Passion for racing

Michael Hodge is one of only a few people who appreciate the amount of work a successful racing club requires.
Early every morning, when most of us are still dreaming about backing a winner or two, the Pakenham Racing Club is in full stride and Michael, its racing manager, is the brains behind the barriers.
With 108 trainers operating from its training facilities and between 80 and 100 horses on the track every morning Pakenham’s local racing club is much more than the glitz and glamour of its annual feature races.
Michael’s first foray into the world of racing was with the Warragul Harness Racing Club, where he began as secretary in 1994.
Following on from the great work of legend Dan Talbot, Michael helped reinvent the club’s public profile and built the reputation of a number of race days.
“I’d always had an interest in racing, but as a child I never had my heart set on a career in the industry,” he said.
“But when the opportunity came about, I jumped on it.”
In 2002, Michael’s portfolio doubled when Harness Racing Victoria, the sport’s state body, installed him as business manager of the then troubled Cranbourne Harness Racing Club.
The Cranbourne club was in a difficult situation, and Michael admits his job to turn the club around was not easy.
“Being a Harness Racing Victoria appointee, I was seen as the outsider in the early days, so people were very cautious,” he said.
Michael soon found himself as the chief executive officer of both the Warragul and Cranbourne harness racing clubs, but with that title came much hard work.
“Warragul was racing 15 times a year; Cranbourne had 25 meetings a year.
“Twentythree of those Cranbourne meetings were night meetings, so the workload was heavy.
“On the big feature race nights, you’d get to the racecourse in the morning, and still be around in the early hours of the next morning, it was a fairly demanding role,” Michael said.
In 2004, Michael’s hard work was recognised when he was awarded the inaugural Harness Racing Victoria Secretary of the Year Award after delivering a $237,000 annual profit to the Cranbourne Harness Racing Club.
Another of his most memorable achievements was successfully organising the Cranbourne Racecourse TriCodes meeting, an idea that took more than 18 months to come to fruition.
Michael, along with the chief executive officers of the other two codes, joined forces to organise the three code race day, when the gallops, harness and greyhounds all race on the same day.
“It took a long time for that idea to materialise, race dates are locked in 18 months in advance, so there was a lot of ‘what ifs’ to deal with,” he said.
“What was most pleasing was that the chief executives from all three clubs worked handinhand to get the day going, there were plenty of hurdles to overcome.
“To have 5000 people attend the first meeting was sensational, it was a highlight of my career,” Michael said.
Michael said the then state racing minister Rob Hulls, a passionate racegoer, played a crucial role in helping the tricode day get off the ground.
“Rob really walked the talk when it came to spreading the word about the tricode day, but that said there were a lot of people that played a pivotal role in the day’s success.
“To have a race jumping every 15 minutes was a tough ask, but we pulled it off and now the tricode concept is getting stronger every year,” Michael said.
In August 2004, Michael made the switch from harness racing to gallops and has played a major role in the Pakenham Racing Club’s return to the pinnacle of country racing.
Michael said the gallops were a much more marketable product than harness racing.
“The gallops are the mainstream product in society, it attracts the crowds,” he said.
Pakenham Racing Club holds three major race days a year; Super Jumps Day, Oaks’ Day and the Pakenham Cup.
When Michael first arrived, the redevelopment of the Pakenham track was complete, and Michael faced the tough job of improving the quality of the club’s race dates.
“When I got to the club, the quality of the racing left a bit to be desired.”
“We approached Country Racing Victoria and requested some better days, we wanted spring race dates,” he said.
Tomorrow’s Oaks’ Day meeting is one such example of the fine work being done by Michael and the Pakenham Racing Club team.
With over 1400 bookings and a $12,000 Fashions on the Field competition, local race lovers now have a real alternative to the hustle and bustle of fabulous Flemington.
Michael has always enjoyed racing, and despite being on the course almost seven days a week, still has a passion for the sport of kings.
“Every day is different in the racing world, every race is different,” he said.
“The racing environment is forever changing, I love the spontaneity.”
But Michael draws a clear distinction between work and play when it comes to race days.
“When I’m on the job, especially on the feature racedays I’ll be lucky to stand still long enough to see a race run from start to finish, it’s gogogo all day,” he said.
“On the other hand, when I’m enjoying a relaxing day at the races with the family, I can really kick back and enjoy myself.”
Michael grew up in Warragul, where he still lives today with his wife Narelle and newly born daughter, Hannah.
Michael said the parenting adventure was more intense than backing a winner in a photo finish.
“It’s interesting, very different to anything else I’ve experienced,” he said.
Michael was a keen footballer in his younger days and played many years for Yarragon in the Mid Gippsland Football League and Warragul Industrials in the Ellinbank and District Football League, winning three reserves premierships and playing in a losing senior grand final.
Michael has also dabbled in horse ownership, and even won a few races, but owning a champion horse remains on his todo list.
“I guess I’m lucky to have enjoyed even one win, a lot of owners go through the thrills and spills of owning a horse without winning.
“But that said, I’d love to own a really good horse, that would be sensational and is high up on the todo list,” Michael said.
So next time you’re walking amongst the crowd at Pakenham racecourse, spare a thought for Michael, he is the man that makes it all possible.