Big dry hits Brisbane field sizes

Brisbane’s dry spell has taken a severe toll on horse numbers with only 71 runners in nine races at Doomben.

Only four races on Saturday’s card had each-way betting.

There were only 62 runners at the other metropolitan meeting in Queensland last week at Ipswich.

It has also hit jockeys in the pocket with 15 riders having one or two mounts at the Doomben meeting.

Less than half the average rainfall was recorded in the Brisbane area in August and temperatures were well above average for the month.

Stewards reports for the past month have been littered with horses who have been unable to stretch out properly on hard tracks.

There will also be problems with early season two-year-old numbers as it is understood a large number of young horses have gone shin sore.

Trainers are saying they have turned out horses who need soft or rain-affected tracks.

Premier Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan is one who is looking at the broader picture.

“I am one who has had to hold back or turn out horses who don’t like rock-hard tracks,” Gollan said.

“But that is nature and I have been down here (from Toowoomba) for five years and it has been dry every one of them around this time,.

“We aren’t questioning the track managers because you can’t beat nature. We will just have to wait it out until it does rain.”