Caulfield inner track dubbed ‘massive setback’ for racing

[Wandering Eyes]

Caulfield is set to have an inner track built in 2023. (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

The Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) has confirmed plans to build a new inner racetrack at Caulfield after the 2022 Melbourne Spring Carnival, frustrating participants.

Caulfield is set to undergo a $30 million redevelopment over the next 12 months, with a new inner racetrack a part of that plan.

A number of significant racing participants expressed their dismay in regards to the proposal, with Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Danny O’Brien labelling the decision as a “massive setback for the quality of racing in Victoria”, while Group 1-winning jockey Daniel Moor said it was a “bit late” for April Fools’ jokes.

“This is a massive setback for the quality of Racing in Victoria. Has zero support from participants be they Owners, Trainers or Jockeys. In 1965 same club had the foresight to build Sandown, a perfect place to race a horse. What has become of the MRC,” O’Brien tweeted.

“Sell Sandown, pump money into Mornington, build inner track at Caulfield,” Moor’s tweet reads.

“Bit late for April fools (sic) jokes I would have thought.”

Caulfield will be closed for six months for the development of the ‘tight’ new inner track, which also sparked some concern for Victorian trainers, yet the MRC is adamant that dimensions of the course will be similar to the current Caulfield racetrack.

MRC’s executive director of racing and operations, Jake Norton, said that a meeting with participants and stakeholders on Wednesday afternoon involved plenty of “conflicting opinions”.

“There was a good, constructive and lively discussion from various industry stakeholders and RV as well,” Norton said.

“There is a lot of substance to our plans as far as expert analysis and evidence is concerned and there is often conflicting opinions about aspects of a topic like this from the same quarters.

“There are elements that people don’t agree on and they are often misconceptions as well.

“It was good to get everyone in the room again to go through some of the past feedback and some development and analysis that had been made on those previous consultation sessions.”

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