Button to relocate horses during crisis

Caloundra trainer Tom Button hopes to relocate some of his team to Rockhampton this weekend with Queensland separated into racing regions from next week.

Racing Queensland has announced plans for the state to be divided into five areas in an effort to limit horse and people movement during the coronavirus pandemic.

An RQ spokesman said horses could be transferred to other centres but only until regional racing started.

Anyone travelling with them would be subject to biosecurity restrictions.

Button is located in a region which restricts trainers to racing in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

A multiple central Queensland premiership winner Button relocated to Caloundra last year.

He wants to have runners at the Capricornia Classic day at Rockhampton on Saturday week.

Rockhampton is in the central zone and the only way Button can have runners is to relocate them with a staff member for the entirety of the regional system being in place.

“I can send a staff member or I can relocate myself while this runs its course,” Button said.

“I have Gypsy Toff in at Doomben on Saturday and after that I will decide who is going with how many horses.”

“I will keep a team at Caloundra of those horses up to Brisbane class.”

Gypsy Toff is aiming for three wins in a row in the Kirin Handicap at Doomben where she is rated a $5 chance.