MRC plans more meetings at Caulfield

Adrian Dunn.  Herald Sun, December 28, 2010

MELBOURNE Racing Club plans to hold more meetings at Caulfield – its premier racetrack.

 Club chairman Mike Symons said the club wanted to increase the number of meetings at The Heath by at least five a season, and no longer restrict the track to headline meetings. 

He said he would like to see Caulfield host as many as 28-30 meetings a season, seven more than this season.

For the best part of a decade, Caulfield has deliberately held only what it termed “premier meetings”, leaving Sandown to host all the industry “turnover” fixtures.

“I’ve never been a supporter of that (saving Caulfield for premier meetings),” Symons said.

“When you have A-grade facilities and a terrific track then you should utilise them as much as you can. Caulfield’s track performs very well from a wagering perspective and a performance perspective. Our view is, without wishing to compromise the performance of the track, there is scope to conduct further meetings at Caulfield.”

The MRC also plans to restructure its raceday program for its two feature February meetings by running all the Group 1 races at the tail of the meeting.

Channel 9 has thwarted the club’s bid to have the last three races on Blue Diamond Day as Group 1 races by ending its broadcast before 6pm.

But, Symons said three Group 1s – the Blue Diamond, the C.F. Orr Stakes and the Oakleigh Plate – would be races six, seven and eight on the nine-race card in February.

In another effort to secure a long-term income stream, the club last week finalised its purchase of seven hotels outright, as well as entering a separate joint venture with Country Racing Victoria for an eighth.

MRC chief executive Al Robertson said the club’s eight hotels and four club venues contained 738 gaming machines, which he projected had the capacity in the next five years to make “in excess of $15 million free cash”.

Robertson said under gaming legislation scheduled to be passed in August 2012, revenue is to be split 55 per cent/45 per cent between venue owner and the Government. “We see it as an extremely attractive investment,” Robertson said.

Meanwhile, VRC chief executive Dale Monteith will visit China next month to inspect television screen technology to be used when the club replaces its old Members’ Stand.

“The old members’ grandstand was built in 1923 and we’ve managed to keep it going and will so until we replace it in 2015, 2016,” Monteith said.

“With a new facility we believe we can grow our full membership from 23,000 to 30,000 and beyond and help pay for it.”

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What the above report does not highlight is the impact that these plans will have on surrounding areas. With more race days residents can expect:

  • More traffic and congestion
  • More training
  • More drunkenness and loutish behaviour
  • More horse manure!
  • More gambling, more ‘profit’ to the MRC
  • Reduced access for local residents

Once again local residents have been totally ignored by the MRC.