Just when racing fans had thought they had heard the most amount of poppycock and hypocritical statements possible in a single year in this country in 2009, we were treated with the most ridiculous diatribe from Gerry Harvey (in particular) and John Singleton in regard to government support for the Magic Millions Carnival, in the very first month of 2010.

In what was one of the greatest racing con-job attempts this decade, Gerry Harvey suggested that the Queensland Government should put in up to $11 million of taxpayer's money on an annual basis so that the Magic Millions raceday might even rival the Dubai World Cup in the prizemoney stakes! Don't even worry about the Melbourne Cup Carnival - we will just quickly overtake that minor event!
 
It is often commentated by the mainstream media that John Singleton and Gerry Harvey are great for racing, and in their own certain flamboyant ways, they are and have done much to publicise the industry selflessly. But first and foremost, they are both businessman, and just about everything they do is in their own personal interests.
 
Andrew Bensley and the Sky Channel team went along  with the ride this week, with not a single commentator from that station, nor anyone in the print media, noting that the Magic Millions raceday is a "closed event". That is, no one can enter a horse unless it was sold at a Magic Millions sale.
 
Therefore, unlike a Dubai World Cup, Royal Ascot, nor a Melbourne Cup Carnival, it cannot attract international horses, and therefore, no international stables nor riders, and has absolutely no black-type status. Restricted sales races are a wonderful concept, but they lack any real credibility at a national level, let alone on an international level.
 
The current listed prizemoney levels at the Magic Millions is actually over-inflated - with a large percentage of the stakes created by hugely inflated acceptances fees, a point that Phil Purser of the Just Racing website has pointed out on several occasions over the years (see article here). No other media writers have picked up on this point.
 
So let's see - who gains most from a government injection of taxpayer's funds into the prizemoney of a racemeeting that can only be entered by horses sold at a sale owned by Gerry Harvey and John Singleton?
 
An artificial increase in prizemoney would mean an increase in average sale prices, and an increase in income for auctioneers.

Perhaps I will be regarded as a cynic.

But if anyone can suggest that taxpayer injected funds into prizemoney for horses sold at a particular sale owned privately by wealthy businessman is healthy for the industry, and not just for the businesman involved, then I am happy to print their right of reply on this website.

The Magic Millions sale and events will continue in this country whether it is sponsored by taxpayers money or not. Congratulations on the Queensland government for continuing to call Gerry and John's bluff.

Worst of all, there are too few racing journalists in Australia willing to speak out against the power players in the industry, and their own self interests.