Racing is in OZZIES DNA - Just not in Sydney!

[Chief Stipe]

Rosehill Racecourse sale: Australian Turf Club vote on April 3

www.racenet.com.au

 

 

The vote to determine the sale of Rosehill and perhaps the future of Sydney and NSW racing is in the home straight.

Australian Turf Club members will on April 3 get to vote on the proposal to sell Rosehill for a reported $5 billion-plus.

Debate on whether to retain or sell Rosehill has degenerated into bitter acrimony at times between the opposing sides since the proposal was announced more than 15 months ago.

This decision is a momentous one for the ATC's 11,500-plus members. It seems almost unfair to burden them with such a defining decision on the future of Rosehill and perhaps the NSW racing industry but these are the rules, enshrined in law under the Corporations Act.

Therefore, what are the potential outcomes of the vote? To quote a famous line from Kevin Bacon in the hit movie, A Few Good Men: "These are the facts of the case and they are undisputed."

 

Cameron Happ - Last 28 Days

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The "No" vote would mean the status quo remains and Sydney racing retains its best asset, Rosehill Gardens, home of the Golden Slipper and Golden Eagle.

Rosehill is situated in the geographical heartland of Sydney, albeit near an industrial area. Why it doesn't attract bigger crowds on major race days is a mystery with only 12,111 on track for the Golden Slipper last week. But that is a story for another day.

A "No'' vote also ensures Rosehill remains as a training centre, too. It is currently home to about 450 horses.

This provides certainty for those trainers with their businesses based at Rosehill, plus their stable staff, track riders and track maintenance workers.

But the "No'' vote doesn't resolve one of the most critical issues facing Sydney racing – and that's funding.

Wagering turnover is in decline and this is the primary source of revenue for the Australian Turf Club. This is not a problem confined to Sydney either – it's a serious challenge confronting the sport nationwide.

This is why a "Yes" vote needs to be carefully considered. The Minns Government is prepared to purchase Rosehill Gardens for more than $5 billion and use the land to build a new suburb with 25,000 homes in the vicinity of a Metro rail station.

As Australian Turf Club members prepare to vote on the sale of Rosehill racecourse in the next two weeks, trainer @cwallerracing has called for more information on the two parcels of land the club is considering for a replacement track. ????https://t.co/Agk1EkcB87

— Racenet (@RacenetTweets) March 20, 2025

 

• Rosehill Turf Talk: Stars align on a $12 J-Mac mount

The ATC would then use the money to build a new racetrack and training centre, completely redevelop Warwick Farm and Canterbury, plus improve facilities at Royal Randwick.

There would be available funds to finally build that hotel at Randwick which would provide an alternative source of income for the ATC.

The rest of the money could be prudently and wisely invested, earning interest for Sydney and NSW racing to financially future-proof the industry for decades to come.

So, is it just me or does the April 3 vote seem premature? Shouldn't more time be given to explore the potential of the Rosehill sale proposal, decide on a site for the new racetrack and fully develop those plans, thus giving ATC members and industry participants more clarity on what the future may look like prior to voting?

After all, if you are going to build a house, you want to study the plans first.

The Rosehill sale proposal is a one-off. It's a decision that needs to be considered on facts not emotion.

Proponents of both sides of this debate want more information and who can blame them?

It would be a shame if the industry did not get the opportunity to be fully informed before voting given the enormous consequences of this decision.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

WITH news Melbourne's wonder filly Treasurethe Moment could be switched to the ATC Australian Derby, Hall of Fame trainer Clarry Conners reminded me of the extraordinary feats of his champion Research.

During the spring of 1988, Research won the Listed Furious Stakes then reeled off wins in the Flight Stakes, Wakeful Stakes and VRC Oaks – but she was only just getting started.

In the 1989 Sydney autumn carnival, Research won the Storm Queen (now Vinery Stud) Stakes then seven days later beat the "boys" in the AJC (now ATC) Australian Derby.

The remarkable Research then backed up the following Wednesday and won the AJC Oaks – her third win in 11 days!

• Vinery Stud Stakes tips, runner-by-runner form analysis

Research finished the season with four Group 1 wins – the Storm Queen Stakes wasn't upgraded to Group 1 status until 1992 – but her extraordinary season resulted in her being awarded Horse of the Year for 1989-90.

Treasurethe Moment, who has won the Wakeful Stakes and VRC Oaks this season, is on a six-race winning streak and is the hot favourite at $1.60 to win the Group 1 $750,000 Vinery Stud Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

If she was to repeat Research's unique treble, she would need to race on three successive Saturdays.

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ELLA Hazel, one of Treasurethe Moment's rivals in the Vinery Stud Stakes, has an interesting pedigree.

The filly's sire, Dundeel, won the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes in 2012, and her dam, Maid Of Heaven, won the same three-year-old classic in 2017.

Vinery Stud Stakes hopeful Ella Hazel bolts in at Wyong on March 12. Picture: Bradley Photos

• Shayne O'Cass's tips, race-by-race analysis for 2025 Tancred Stakes day at Rosehill Gardens

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ATC has announced its longstanding feature race partnership with leading breeding operation, Vinery Stud, has been extended for another three years.

Vinery Stud has had the naming rights for the Group 1 three-year-old fillies classic, which has the registered name of the Storm Queen Stakes, since 2013.

The Australian Turf Club is pleased to announce the extension of its longstanding partnership with one of the Hunter Valley's most respected breeding operations, @VineryStud, for a further three years ahead of Saturday's Group 1 race.

Read: https://t.co/tjsF1T5DZBpic.twitter.com/GiFrvzo2fT

— Australian Turf Club (@aus_turf_club) March 26, 2025

 

• Tancred Stakes tips, runner-by-runner form analysis

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City Of Troy, the super colt Irish training genius Aidan O'Brien described as one of the best horses ever to go through his Ballydoyle stables, will join the Coolmore Australia stallion roster in the spring breeding season.

A son of unbeaten American triple crown winner Justify, City Of Troy won his only three starts as a juvenile including the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes, earning a Timeform rating of 125 as a two-year-old which is bettered only by the incomparable Frankel this century.

City Of Troy then returned as a three-year-old to win three Group 1 races in 2024 including his outstanding win in the Epsom Derby and against older horses in the Juddmonte International where he broke the track record. He will stand at Coolmore in the Hunter Valley at a fee of $49,500.

City Of Troy. A name that won't be forgotten ????

A spellbinding performance in the Dewhurst Stakes ????

Unbeaten in three starts. Where will he conquer next? ????pic.twitter.com/GzTDP4KUKf

— British Champions Day (@Champions_Day) October 14, 2023

 

• EXPERT TIPS, BETTING STRATEGIES: Australian Cup, Tancred Stakes, Vinery Stud Stakes

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THEY SAID IT

"Treasurethe Moment will go to the Vinery and it will be interesting to see how she goes when she comes up against the Sydney fillies. Then we will look at potentially going to the Oaks although we haven't ruled out the Derby. We don't have her nominated for the Derby so we will need to see how she comes through the Vinery before considering our options." — Yulong's Vin Cox.

"Treasurethe Moment going this way around might be different but she is very good, so we will have to be on top of our game to be competing with her there in the finish." — John Sargent, trainer of Powers Of Opal.

"Everyone knows Ryan (Moore) is a world class jockey and we feel he's a good fit for Switzerland. Chris (Waller) is happy with Switzerland and we do have a lot of faith in this colt so the TJ Smith Stakes is a very important race.'' — Coolmore supremo Tom Magnier.

"The Arrowfield (Sprint) is likely to be Autumn Glow's next start. She's only going to have a light autumn and I would say she will go for a break after that then we will look forward to a big spring from her." — Arrowfield Stud's John Messara.

"Mazu's had two good toughen up runs and he finds a wet track. We'll probably lead from that barrier. He's a good old competitor, his form over his last couple of preparations has been very consistent." — Trainer Joe Pride.

"She has pulled up well without having a blow and Chad (Schofield) is happy with her. He feels she is holding her form well and if she can improve a length, she should be too far away in the TJ next week." — Rob Archibald, co-trainer of Sunshine In Paris.

"That run doesn't look to have taken anything out of him by any means. He's nice and well in himself over the last two weeks and has looked in good shape. I'm very pleased with how he is heading into the race." — Adrian Bott, trainer of Tancred Stakes hopeful Vauban.

[Murray Fish]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

Why it doesn't attract bigger crowds on major race days is a mystery with only 12,111 on track for the Golden Slipper last week

costs to get in?

 

[Murray Fish]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

ATC's 11,500-plus members

how many vote?

[Doomed]

NSW find themselves in a similar situation to NZ, rapidly rising stakes and rapidly declining turnover. Extraordinary that only 12,000 turned up to the slipper.

[Chief Stipe]

7 minutes ago, Doomed said:

NSW find themselves in a similar situation to NZ, rapidly rising stakes and rapidly declining turnover. Extraordinary that only 12,000 turned up to the slipper.

Yes but over 49,000 turned up to see The Everest.

[Doomed]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

Yes but over 49,000 turned up to see The Everest.

Possibly an indication that a massive crowd for one heavily promoted day doesn't mean significant long term benefits. 

[TAB For Ever]

Sydney faces a lot of the same issues that New Zealand faces.

Sport/Racing is now at best televised entertainment...much better view , cheaper and less time consuming.

There are much more 'big days' so now no call to action ....another big day around the corner !

And racing is so bloody boring ...2 mins or less every 40 minutes .....horses running around a track, not the thrills/spills of car racing.

Last nights Penrith v Rabbits had a poor crowd at game.....who cares ? So what .

I went to a sports AGM , didn't even make a quorum .....who cares ! So what.

And the reputation of Horse racing ain't gonna improve ...even in Australia.

Many folk still like a bet .......Sports is not only catching up on Racing ,its surging ahead . Lotto for the big win !

But a great time to be involved in racing .......my horses have a better chance of breaking even and I can bet on any thing at anytime !