The Australian Turf club has reaffirmed its commitment to Sydney racing infrastructure including multi-million dollar upgrades to all four tracks including Warwick Farm.
ATC chief executive Darren Pearce also says there is no intention to sell Canterbury despite its rezoning with only redundant parts of the course to be offloaded.
Pearce said the club would spend $180 million over the next eight years to ensure all tracks were of a superior standard for both training and racing.
“This (ATC) board is very strong on the view that no racetracks will be sold but we do have land on the fringes of our racetracks that is under-utilised and available for development without affecting racing operations,” Pearce said.
The club is currently putting in a $3 million synthetic track at Canterbury which will be ready for any international horses who spend quarantine there this spring.
It will also available outside quarantine requirements as a back-up when other tracks are being upgraded and for visiting country and interstate trainers.
The Kensington track at Randwick is also a priority after which the club will tackle the course proper at Warwick Farm.
“Canterbury will be used for much more than just the quarantine periods,” Pearce said.
“As we do work on other tracks, having Canterbury available gives us redundancy.
“All our tracks are full. We have a waiting list of trainers. When Canterbury is not in quarantine it will be great for visitors and as we do trackwork at other venues we can float horses there if needed.
“Over the next four years we should have a new Kensington track, a new Warwick Farm course proper and a new Randwick course proper.
“The plan is to take Warwick Farm to a modern standard.
“We are also doing a $6.5 million upgrade to training facilities at Rosehill.
“All up we will spend $180 million over the next eight years on stables, tracks and training facilities.”
Pearce said other projects included a 600-space car park at Randwick with the club now reaping the benefits of the merger between Sydney’s two former race clubs and the flow-on from tax parity and race field legislation.
He said the ATC was also looking to work with the Hawkesbury and Gosford clubs to increase stabling and training capacity in the Sydney basin.
