I took this photo of well-known and highly respected harness racing identity Bill Dixon some weeks ago at Albion Park, as he helped collect money in the grandstand for the Leukaemia Foundation on their "Shave for a cure" night. Bill Dixon has called an industry meeting next Sunday at Albion Park at 1.30pm for participants of the three codes of racing to have their say against Queensland Racing taking over the control of those three codes. Queensland Racing Ltd Chairman Bob Bentley, Harness Racing Queensland boss Bob Lette and the Queensland government Racing Minister Peter Lawlor have all been invited to attend. There is absolutely no excuse for industry participants to not know about the event, as apart from being mentioned here, advices re the public meeting will also be aired during the week on RadioTAB, Bris 31, The Courier Mail and the Queensland Times in Ipswich. Unfortunately Justracing has already previously committed to attend another racing event on the day, namely the Brisbane Bloodstock mixed thoroughbred sale at Toowoomba.

The Gold Coast conducted an eight race programme on a fine day, where the track was rated as a “slow 6” for the entire meeting, following a deluge of over 160 millimetres of rain being received on the track earlier in the week. All the people who were talking up the track as being likely to get back to “the better side of slow”, as recently as the day before, were all sadly mistaken – and New Zealand trainer Mike Moroney’s statement Thursday morning that it would “stay as slow for the meeting” came to fruition. If anyone knows wet tracks New Zealand trainers would, particularly a chap like Moroney, who is in Queensland with a team of horses every Winter Carnival.

Yet again last Saturday many horses lost the compass on the home turn in their respective races due to the big fields - and late in the day, horses out wide on the track were seen to be kicking back a lot of sand, or some sort of fill, so it is my considered opinion that it is highly unlikely the track afforded every runner a fair opportunity at success. In fact if the hierarchy of Queensland Racing, the Gold Coast Turf Club and the Magic Millions all stopped arguing long enough and wanted to actually do something constructive, they might be able to put their heads together and help out the racing industry in Australia by doing something to eradicate the current home turn, which is simply not suitable to have sixteen-horse fields flying on to it, like they do each Magic Millions day and Hollindale Stakes day.

The on-course tote was not functioning after Race 1 and whilst none of us is perfect - and accidents will happen - there should be a running and handling enquiry in why it had to break down on one of the two signature days of the year at the club, as the amount of turnover lost to the industry is inestimable.

Leading rails bookmaker Lindsay Gallagher reported on the Gold Coast meeting:

Race 1 – Teary Eyed $2.80, Winmara $21.00 and Che Casino $21.00

The opening race at the Gold Coast was won by Teary Eyed who was the best backed runner and he firmed up from $3.20 to run at $2.80 at the jump.

Locally trained Eastline originally eased out to $6.50 before good money for the galloper saw him trimmed up to $5.

The Victorian visitor from the Freedman stable, Trenchtown, was unlayable.

Big Girls Dont Cry attracted each-way support throughout betting.

We started the day on a losing note.

Race 2 – Lifebuoy $5.50, Duke Ivor $5.50 and Start Again $4.20

Lifebuoy ran up to his consistent form and followed on from two recent seconds by getting home here. He was specked late in betting from $6 to run $5.50 equal second favourite, with the runner-up Duke Ivor and Intertheblack who was well tried late at $7 to also run equal second favourite at $5.50, but he still hasn’t got a clear crack at them yet.

The favourite Start Again was facing a big jump in class, but raced well and he firmed late in betting from $5 to $4.20, on the back of some decent sized bets.

Whilst he started double figure odds Bann Ruby attracted some good each-way specking during betting, but he did little in the run.

It was a race that you could have won or lost on.

Race 3 – Spirit Of Boom $3.60, Adebisi $4.00 and Jypsiere $16.00

As much as $4 was bet about Spirit Of Boom and he ran at $3.60 and got home by a short head from Adebisi, which you could also lay well at $4, so you could lay both the quinella pair well.

Demanding Miss attracted support both on the phones and cash money in the ring, but didn’t do much.

The winner Spirit Of Boom wanted to hang in down the straight, so he’d have been unlucky not to have won and I thought had he gone straight he’d have won more convincingly.

Race 4 – Femina Fashion $11.00, Marheta $9.00 and Status Quo $2.90

There was no money about for the winner Femina Fashion, so this win gave bookmakers a good result.

The opening favourite Status Quo remained steady throughout betting with a consistent flow of money for her, both on the phones and with cash.

Marheta was specked during betting and ran a very nice race and is probably one to follow out of the race and there was money about for Head North, who like Marheta is a Victorian visitor, but Head North failed to flatter following a Geelong win and a Sandown placing.

Race 5 – Graceful Anna $3.00, Kanzan $8.00 and Conquering Queen $6.50

Bookmakers took on this short priced favourite Graceful Anna and paid the penalty when she got home at $3. She jumped okay, box-seated in the run and won well.

I thought the unlucky runner of the race was Kanzan who was specked in betting at $7 and $8.

Conquering Queen got run off her legs a little bit early and ran a nice race after getting a check in the middle stages. The mare attracted big support when her price eased to $9 and she firmed to run $6.50, so she was my worst result in the race, although Graceful Anna was no good in the wash up either.

Plain Magic, who was resuming, eased out to $15 and was specked.

Race 6 – Beethog $51.00, Temple Of Boom $5.00 and Fifteen Carat $21.00

Some bookmakers, including myself, had this 50/1 winner Beethog specked with them, but generally it was a good winning race.

Runner-up Temple Of Boom was solid in the market and even though he officially eased out to $5 at the jump, you could lay the horse quite easily at that quote.

Stryker was firm right throughout betting at $4 and you could lay the Sydney visitor well to both phone clients and cashed up punters on the ground.

Deer Valley was well backed and she was unlucky, as she got a check, so I think she’s ready to win now.

Paprika was specked, but obviously hasn’t come back this time, as she gave in meekly after leading. She’s a 3YO, who to this point, hasn’t reproduced her 2YO form.

Race 7 – Metal Bender $5.50, Road To Rock $1.90 and Gold Water $5.00

Another Sydney visitor, Metal Bender was successful here and you could lay the horse for good money each-way at his starting price. He had the best ride in the race and that’s what won him the race.

Road To Rock firmed from $2 into $1.90 and was even shorter than that in places and you could virtually get out of him whatever you wanted.

Gold Water was always solid in betting and firmed from $6 to run at $5.

The three horses that were backed finished up running the trifecta, as class prevailed.

Race 8 – Drenalin $6.50, Mr Baritone $5.50 and Secrets Untold $19.00

Drenalin deserved his win, as he’s been having no luck off wide alleys behind Poor Judge in the Weetwood at Toowoomba and Ulladulla at Eagle Farm in a Class 6. He was layable as he eased out to run at $6.50.

Melbourne visitor Mr Baritone met with constant support right throughout betting and Drenalin was a far better result then he’d have been, so the long head margin worked in the favour of bookmakers.

Third placegetter Secrets Untold would have been no good either, as he met with some decent each-way bets at $26.

You could lay Rasmussen well at $13, whilst Cornwall Park met with big support late firming from $5 to run $4.20.

It finished up the best betting race of the day and you could lay five horses for good money, but Drenalin’s win did no damage and overall on the day, bookmakers finished up just in front.

This week Lindsay will be fielding at Eagle Farm on Wednesday, Ipswich on Friday, Doomben on Saturday and the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.

Don’t forget if you would like to visit Lindsay on the web to read his latest rant, cop a free tip, or view his latest bonus offer to new clients, you can do all that and more by visiting him at www.thevipclub.com.au.