Queensland is to receive a long overdue boost in the way of a bonus scheme which was introduced last Saturday.

Finally, at last the racing industry is receiving the overdue recognition it so richly deserves, it is a huge employer of labour, up to date it has all been one way traffic.

“The Queensland racing industry has been waiting for this day for years,” said TBQA President, Basil Nolan.

“We will finally reap the rewards of the highly anticipated changes to the Queensland Thoroughbred Industry Incentive Scheme (OTIS), and the increased prizemoney, negotiated by the former Racing Queensland Board through the Tattsbett deal”

Breeders will receive an equivalent of 6 per cent of the winner’s OTIS bonus for all OTIS races in Queensland, for the progeny of Queensland based stallions

This is applicable to 2YO, 3YO, and 4YO racing, and will include the progeny of every QLD based stallion, for the crops conceived in the breeding seasons of 2010 through to 2014 (inclusive).

This bonus is for nominated Queensland stallions from 2015 onwards.

Free racing for all OTIS registered horses, beginning with the 2 YO’s in the 2015- 16 season, following this through their careers and applicable for all future OTIS racing crops.

Free racing can be interpreted as meaning no starters fees, no nomination or acceptance fees, and no jockey fees, regardless of the finishing position.

The only exclusion to this would be for Black Type races.     

Racing still remembers Steve Donoghue with a race named in his honour, the Apprentices Handicap.

Appropriate that the venue should be Epsom, where he rode six Derby winners over a decade, including a treble with Humorist, Captain Cuttle and Papyrus, and two years later he scored on Manna, who sired Manitoba, a highly successful sire when standing at The Nook, Nagambie, in Victoria.

Donoghue was also the regular rider of The Tetrarch, who had a short but outstanding career; his rider claimed he had never ridden a horse with so much power behind the saddle.

The Tetrarch, (the spotted wonder), remained unbeaten after seven races, claimed as the fastest in the world, proved a very successful sire.

Tasmanian owned, and trained, Valiant Warrior,improved on his previous outing at Flemington with quite an easy win at Moonee Valley.

While the gelding was careering away in the straight, with the Ranvet Handicap well within his keeping, the owner, Wayne Roser ,was moved by the win.

The gelding was named after a grandson who was born prematurely, after several operations the little fellow passed away.

Valiant Warrior is prepared by Adam Trinder, a former leading cross country jockey, who had quite some success, on this very same day, a few years ago.

Valiant Warrior

Originally this was the Hiskens Steeple meeting, a race that Trinder won twice on Misty Weather in 2003, and Spanish Symbol 2007.

His dad, Michael, was a keen supporter of jumpers; he rarely missed a winter season in Melbourne, and seldom went home without winning a race.

Valiant Warrior has won seven of his 10 starts; he is proving quite a good money spinner, he is likely to remain here while there are suitable races about for him.

“We can always go back to the Newmarket Handicap, in Tasmania, if his form drops off while here,” said Adam Trinder.

Valiant Warrior was well ridden by Anthony Darmanin, a regular track rider for Lloyd Williams, at Macedon Lodge.

He has built up a strong relationalship with Tasmanian trainers, riding there most weekends, averaging 60 winners a season, it sure helps to keep the wolf from the door.

Valiant Warrior receives a pat from Adam Trinder

Petits Filous is primed and ready for her next engagement, the Group 3 Quezette Stakes over 1100 metres, in two weeks time at Caulfield.

She is certainly the find of the winter, a brilliant filly unbeaten after two starts and has cracked the minute over 1000 metres on each occasion.

It will be decision time for her trainer, Ciaron Maher, as to how far he takes her into the spring, he is a pretty astute trainer, he is right on the ball.

At this stage Maher is playing it with caution, he is not certain how far he can go with the filly as it is her first preparation.

She added another dimension to her repertoire, at Moonee Valley on Saturday, when she came off the pace set by The Big Dance, and was never troubled in running.

Maher is not certain how far he can go with the filly; he has had a balancing act with her.

“She is a nice horse, she’s has good ability but I need to keep developing her to get the best out of her, I’m not sure how far we can go into the spring,” said Maher.

A touch of Black Type won’t do her any harm, she is already a filly with a high price tag on her head.

Petits Filous wins in a breeze

A decision will be reached this week whether Volcanic Ash remains in work or has a break in the spelling paddock.

It is a big ask the gelding is in winning form, having won twice at Caulfield in recent weeks, however, Mick Price is an astute trainer, his judgement should not be questioned.

Price has never been one to send a horse out in winning form to the paddock, and if he does it is for a good reason.

The gelding is racing in great form; he has an impressive strike rate having won four of his seven starts.

Volcanic Ash returns to scale

He gave his supporters a good sight down the railway side of the track, he was travelling well at that stage, Damien Oliver had plenty of horse underneath him.

There is little doubt that he will get a mile, there are a lot of options over that distance and he looks to have the potential.

The grey is a good looker with a lot of quality about him, a very nice horse with a definite future.

His sire, Magnus, is having a great season, after the win of Volcanic Ash he has moved into third place, ahead of Written Tycoon, on the Victorian sire’s list by $34,895.

Mr. and Mrs Price at the presentation with their sons, Neville and Mick