Sport
28 November, 2025
Will Santa deliver the goods for race club president?
The Mount Isa Race Club is hoping to end 2025 on a high note.
All Jay Morris wants for Christmas is for the racing review to be released.
The president of the Mount Isa Race Club, who will again put his hand up to take on the role at Sunday's AGM, says the Crisafulli government's review into Queensland racing will determine the club's future.
There are concerns that Mount Isa and many other Outback clubs will lose meetings.
Racing Minister Tim Mander has guaranteed that once-a-year meetings, like McKinlay and Gregory, will remain on the calendar, but clubs like Mount Isa, Julia Creek, Cloncurry and Longreach could find themselves with reduced programs.
"We just want to know where things stand," Morris said of the racing review that was commissioned at the beginning of the year and was supposed to be released last month.
"A lot of people put in a lot of work – most of them volunteers – to keep racing going in the bush and we don't want to see any cuts."
Morris is hoping for a big crowd at Buchanan Park tomorrow as the Mount Isa Race Club farewells 2025 with its traditional Christmas meeting.
"We usually get a few people through the gates because it is our last meeting," the president said.
"Santa will make an appearance with a lolly drop and we'll have water activities for the kids, plus a free sausage sizzle between 3pm and 4pm.
"After the last race we've got a DJ booked, so people can kick on. There'll be a few local businesses having their Christmas drinks at the races, too."
Despite uncertainty over the racing review and the sudden implementation of a heat policy that defies science and logic, Morris said it had been another positive year for the Mount Isa Race Club.
"We had good crowds at all of our major meetings, including St Patrick's Day, the Cup, Mailman Express and Spring Cup," he said.
"We're always competing for crowds with other events in the region but we've had another solid year.
"Our TAB days produced a good amount of turnover, too.
"A big thanks to our partners and the committee who have raised the bar again this year, with more sponsorship, including the addition of Sportsbet as naming rights holders."
The last North West race meeting of 2025 will start at 2.20pm on Saturday, with the last race to jump at 5pm.
It looks to be another competitive race meeting with several trainers boasting winning chances to finish the year on a high.
Julia Creek's Tanya Parry has another strong hand as she looks to extend her lead in the 2025 Mount Isa trainers' premiership, while Brooke Stower – now based in Toowoomba – has an unassailable lead in the jockeys' title
2025 MOUNT ISA PREMIERSHIPS
Wins by trainer (98 races total to date)
1st: Tanya Parry 34
2nd: Bevan Johnson 16
3rd: Emma Morton 11
4th: Jay Morris 10
5th: Kerry Krogh 6
5th: Shryn Royes 6
7th: Denise Ballard 5
8th: Jason Babarovich 4
Wins by jockey (98 races total to date)
1st: Brooke Stower 13
2nd: Robert Faehr 8
3rd: Jason Babarovich 7
4th: Micheal McDonald 6
4th: Denicious Smith 6
4th: Nor Yadi 6
7th: Tom Orr 5
7th: James Baker 5