The Gold Coast Turf Club (GCTC) is ready to join Queensland's twilight circuit if feuding members of the Toowoomba Turf Club (TTC) vote against the installation of a cushion track.The cushion track issue has split trainers on the Darling Downs with lawyers for trainers opposed to the installation of the artificial surface threatening legal action.A special meeting has been convened for February 12 when warring factions will decide the fate of the cushion track.The motion members will vote on wil

The Gold Coast Turf Club (GCTC) is ready to join Queensland's twilight circuit if feuding members of the Toowoomba Turf Club (TTC) vote against the installation of a cushion track.

The cushion track issue has split trainers on the Darling Downs with lawyers for trainers opposed to the installation of the artificial surface threatening legal action.

A special meeting has been convened for February 12 when warring factions will decide the fate of the cushion track.

The motion members will vote on will be to support the TTC committee's decision to accept a $10 million redevelopment project at Clifford Park which Queensland Racing Limited (QRL) and the Queensland government will fund.

QRL chairman Bob Bentley confirmed he had informed Toowoomba members by letter that if the motion was defeated the club faced losing its 57 TAB race meetings and future race dates would be reviewed depending on the condition of its grass track.

The letter also stated the TTC would be required to upgrade the existing course proper and lighting at its own expense if a cushion track was not installed.

However, Bentley denied the letter was a threat to club members opposed to a cushion track which will replace the grass course proper.

"It's not a threat. I don't want members voting unless they know the consequences," Bentley said.

"It's being fair to members so they know what they are voting for. If they don't want it that's fine.

"It's a total $10 million offer and it's not one that the members at Toowoomba can pick out bits and pieces."

Bentley said Queensland Racing had a strategy which included Toowoomba and Caloundra to conduct twilight and night racing to dovetail in with night racing in southern states and overseas.

Gold Coast Turf Club chairman, Hoss Heinrich, confirmed he and Bentley recently discussed the prospect of the Gold Coast joining the twilight circuit.

"It's not something we spoke specifically about as it's always been part of our masterplan to have twilight or night racing at the Gold Coast," Heinrich said.

"We took our masterplan for twilight racing to Queensland Racing some time ago.

"We don't want to lose our Saturday dates but we could hold twilight meetings on Saturdays or on Friday nights alongside Singapore or on a Wednesday with Hong Kong."

Heinrich said if a cushion track and new lighting was installed at the Gold Coast it would be at its current venue and not at the proposed Palm Meadows site.

Bentley blames a group of dissidents at Toowoomba for trying to disrupt QRL's plans.

"There's a group of dissidents who have come in at the eleventh hour trying to change and interrupt Queensland Racing's plans for twilight racing," he said.

"If Toowoomba vote not to have a cushion track then another club will get it and that will be the Gold Coast.

"I've spoken to the Gold Coast club and they're more than happy to discuss further the installation of a cushion track."