QUEENSLAND TRAINERS' SHINE IN MELBOURNE

Well the Melbourne Cup is over for another year and the Spring Carnival was certainly a successful time for our Queensland Trainers. Norm Hilton with POOR JUDGE, Ben Currie with ROTHERA, and TEMPLE OF BOOM for Tony Gollan kept the maroon flag flying high, showing that our local horses are right up to the country’s best. We look forward now to an exciting summer of racing here in Queensland.

THE WAYNE WILSON MEDAL

The Wayne Wilson Medal, supported by the Australian Trainers’ Association, has been won for the month of October by Roger Milne for his fantastic result in winning the Group 1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick with CAPTAIN SONADOR. Roger is based at Westbrook’s Bahram Stud Training Centre on the outskirts of Toowoomba where he currently has a team of 14 horses with always room for a few more.

Each month Wayne will help select a winner based on a particular performance or result achieved by a Queensland Trainer. The 12 monthly winners will then be in the running to win the inaugural Wayne Wilson Medal for the 2010-11 racing season. The Medal is proudly sponsored by Ambassador Travel and Racetree, with the winner at the end of the racing season receiving an all inclusive trip for two to the 2011 Cox Plate along with a magnificent perpetual trophy, and of course, the Wayne Wilson Medal.

The ATA is extremely appreciative for the generosity of these two great supporters of the Queensland Racing Industry. For more details on all of the fantastic tours offered see www.ambassadortravel.com.au and for information on the stallions available and services for your horse see www.racetree.com.au

The Ambassador Travel Racetree Wayne Wilson Medal 2010-11 - Monthly winners

August : Trevor Thomas, Jedi Starfighter’s win at Eagle Farm at 200-1
September : Ben Currie, Rothera winning 5th race from 7 starts
October : Roger Milne, Captain Sonador winning the Epsom Handicap.

Trevor, Ben and Roger are now in the running for the Ambassador Travel Racetree Wayne Wilson Medal.

ATA QUEENSLAND BRANCH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Our AGM was held last month and we are pleased to announce that positions remain unchanged.

At the meeting held at the Hamilton Hotel, the 25 trainers in attendance were presented a very informative session on the current handicapping system by Racing Queensland. One of the major positive outcomes from this was the invitation from Racing Queensland to form a working party to address the current concerns around the handicapping system. A full report on the outcomes from this will be in next month’s Magazine.

Also Stephen Ferguson from the BRC updated our members with their thoughts on the future, in particular the benefits offered to our owners on race-days. We will get together with the BRC and other industry members to further discuss this as our owners are our business.

Both sessions were forum-styled with plenty of opportunity for trainers to ask questions and ensure our views will be considered on important issues such as these.

Thank-you to all those who attended and also to the Hamilton Hotel for providing us with lunch and a few refreshing drinks at the end of the day.

Don’t forget that as members of the ATA you are entitled to 10% discount off your bill when dining at the Hamilton Hotel - just show your ATA badge.