Norm Gardner says there's no need to press the panic button over Canberra Racing's board dramas and his fellow Canberra trainers are more concerned with solving the constantly rising worker's compensation insurance problem.
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Gardner says while there's a lot of negative issues out at Thoroughbred Park, the trainers were very positive about their future.
He's part of the Canberra Racing board that received the resignation of former committee member Duncan Edghill about a week ago due to a "perceived conflict of interest" over his role as head of Major Projects Canberra.
The race club's in the middle of a Territory Plan Variation to allow them to redevelop Thoroughbred Park to secure their long-term financial future.
Gardner said the trainers weren't concerned by the board turmoil and were only worried about the issues surrounding worker's compensation and Racing NSW rules making it hard for them to get a run in the lucrative Highway Handicap series.
He said there was plenty of confidence in new Canberra Racing chief executive Darren Pearce to solve the issues, which has led to a trainer exodus to NSW.
"From the trainers' point of view it really has no effect. The trainers aren't really concerned about who's on the board," Gardner said.
"All the trainers are concerned about is the future of the club.
"I don't think things are as doom and gloom as they're made out to be because from the board's point of view everything's positive - we've got the MOU [with the ACT government] for the next four or five years.
"The trainers that are leaving probably aren't leaving because of the board issues - they've mainly leaving because of the worker's comp and the Highways.
"Being on the board I can't see any reason why we'd press the panic button."
Gardner has four runners at Thoroughbred Park on Sunday, with Upper House having his final run before next Sunday's Queanbeyan Cup.
Miss Antwerp, Genjiro and Geminids were also racing - with Upper House and the latter two good chances.
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Gardner was happy with Upper House's run in the $500,000 Little Dance on Melbourne Cup Day - eighth behind Dream Runner - and was confident he could go one better than last year's second in the Queanbeyan Cup.
He said the eight-year-old would be "very, very competitive" in the Federal Handicap (1600 metres) on Sunday.
"Upper House ran super in the Little Dance - only got beaten three lengths - but he's on a Queanbeyan Cup path so he'll go round [on Sunday]," Gardner said.
"He'll be very, very competitive despite the big weight, and he'll back up seven days later in the Queanbeyan Cup - which he ran second in last year.
"Let's just hope the rain stays away."
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David Polkinghorne
Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job. Email: david.polkinghorne@canberratimes.com.au
Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job. Email: david.polkinghorne@canberratimes.com.au
