Tony Newing isn’t letting the announcement of plans to close Gosford as a training centre distract him from his Randwick mission with Timeless Prince.
The 31-year-old, who has 13 horses in work at the NSW Central Coast track, says he hopes a common sense approach will achieve a viable outcome for those affected.
A contingent of Gosford trainers will meet with NSW Trainers’ Association chief executive Steve McMahon on Thursday to discuss a way forward following this week’s announcement the track will stop functioning as a training facility from the end of next year.
“I just want to see a common sense approach and to see it done right by all parties,” Newing said.
“It was a business decision the Gosford Race Club made but they need to know theirs isn’t the only business being affected.
“There are three young trainers here – myself, Adam Duggan and Grant Attard – and we’ll have 50 horses looking for places to go and at the moment there isn’t anywhere.
“But Australia is a land of opportunity and we’ll make things work.”
Newing is relying on jockey Josh Parr to make things work for Timeless Prince in the Inglis Classic Sale Night Session Handicap at Randwick on Saturday.
The winner of 10 of his 44 starts, Timeless Prince recently returned from a two-start campaign during the back-end of the Melbourne spring carnival.
The horse finished out of a place in both runs but Newing was rapt in his efforts as the backmarker struck trouble at Flemington on Emirates Stakes day and had no chance at Sandown in a leader-dominated race.
Timeless Prince was stabled at the Aquanita facility during his spring stay and Newing said he learned a lot from the experience.
“It was my first venture down there and it was a great eye-opener,” Newing said.
“I’d been waiting to take the right horse down and I think I did that. We didn’t get the races run to suit but the horse performed well.”
The horse will face eight rivals at Randwick including the in-form Gamblestown who has won his past two starts at Rosehill along with Godolphin duo Barbed and Medcaut.
Boom youngster Regimental Force, a son of top sprinting mare Regimental Gal and a winner of his only barrier trial by 9-1/2 lengths, will make his race debut in the opening event.
