THE first attempts to reduce costs at Radio Sport National are likely to begin in the new year with racecallers at the struggling station set to merge with those at thoroughbred broadcaster TVN.

After years of losses, the two electronic racing outlets will combine callers in a bid to stop the haemorrhaging of costs at Radio Sport National.

It’s believed that meetings covered by both organisations will have one broadcaster, which will be a departure from TVN and Radio Sport National having callers going against each other. Further streamlining is expected in the new year. Racing executives have identified the duplication between the networks as a costly burden for the industry.

The move to amalgamate broadcasters comes after the station was rocked by another huge loss this year.

In 2008, then known as radio station Sport 927, co-owner Tabcorp said it was no longer willing to give its competitors a free ride.

Tabcorp’s then general manager of wagering, Robert Nason, met with Racing Victoria Ltd hierarchy and argued that either the corporate bookmakers contribute to the running of the station or the industry would be left with the shortfall from any reduced funding by Tabcorp.

Tabcorp had funded the station to the tune of $ 4 million a year.

Tabcorp then decided to abandon the station following the emergence in the Victorian market of Tabcorp’s direct rivals – corporate bookmaking companies and the betting exchange Betfair.

Tabcorp remains the biggest advertiser on the station.

Current RVL chief executive Rob Hines is set to join the board of Radio Sport National, replacing Paul Bittar who has left to join the British Horse Racing Board.

■VRC Oaks runner-up Dowager Queen will be back in action in the Eulogy Stakes at Awapuni in New Zealand on Saturday.

Owner Max Whitby is looking forward to a summer campaign for the Savabeel filly.

”[Trainer] Graeme [Rogerson] told me that Dowager Queen had come through the spring very well and he decided to keep her going. She had a trial with James McDonald in the saddle last week and the fillies series in New Zealand will suit her down to the ground,” Whitby said.

Dowager Queen has had three attempts at group 1 level and is getting closer to a win each time.

She ran fourth to Benfica in the TJ Smith in Queensland June, then third in Streama’s Flight Stakes before finishing second to Mosheen in the VRC Oaks.

”We got it wrong in the Oaks. We were out-strategised by the winner,” Whitby said. ”Hughie [Bowman] came back and was happy with the run but the way the race was run we had no chance against Mosheen.”