Angry trainers want Racing Queensland to intervene to help save their livelihoods from cutbacks which threaten to close Doomben as a training venue.A meeting attended by about 60 trainers from both Doomben and Eagle Farm on Tuesday discussed the Brisbane Racing Club's (BRC) decision to shut down Doomben as a training venue, forcing smaller trainers out of the metropolitan area.The meeting heard from several small trainers including radio broadcaster Kim Mothershaw who spoke on behalf of a number

Angry trainers want Racing Queensland to intervene to help save their livelihoods from cutbacks which threaten to close Doomben as a training venue.

A meeting attended by about 60 trainers from both Doomben and Eagle Farm on Tuesday discussed the Brisbane Racing Club's (BRC) decision to shut down Doomben as a training venue, forcing smaller trainers out of the metropolitan area.

The meeting heard from several small trainers including radio broadcaster Kim Mothershaw who spoke on behalf of a number of Doomben trainers.

Mothershaw has a small team of horses in work at Doomben and believed the BRC's decision stemmed from Racing Queensland's cutbacks a year ago when the former Brisbane Turf Club and Queensland Turf Club merged.

Under former arrangements with Racing Queensland, both clubs received $960,000 in track subsidies.

However, once the merger was formalised the BRC, which became responsible for maintenance of the Eagle Farm and Doomben venues, received only one subsidy totalling $960,000.

"A lot of people are in a state of despair," Mothershaw said.

"This goes back to when Racing Queensland cut back the track subsidy to the BRC by almost $1 million.

"I'm not a spokesman for anyone as I'm only a small-time player but for the sake of $200,000 something has to be done to save these trainers."

Racing Queensland chairman Bob Bentley said he was prepared to meet with trainers but would tell them it was a BRC matter.

"We're prepared to meet with trainers at any time but this has nothing to do with us," Bentley said.

"If Racing Queensland owned the facility this would not be happening."

Under the new BRC rules which start on August 1, all day-to-day training will be done at Eagle Farm with Doomben only to be used for barrier trials, jumpouts and grass gallops.

The new criteria restricts trainers to having had a minimum of 26 starters in the previous 12 months, or demonstrating plans to meet that number.

Trainers will also be charged for a minimum of four horses a day, irrespective of the number in work.

All trainers must make application to train on BRC premises at the beginning of each season and, if approved, a 12-month permit would be granted.

The move is designed to reduce the BRC's losses on training from $700,000 to $500,000, with the savings coming from the need to service only one full-time training facility.

BRC chief executive Steve Ferguson said parking congestion and lack of space for floats was at the centre of the decision to exclude one and two-horse trainers.