October
AugustSeymour needs synthetic
Following the success of the new track at Geelong, Racing Victoria chief Rob Hines rightly talks about the pluses of having two synthetic tracks in the Gippsland area (the busy Cranbourne training track and the proposed new racecourse at Nar Nar Goon), but the central and northern eastern districts of Victoria don’t rate a mention.
We must have three synthetic racetracks in Victoria to make the whole of the State’s racing viable.
There are just as many horses and racing people in places like Kyneton, Kilmore, Seymour, Bendigo, Echuca, Benalla, Tatura, Wangaratta and Wodonga as there are in Gippsland and the Western Districts.
All of these potentially thriving racing hubs would be perfectly served by a synthetic track at Seymour because the furthest drive from any of them to Seymour is 2½ hours.
This need was ilustrated perfectly when the first two days’ racing of the new season in Victoria saw meetings abandoned at Bendigo and Wangaratta (transferred from Echuca).
Thinking outside the square, if RVL wanted to make additional revenue and the first move to a nationalised industry, it could also make a synthetic Seymour track available at a fee to raceclubs just over the border such as Albury and Corowa when their meetings are likely to be washed out. Somehow I don’t think that idea will ever get off the ground.
Victoria is doing many things right but we cannot afford to rest on our laurels.
The Hayes stable has seen it fit to transfer its famous Lindsay Park racing operation to Euroa, which is halfway between Seymour and Wangaratta, and its presence there will lift racing interests in surrounding areas.
I believe that one of the reasons why funding and support has been lacking in these districts is because the number of race meetings has declined in recent years, but that is not necessarily the fault of the race clubs mentioned above.
We should be doing everything we can to increase the number of race meetings throughout Victoria and if some foresight, strategic planning and common sense is applied then there is no reason why this can’t happen.
Altona (Vic)