Pakenham Trainers’ Association members and local racing industry stakeholders gathered in a show of solidarity at Pakenham Racecourse last Wednesday night.By Paul Pickering
PAKENHAM Trainers’ Association will table a report imploring Racing Victoria Limited to reconsider its planned funding cuts to Pakenham Racing Club, after the submission was last week rubber-stamped by the local horseracing fraternity.
A gathering of around 75 concerned locals – including trainers and their staff, farriers, feed merchants, veterinarians and equipment suppliers – was briefed on the draft submission by PTA president Julien Welsh and secretary Terry Ahern at the association’s general meeting last Wednesday night (11 February).
Welsh addressed the anxious audience – sobered by the threat of an RVL-imposed relocation to Cranbourne – to outline the key points of the submission, which was compiled in response to RVL’s Victorian Racecourse and Training Facilities Directions Paper.
The PTA members agreed that the submission makes a compelling case for Pakenham to avoid the axe under RVL’s plan to close 19 of its 35 training centres – that much was clear from the generous applause that followed Welsh’s presentation.
As Welsh explained, the submission argues that Pakenham more than pulls its weight among Victoria’s training centres.
PTA research revealed that Pakenham produced the ninth-highest number of runners (879 in the 2007-08 season), while also rating as the most cost-effective, measured by funding cost per starter of all the training centres targeted by the RVL funding cuts.
The submission also notes the volume of breaking-in and pre-training work conducted at Pakenham, arguing that such work would be near impossible to transfer elsewhere.
Welsh said a PTA survey had revealed that around 20 per cent of Pakenham trainers would leave the industry if faced with the increased travel time and cost involved with a move to Cranbourne.
Those and other compelling figures led Welsh to a definitive conclusion.
“We strongly believe that, based on these points, it makes absolutely no sense to discontinue funding to Pakenham, which would effectively spell the end of 82 years of training history,” he said.
The submission was given a ringing endorsement by Pakenham Racing Club’s racing manager Michael Hodge, who addressed the gathering on the progress of the club’s proposed relocation to Nar Nar Goon.
Hodge congratulated the association on a submission based on data and fact rather than emotion.
“I think it’s a fantastic case being put forward on your behalf to Racing Victoria Limited,” he declared.
“Let’s hope it has the desired effect.”
Hodge was frank in his assessment of the club’s bid to secure a relocation lifeline via ongoing talks with RVL chief executive Rob Hines.
He said the club’s fate would ultimately hinge on convincing Hines that the proposed Nar Nar Goon facility could satisfy his appetite for night racing better than an upgraded Cranbourne Training Centre.
Hodge later fielded questions on the presence of power lines on the Nar Nar Goon site, which has emerged as the latest snag for the relocation.
He said the club had spoken with Cardinia Shire Council and energy suppliers about the issue, with the possibility of redirecting the lines underground arising as a likely solution.
PRC is now preparing its final submissions to RVL on the proposed relocation and threats to Pakenham’s training funding and race dates.
Meanwhile, PTA is encouraging its members – and any other industry stakeholders – to write their own submissions ahead of the 27 February deadline.
