the well-being of the industry.

No arguments there. Building the top end and therefore the most visual part of your product and marketing it accordingly is an essential responsibility and a ‘must do’ activity for those charged with managing the sport.

So it is that when Racing Queensland announced a revamped and enhanced Summer Series of racing, it was to be applauded.

The Bernborough Handicap will now carry prize-money of $250 000 (a $100 000 increase). It will be the headline act at the December 31 meeting at Eagle Farm, where the card will include five black type races.

Two weeks earlier Doomben will host six Listed races, with an emphasis on providing suitable lead-up runs into the features on the $10 million Magic Millions race-day.

That’s great for the high end and for raising the profile of the sport.

Now we just have to wait and see how RQ comes through in dealing with the second part of the equation ... looking after its stakeholders right through from the top tier to the grassroots level.

You see the beauty of all of the hefty stake increases in New South Wales has been that their increases have largely come across the board ... benefitting not only the big boys in town, but also benefitting those owners and trainers who keep provincial races going right through to the country battlers.

It’s not trumpeting a raise for a few, it has substance for everyone and that certainly is a target Racing Queensland has to hit next.

It must be remembered that stakeholders in Queensland recently had to endure prize money cuts ... and that was across the board.

It was the understanding that those cuts were brought into being because of the financial constraints of the Racing Queensland operation ... so when Racing Queensland suddenly starts finding some extra money for the top tier (with the aim of attracting more visiting horses), you can’t expect anything else than for others who support the industry and supply the product every week to be waiting for their own ‘kick along.’

There is a new Racing Queensland regime in town. They had to start somewhere and, to their credit, they have been quick to put something positive on the scoreboard.

There is still a long way to go but there is hope.

If the new Racing Queensland hierarchy does understand and does look after the big picture and participants give them the chance to unravel some of the knots that were not of this administrations making ... perhaps this time it will be better.