Jones says Canberra should be included in Highway Handicap races

[Wandering Eyes]

Paul Jones could be the next trainer to leave Canberra due to concerns he shares with his peers about racing’s future in the ACT.

Canberra trainer Paul Jones is prepared to stick it out in the nation’s capital – but only for the short term.

He could soon follow Luke Pepper, Nick Olive and Matthew Dale out of the ACT if the financial issues facing trainers do not improve.

While Pepper left because of soaring workers’ compensation costs – telling HorseBetting.com.au that horse conditioners are not being supported by the ACT Government – Jones is frustrated for a different reason.

He is disappointed at the fact Canberra-trained horses remain at the bottom of the ballot for the lucrative $120,000 Highway Handicap races.

NSW Racing has stuck solid in putting its country-based trainers first for its popular Highways concept, after its conditioners suggested their Canberra rivals hold an unfair advantage due to the facilities at Thoroughbred Park.

But Jones – a big supporter of country racing in NSW – believes it is time for a rethink of the current system.

He could have been celebrating a Manderboss victory in the Highway Handicap over 1400m at Kembla Grange last Saturday, which Tap ’N’ Run won for Ron Stubbs.

Instead, his talented four-year-old finished second in the $150,000 Benchmark 78 Handicap.

Yes, the race was worth more money, but Highways events offer a pathway to progress to bigger metropolitan races.

“Manderboss was in the Highway and got balloted out,” Jones told HorseBetting.com.au.

“And here we are running around in a 78 (Handicap) over 1400m.

“And Blind Freddy can see he would’ve been very, very close to taking that out.

“NSW Racing by putting Canberra at the bottom of the ballot or not reviewing the ballot conditions, it’s hurting us a bit, as well as punters.”

Jones – who runs his operation with his legendary mother Barbara Joseph and brother Matt – said his stable has been a big financial supporter of racing in NSW.

He believes their presence on the Sapphire Coast should give them greater opportunities to participate in Highway races.

“Manderboss is owned by 95 per cent of people from NSW. We have a stable in NSW – we invested $1 million in stables on the Sapphire Coast,” Jones said.

“The fact we also have stables in Canberra as well, we get penalised for that.

“So we get tarred with that brush, and not many other trainers invest $1 million in stable complexes – they’re all waiting for Racing NSW to build them.

“It’s a bit upsetting, especially when you have a horse you think can win a Highway and then progress to a Saturday grade.”

Jones said he’ll stay in Canberra, but only for the short-term if the concerns he and fellow trainers have do not improve.

On those other issues, Pepper and veteran Canberra trainer Keith Dryden have previously told HorseBetting.com.au how much their peers are struggling due to high workers’ compensation costs.

ACT-based horse conditioners also had grave concerns about their future on Melbourne Cup Day, when their government prepared for a future without racing.

Plans were drawn up to build housing on Canberra’s only racecourse and released to the public.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr later said his government had no intention to end the sport in the ACT.

He clarified the plan was simply an option, and that racing would continue in Canberra as long as the club wishes for it to stay there.

The Liberal opposition’s racing spokesman, Mark Patton, said the timing was disgraceful while Canberra Racing Club was busy putting on a Melbourne Cup race day.

Thoroughbred Park CEO Darren Pearce said it was “akin to being at an AGM and having a hostile takeover of your company”.

He added his club did not have property developers on its books at the expense of its racing community.

With all this uncertainty about the future of racing in the nation’s capital, Jones could soon be the next trainer to leave Canberra in what would be another huge blow to the industry.

“Darren is new in the job down in Canberra. We said to him we’ll stick it out for a little while to see if he can get the powers-that-be both in government and NSW Racing to review the issues that are wrong with Canberra racing at the moment,” Jones said.

“We’ll stay just for now. Worst-case scenario, we’ll have to break up the partnership and one trainer will have to train out of Sapphire Coast.

“We’re lucky that Quayde (Krogh, jockey) does a lot of trackwork, so he’s covered under NSW workers’ comp.

“Matt and I are directors of the company, so we do a lot of work. And we own our own stable, so we’re not paying rent.

“Trainers who have to pay rent and high workers’ comp – they found it too harsh.”

Dryden told HorseBetting.com.au in September that he would fight the ACT Greens “until my last breath” and “if I go down the gurgler, I go down the gurgler”.

Jones said this mindset had been adopted by all trainers remaining in Canberra.

They have no banded together with a nothing-to-lose mentality.

“It (the collective morale) is not great. It’s getting to the point now where it’s ‘what does it matter kicking us out anyway? There’s no one left’,” Jones said.

“It’s getting very, very light-on.”

Racing NSW was contacted for comment.

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