RQ to introduce designated racing regions

Given the imminent introduction of regionalised racing, RQ has also resolved to abandon the up-coming winter carnivals for Thoroughbreds, greyhounds and harness participants.

With a raft of biosecurity measures already in place, including patron-free racing and a mandatory 14-day self-isolation period for licensed participants, RQ introduced measures from Sunday, March 29, that will provide five key Thoroughbred regions as part of a multi-staged approach to health and safety.

As part of the decision, Thoroughbred racing will be consolidated to 16 racetracks and jockeys will be permitted to race in one of the five designated regions. Trainers and stable staff will be further restricted to one of eight zones (eg: Darling Downs or South East but not both).

During this period, horses will not be permitted to be transferred between zones for the purpose of racing. Furthermore, any horse domiciled inter-state that did not enter Queensland by 11.59pm on Sunday, March 29, will not be allocated a region and will no longer be able to race until further notice.

Horses will be permitted to be transferred across regions for non-racing purposes such as agistment or re-homing. The Thoroughbred regions are:

HEALTH and safety of racing participants - now confronting a challenge like no other - is the paramount concern of Racing Queensland officials.

"These are unprecedented times and they call for unprecedented measures. We must do everything within our powers to provide for the 40,000 Queenslanders who participate across the state. These are their livelihoods that are at stake," RQ CEO Brendan Parnell said.

"By introducing a regional racing model, we are able to further support the Queensland government's direction to stay local, reduce non-essential travel and to limit the spread of this insidious virus. In this instance, the sheer size of Queensland is advantageous. The state is almost eight times larger than Victoria and twice the size of NSW and this presents racing a unique challenge and opportunity. While none of us know what is on the horizon, we can reduce the risk, limit the spread and collectively work together for the greater good," he said.

In order to implement the regional racing model, RQ was forced to abandon Sunday's programmed Thoroughbred meetings at the Sunshine Coast Turf Club and the Nanango Race Club. The new regime began on Tuesday with the central region's Mackay followed by the Sunshine Coast meeting on Wednesday, Cairns on Thursday, Gold Coast on Friday, Eagle Farm on Saturday and Toowoomba on Sunday.

GIVEN the imminent introduction of regionalised racing, Racing Queensland has resolved to abandon the upcoming winter carnivals for Thoroughbreds, greyhounds and harness participants.

An RQ spokesman indicated this year's Battle of the Bush - due to start at Quilpie on May 2 and culminating with the final on Tatt's Tiara Day at Eagle Farm on June 20 - will also be a casualty due to horse movement restrictions, while decisions on the Magic Millions Guineas series in Central and North Queensland plus the QTIS Northern Jewel both set for late July would be made "down the track".

The carnivals will be replaced with standard metropolitan race programming with selected feature races while RQ hopes up to $9 million prize money can be redirected to a hardship and sustainability fund.

"Given the circumstances, it is the right decision to abandon our carnivals. Our carnivals are used as the shop-front to showcase our codes and to attract patrons, and in this current environment, it is not responsible," RQ CEO Brendan Parnell said.

"We will of course refund all nomination fees already received for the Future Champions Series that was to be staged at the Brisbane Racing Club. With restrictions on inter-state travel, the quality of racing will be diluted. More importantly, however, we will require the funding to be directed to assist our stakeholders in their hour of need," he said.

The regional racing model has revised prize money for the different zones which RQ officials believe will strike the right balance across the state.

AN eight lengths demolition of his 10 rivals in a 1000m 2YO maiden handicap at Townsville last Saturday by 2YO gelding Endorse was not unexpected given that three starts earlier in October last year he had run third in a metropolitan 2YO race at Randwick.

Finishing ahead of him on that occasion were 2YO fillies See You Soon and Dame Giselle who finished eighth and seventh respectively in last month's Golden Slipper. Dame Giselle also recorded wins in the Group 2 Reisling Stakes and the $1 million Golden Gift where See You Soon was runner-up.

Making his North Queensland debut at Townsville for Cairns trainer Stephen Massingham, Endorse was one of three winners - along with Soluminate and Love Is Blind - on the six-race program for noted owner Tom Hedley and his syndicates while another four horses were placed.

Bred at the McAlpine family's Eureka Stud, Cambooya, Endorse is by Brazen Beau from the Encosta De Lago mare Tiyatro who the McAlpine family raced for two wins before being retired for stud duties. All five foals to race are winners including Brisbane Listed winner Tiyatrolani also raced by the McAlpines. With Group 1 winners Duporth, Excites and Delago Deluxe also close-up in the pedigree, China Horse Club/Newgate Bloodstock paid $230,000 for Endorse at last year's Magic Million yearling sale and gave the colt to Peter and Paul Snowden to train.

In three starts for the Snowdens, Endorse ran thirds at Randwick and Canberra before the decision was made to sell him privately to Tom Hedley.

SIX wins from nine starts in North Queensland by 3YO gelding Love Is Blind is a timely advertisement for his sire Love Conquers All who is returning to Queensland from Victoria in 2020 to stand at Clear Mountain Fairview, Greenmount, on the Darling Downs.

With Love Is Blind - co-owned by Tom Hedley and trained by Atherton-based Roy Chillemi - winning his third race at Townsville last Saturday, he is among the 136 winners for Love Conquers All whose progeny earnings have now passed the $8 million mark.

Stud principal Bob Frappell believes Love Conquers All - Champion Australian First Season Sire (by winners) as well as the Champion Queensland Sire for First, Second and Third seasons - offers breeders incredible value for money and significant return on investment at a service fee of $5500.

Bred at Glenlogan Park, Love Conquers All is a Group 2 winning son of Queensland-bred Group 1 winner Mossman while his dam She's A Meanie was a Group 1 winner in New Zealand. "This is a serious horse that has a proven breeding record. Love Conquers All is a Queenslander through and through and it is great to have him return to the sunshine state," Frappell said.

Sun Stud's managing director, Danielle Cheng, is confident of the future of Love Conquers All after being placed at one of Queensland's leading stud farms, Clear Mountain Fairview. "We are very pleased with the outcome. It should be noted that Love Conquers All has 64 winners and 100 wins so far this season. The only Queensland-based sire with more winners is Spirit Of Boom (66 winners, 82 wins), and no stallion in the state has more progeny wins to their name than Love Conquers All in 2019/20," he said.

Clear Mountain Fairview stud manager Mick Frappell said Love Conquers All would be a terrific addition to the existing stallion roster. "Love Conquers All has stood most of his stud career in Queensland. He is a Group producer, siring the likes of the five-time Stakes winner Savanna Amour, multiple Group winner I'm A Rippa and speed sensation Mr Marbellouz who collected black type honours in the BTC Ascot Handicap. He will be instantly recognised and a great choice for mare owners for the 2020 breeding season," he said.

THE Covid-19 pandemic has forced major bloodstock company Inglis to re-configure its Easter Yearling Sale.

The option will be made available for vendors to participate in Easter Round 1, Easter Round 2 or both:

Easter Round 1 of the Easter Yearling Sale will be conducted as a Digital Auction from April 5 to 8, with no horses at the Riverside complex. The bidding portal will be accessible through www.inglis.com.au from April 5 at 10am, with each lot to sell sequentially in lot order from 10am Tuesday April 7, completing on April 8.

Easter Round 2 will take the form of a live auction on Sunday, July 5, subject to conditions being deemed suitable by Inglis to proceed as a live auction on this date. This sale will be available to horses catalogued for the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale that have chosen to defer to Easter Round 2 or lots that were passed-in through Easter Round 1. Inglis retains discretion over the participation of any particular lot(s) in Easter Round 2.

The split option facilitates the preference of some vendors/suppliers to sell now and the preference of others to sell later. Under the circumstances, Inglis said it could not guarantee that Easter Round 2 would proceed as a live auction at that time and the position would be reviewed regularly, starting initially on April 30.

Inglis webnews reports "Two rounds provides everyone with greater flexibility, with our goal being to provide a vital service to our industry - to keep trade in place between breeders and buyers. It is really important that the industry remains united, that vendors hold firm and support the tradition of the Easter Sale and put the good of the industry first and foremost."

ARROWFIELD Stud, Scone, NSW - the biggest vendor in the Inglis Easter yearling catalogue - has confirmed it will no longer take part in the sale and will instead sell its 60 yearlings privately, while interstate vendors Element Hill (Queensland) and Gilgai Farm (Victoria) have also withdrawn their drafts.

Racenet reports Arrowfield Stud boss John Messara stressed the breeding powerhouse's decision to withdraw their yearlings was through no fault of Inglis but was a call they had to make.

"It was a risk that we weren't prepared to take. We regret having to do it but the switch to online was not what we bargained for originally. Inglis have done a great job and like everyone they are caught in a tough situation. We can't be at our farm on an online sale that might or might not work, so we have decided to sell our yearlings ourselves," he said.

Messara said Arrowfield expected the current draft to fetch between $20 and $25 million at the sales and expects the stud will still have interest from current clients despite selling independently. Last year Arrowfield sold 46 horses at an aggregate of $21.47 million.