Racing shock as SAJC votes to quit Victoria Park

[the joker]

NEARLY 160 years of inner-city racing has ended after the SA Jockey Club announced tonight it would vacate Victoria Park.

At Morphettville tonight SAJC members were told of the board's recommendations and had the opportunity to comment.
The board then adjourned to a specially convened meeting where it resolved to give the Adelaide City Council, in accordance with it lease conditions, one month's notice of its intention to leave Victoria Park.

SAJC chairman Mr John Naffine said it had invested a lot of time, effort and money pursuing a multi-purpose project in conjunction with the State Government and Motor Sport Board of SA only to have those plans rejected by the Adelaide City Council.

"Regrettably the stance taken by the Adelaide City Council has forced the SAJC to reconsider its options," he said.

"And after a thorough review of the financial implications associated with redeveloping Victoria Park it was decided by the Board that it would not be in the interests of racing or the SAJC to invest $20million at Victoria Park for what would now be an inferior building footprint in conjuction with the interruptions associated with motor sport infrastructure."

That $20million would have been for the refurbishment of city course which included a new grandstand and racetrack, giving the SAJC two tracks following the sale of Cheltenham Racecourse.

"The SAJC has considered all scenarios and has no doubt that it has made the right decision ... in the long term the SAJC benefit but more importantly racing as a whole," Mr Naffine added.

Adelaide City Council Lord Mayor Michael Harbison said the SAJC's decision to walk away from Victoria Park was predictable.

"I think it's a sad day for racing, horse racing had a great history in Victoria Park and the parklands generally," Mr Harbison said.

"The decision is not really a surprise. The dye was cast when the multi-use facility for horse racing and motor racing was rejected.

"I can understand that it's not sustainable for the jockey club to invest $20 million into Victoria Park.

He said the council planned to preserve the heritage grandstand and develop the site as an open space recreational area.

"It does offer an opportunity for an open space parklands recreation facility for the public and unlike Cheltenham the site will not be sold and housing will not be built there."

Adelaide Parklands Preservation Association president Jim Daly called on the council to move quickly to develop the site.

"It's up the council now to make the area at Victoria Park into a beautiful public park with a whole range of community activities for a huge range of people," Mr Daly said.

Monies that would otherwise have been invested in Victoria Park will now be spent on installing a second grass racing track at Allan Scott Park Morphettville and increasing prizemoney.

The SAJC has already ordered the grass for a new inner track, estimated to cost $4.5million, and would be in commission by the time Cheltenham closes in March next year.

And it is the club's intention to maximise the use of Allan Scott Park and race there every week of the year, or as programmed by Thoroughbred Racing SA.

"The installation of a second grass track is considered to be a `green' project with particular reference to water requirements," Mr Naffine added. "The SAJC recharges the Aquifer form its wetlands at a greater rate than what it would use for watering two grass tracks."

In addition to another racing surface the SAJC would now also make infrastructure improvements, up-grade training facilities and technoligical improvements to audio visual and real time sectional timing.

TRSA, SA's governing thoroughbred body, has endorsed the SAJC's decision to leave Victoria Park.

The Board's chairman, Mr Philip Bentley said that a total refurbishment and redesign of the existing facilities at Victoria Park was unlikely to yield a break even net return.

"If the SAJC installed a second track at Morphettivlle inside the main track it would save between $250,000 and $500,00 on operating expenses," he said.

Adding that the the $20million needed at Victoria Park could be invested to yield an extra $2million per annum that could be added to stakesmoney, an increase to Saturday metropolitan prizemoney of over $4000 per race, per annum.

"It must be emphasises that the bigges threat to the future of SA racing is its low level of prizemoney compared to other states," he added.

"SA does not have a shortage of venues, it has a shortage of prizemoney and the SAJC's decision to vacate Victoria Park is consistent with the long term interest of the industry."

[the joker]

adelide city council are wankers!!!!.

what an apsolute disgrace

[bayman]

adelide city council are wankers!!!!.

what an apsolute disgrace

spot on & now the ratepayers will complain that they have to pay to water the place

but i don't think it was a shock really as the sajc hasn't watered it for a long while & listening to both parties yesterday on 5aa it was obvious imho that the sajc had given up & was out of there

there goes the twilights

[mighty_tiger_79]

i think the SAJC had given up when the council didnt approve the grandstand..............

oh well the neighbours will have a nice desert soon

[Dog_ger]

Horse racing has been going backwards since Johnny Lets stopped riding.

He hasn't improved on the golf course either....

[MightyEagles]

This is all ACC's fault, not letting the sajc to water Vic Park.

[Dirko]

This is all ACC's fault, not letting the sajc to water Vic Park.

ME, The SAJC only need to water the track if there is a meeting scheduled. They use main water not reclaimed storm water as they do at Morphy. Why waste millions of litres of water to water a track that won't be used ? The ACC has nothing to do with the watering. The SAJC had a permit from SA Water to water when needed, and IMO I agree with the fact they don't waste water when there are no meetings.

More to the point though, is the ACC's lack of drive to get some decent established facilities into the area to cater for the horses and other events. Personally I hope the area falls into a desert wasteland so all the residents who kicked up a fuss over development there can walk there Labradoodles through the dustbowl...

And Jim Daly the president for Parkland Preservation, call for the council to develop the parkland for ALL users...yeah righto DH, you mean for the select few that live around the area, and fought tooth and nail to drive away any chance of making the parkland into something decent....
Enjoy the dustbowl. I for one will protest long and hard if the council plans to spend money for some group of wankers....

[MightyEagles]

Accordingly the SAJC need to apply for a licence to water vic park before each meeting.

[Rucciangelo]

Having worked at Vic Park with the Racing Industry for over 25 years it comes as no surprise that the SAJC has walked away. The facilities for both punters and officials has been on the decay for decades. The place is a nightmare for Stewards to keep joggers, people walking dogs etc away from the danger of being trampled by racing thoroughbreds, as well as the safety of the Jockeys and horses too.
We all like good facilities to go to sporting events and it is a pity that so few people caused so much havoc and stopped the improvement of an existing historical sporting facility that drastically needed upgrading. With the SAJC walking away, I think we should all be awaiting the news that the Clipsal 500 will disappear to another location in the very near future.
To the minority who made such a big impact, I say thank you, you mob of back water idiots!
Enjoy your dusty desert parklands in the summer months, and the weeds in the winter months. You deserve it!

[bayman]

Horse racing has been going backwards since Johnny Lets stopped riding.

He hasn't improved on the golf course either....

your not getting mixed up with his brother wayne by any chance ?

[RustyCage]

If the Clipsal 500 isnt in the parklands, we will lose the event.

[Dutchy]

No suprise really, probably the best for racing, get a 2nd track at HQ and it will be fine, cant see any reason whyt he twilights couldnt continue at HQ, right near teh Bay and the Tram and not far from the city....and for us owners and increase in prizemoney has been promised

[mighty_tiger_79]

No suprise really, probably the best for racing, get a 2nd track at HQ and it will be fine, cant see any reason whyt he twilights couldnt continue at HQ, right near teh Bay and the Tram and not far from the city....and for us owners and increase in prizemoney has been promised

yeah well we all know what happens to promises from the racing industry as a whole, dont spend it before you get it!!!!!!