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ALTERNATE RACING QUEENSLAND (ARQ)
The ARQ was formed by the Gatton Shire Council with the intention of commencing a professional Sprint Racing Industry with it’s headquarters based at the Gatton TB race track facility. Regrettably the project has not proceeded as well as the Shire expected. However, there are initiatives being pursued by the ARQ which should result in Sprint Racing being conducted during 2008.
The ARQ Company structure was put in place in meet QLD Government requirements that a racing control body with ambitions of moving to TAB wagering would need to be an incorporated non profit company.
The decision to incorporate Arabian Racing in the proposal was taken after discussions with the QLD Government indicated that only one wagering licence was likely to be issued for the alternate racing codes and NARA was also interested in racing in QLD. The following Press Release was issued by the ARQ in 2005.
PRESS RELEASE
Gatton is at the forefront of a new initiative to implement alternative racing codes on Queensland (QLD) race tracks with Mayor Steve Jones, Councillor Cam Macdonald and local Quarter Horse Breeder Paul Lorimer all appointed as interim Directors of Alternate Racing Queensland Ltd (ARQ). Other directors of the company include representatives from both the National Arabian Racing Association Ltd (NARA) and the National Sprint Racing Association Ltd (NSRA).
ARQ is a limited liability company applying for a licence to operate as a control body for alternative racing codes under Queensland’s Racing Act 2002 and if granted a licence will control the conduct of Sprint Racing and Arabian Racing with wagering in QLD in a similar manner to the Thoroughbred and Harness Control Boards. ARQ will conduct Arabian Racing sanctioned by NARA and Sprint Racing sanctioned by the NSRA.
At a meeting held at the Gatton Council Chambers on Friday 4 March, ARQ met with regional race clubs, breed society (Arabian, Quarter Horse and Appaloosa) representatives, Queensland Government Racing Division (Racing Division) representatives and other interested parties. Mr Michael Kelly the Executive Director of the Racing Division addressed the meeting and presented the QLD Government view on the possible introduction of Sprint Racing and Arabian Racing in QLD. Mr Kelly gave a presentation of the licensing process required under the Queensland Racing Act 2002 and indicated to the group that the ARQ approach to the application process to date was viewed as “a professional approach to government that indicated the ARQ had a good grasp of the issues”.
Discussions will continue between the ARQ, Racing Division and the Queensland Racing Board to ensure a co-operative approach to the introduction of new racing codes to QLD. The meeting resolved to continue with the application, set up a permanent office in Gatton for the ARQ and initially introduce alternative breed racing in QLD to race tracks in the local region.
This new and exciting form of racing will be open to horses registered in the stud books of the Arabian Horse Society of Australia (including Part Bred and Anglo), the Australian Quarter Horse Association (including Appendix), Australian Appaloosa Association, Paint Horse Association of Australia and the Thoroughbred Stud and Non Stud Books. Consultation will commence immediately with these organisations to ensure a co-operative approach to ensuring only stud book registered and DNA tested horses are identified as race horses as required by the Division of Racing.
As part of a suite of services to the wider Sprint and Arabian Racing communities in Australia, ARQ will offer to assist in informally controlling alternative racing Australia wide. This would seem an appropriate approach as any horse from interstate wishing to compete in Queensland will be required to be race identified within the QLD system and have previous race form recorded. The service to participating breed societies will also include the maintenance of performance records for both horses and industry participants which will allow breed societies to make breed related awards to members and horses.
Several TB race clubs in South East QLD have already volunteered to provide facilities and administration for the conduct of “exhibition” racing by Sprint and Arabian horses during the licence application process. The Lockyer Race Club in Gatton is expected to play a large part in this implementation and is already working with the ARQ, Queensland Racing officials and local owners and breeders to ensure alterative racing codes are implemented on a regular basis at Gatton during 2005.
Alternative racing has been conducted in Australia since settlement. The history of Australian “Racing” includes stories of TB Racing, Arabian Racing and Bush Racing for over 200 years. Pony Races were conducted on TB Race Tracks as recently as the1950s with TB training legend Tommy Smith being highly successful at this form of racing.
Sprint Racing had a brief heyday during the 1970s & 80s in Australia and for a period between 1983 and 1993 Sprint Racing had equality with the wider racing industry in QLD. Arabian Racing has been conducted intermittently since the first landing. In recent years Sprint Racing and Arabian Racing have had a minor resurgence with both NARA and the now defunct AQHA Racing Division (AQHARD) encouraging the national development of alternative racing based around the proven TB model of administration and probity control.
NARA currently sanctions racing in both NSW and Victoria where Arabian Racing is conducted on TB Racing programs and Sprint Racing has also been regularly conducted in Victoria and NSW in recent years. However, the ARQ application to the QLD government for a control body licence is the first application for formal recognition of Sprint and Arabian Racing as codes of racing in Australia.
RACING AT GATTON
Only one race meeting was conducted at Gatton and a number of issues were identified as needing to be resolved with both the Queensland Racing Board and the Lockyer (Gatton) Race Club before further racing could be conducted. Several meetings were held with the Minister for Racing and the QRB which effectively resolved the issues. The Gatton Shire subsequently became embroiled in Shire amalgamation issues and Sprint Racing took a back seat.
Both Sprint and Arabian Horses from NSW & QLD raced at Gatton in 2005; The race fields follow:
ARQ GATTON SPRINT
Class 5 300m approx
01. Firefox (1) Loretta Beckman
(10) (cM) mh Thundersonic – Tondara Charmaine Michael Batiste NSW
I & E Wade
02. Fortune Cookie (2) TBA
(4) (BM) Caseys Luck – Touch of Mighty Steve Hogno QLD
Birdhouse Stud QLD
03. Chick e Babe (3) Mathew Zehnder
(5) (BM) Cash N Balance – Casam Ian Rosnow QLD
Liberty R Stud QLD
04. Super Savannah (4) TBA
(4) (BG) Lets Fly Savannah – Super Meyer Gavin Roberts QLD
G & P Roberts QLD
05. Fair Dinkum (5) TBA
(7) (BrG) Tatanka Yotanka – Jets Fair Lady Gavin Roberts QLD
G & P Roberts QLD
06. Flying Hemp (6) J McEwan
(7) (BrG) Lets Fly Savannah – Hempens Rambler Greg Allen QLD
G Allen
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ARQ GATTON OPEN SPRINT
OPEN 300m approx
01. More Hassels (1) TBA
(9) (BskinG) Model Bird – Hassel On Steve Hogno QLD
Birdhouse Stud QLD
02. Fancy Jet (2) TBA
(4) (BM) The Ambassador – Sugars Fancy Gavin Roberts QLD
G & P Roberts
03. Blaze N Star (3) Mathew Zehnder
(4) (BH) Cash N Balance – Casam Ian Rosnow QLD
Liberty R Stud QLD
04. High Flyer (4) J McEwan
(8) (BrM) Lets Fly Savannah – Immoka Bass Jason Zischke QLD
Jason Zischke QLD
05. Thunders Girl (5) Loretta Beckman
(7) (BrG) MH Thundersonic – Marble Hill Fantail Michael Batiste NSW
M & F Batiste NSW
RESULTS
Race 1 - To come
Race 2 - was cancelled due to failing light.
An Arabian race was also conducted on the day.
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