The Gold Coast Turf Club (GCTC) could join Moonee Valley on the Friday night circuit if members vote for a new board at the annual general meeting in October.
The GCTC last week elected Brett Cook as its new chairman following the resignation of its controversial former chairman, Andrew Eggleston.
Eggleston had been under pressure to quit after Racing Queensland stewards found him guilty of misconduct following an altercation with a security guard at the Gold Coast in December.
Eggleston resigned after losing the support of the GCTC board last week and was replaced by Cook, a board member for four years and a high-profile Gold Coast businessman.
Cook will remain chairman until the club’s board elections in October.
He said his priority now was to finalise conditions over the heads of agreement with Racing Queensland which will see the governing body gain a 50 per cent equity in the club in exchange for massive capital injection to improve racecourse facilities.
The October elections will see a rival group, headed by former Moonee Valley Race Club committeeman Christopher Stear, attempt to gain control to lead the club into a new racing era.
The nine-person Stear group, known as the Members Winning Ticket, wants night racing introduced on the coastal strip.
“Following talks with Racing Queensland late last week we are confident we will be able to build a sound business case for the introduction of night racing at the Coast if we are elected,” Stear said.
Stear believes night racing would provide the club with a new revenue stream and would showcase Gold Coast racing to both local and international audiences.
“It is our intention to develop a sponsored night racing series that races simultaneously with Moonee Valley Racing Club,” he said.
“We have begun preliminary talks with Moonee Valley and our proposal has received enthusiastic feedback and the promise of significant future co-operation.
“The overall economic impact of such a series will benefit the Coast as a whole and revenue to the club will increase through both catering and wagering.”
Stear said his team sees night racing as one of the important steps on the road to gaining metropolitan club status.
“We have a club in one of the world’s best locations – the Gold Coast is a natural for night racing,” he said.
Racing Queensland chairman Bob Bentley has warned the club would lose its Saturday race dates when they raced on Friday night and the cost of installing lights would be up to $7 million.
AAP TURF
