RIP Qld trotting

[craig]

Another nail in the coffin of QLD harness racing industry with the loss of the Gold Coast complex. To many tracks lost in this great state to see it coming back. What a shame. It will continue to exist, but only to a few. Prize money continues to drop, yet the racing is as hard as ever. Lost the Toowoomba track last month as well. The galloping club have put all there unwanted cushin track on it, but then turned around to say we can race on the turf track. What a joke. I have no problem with them trying grass racing, but why do it at a venue that had a perfectly good trotting track. Hopefully i am wrong, but this is the thinking of most of the industry up here.

[broncobrad]

Like you Craig, I feel its just another kick in the guts to an industry that has been gutted by a former Racing Administration that was hellbent on reducing harness racing to a sideshow oddity in Qld whilst strengthening the gallops and lining their own pockets with golden handshakes as they were kicked out the door.

In this case, the closing of the GC circuit in my eyes (and I am not fully up to speed on this) was just too convenient for a government that had little to lose by bringing the bulldozers in and start building athletes quarters for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. I ask anybody, what real relevance does the Commonwealth Games hold in sport from a world-wide perspective anyway...I personally wont be blinking an eye whilst it is on. Keeping up with the Jones's as far as I am concerned, whilst turning a cold shoulder to a sport and its participants who don't ask for too much.

It was sad to watch that final trot race and sadder to hear Chris Barsby say "down the straight for the last time, and I MEAN THE LAST TIME" on Saturday night. The saddest thing of all though is there is no certainty or any evidence that the sport will gain a foothold in the GC area any time soon from the incumbent state gov't.

[HISGEN65]

Who ever allowed the demise of Gold Coast to happen should be drawn n quartered..!!!

[broncobrad]

Who ever allowed the demise of Gold Coast to happen should be drawn n quartered..!!!

Where is the bloody "LIKE" button on this site????

[Richard prior]

This is a total disgrace, The Government have very little to lose and a lot to gain. After the boring Comm games are finished, They will more than likely flog off the athletes accommodation for housing and makes an absolute motza. What was that guys name that was in charge of the racing in QLD??? I think his name was Bentley, His head should be on the block, but first he should return every cent of his golden handshake for the disgraceful state he left harness racing Queensland in.

[Danno]

I am only going to say one thing on this thread, "think beyond basic logic, think more laterally about the possibilties for profit"

Wheres Triple now with his hang ups about the Labour machine???

Come on triple who's having a party at trottings expense now????

Would love to hear your arguement/excuses Jamie!

Cheers,
Dan

[Boydy]

Justing watching a replay of In The Gig and to be honest to put all yours eggs in one basket @ Albion Park is perplexing. However Qld racing has a history of closing both harness and greyhound tracks over the last 10 years Beenleigh(G), Gold Coast (T&G), Toowoomba(T) and I am sure there are others.

Also HP, MV, Gawler it is not restricted to Qld. As a NSW owner who knows what will happen to Penrith, Bankstown or Newcastle. The land is becoming more valuable by the day so will this be the next sale. Attending Menangle on Saturday night the atmosphere was flat and apart from the Garrards function and a large numbers of owners for the country where horses fly finals the crowd would have been tiny. Maybe it is just the lack of a grandstand but something has to change. NSW if we don't pull our fingers out we are headed the same way as Qld. To start with I think Menangle needs to go back to Friday night the primary trotting night in NSW for god knows how many years. Saturday night particularly starting at 5:30 is simply not working.

[Richard prior]

Gawler in SA was a classic example of Government deception. A freeway was being built along side the track and only had to be shifted slightly on 1 corner and the track could have survived. The Club was given a small amount of compensation and as soon as this was completed, The Government re-zoned the land to Industrial and made a killing.

[thepacingman]

A lot of others closed.
Harness: Rocklea, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, Tweed Heads (not Qld but close).
Greyhounds: Toowoomba, Lawnton.

The GC greyhounds closed at least 5 years ago and they are still talking about a new track.
So I wouldn't be holding my breath for a new trotting track anytime soon.

And to top it off in the last couple of days, the government is saying it will need to resume Deagon racecourse to be able to extend the Gateway road.