NSW government punts $67 million on regional racetrack upgrades

NSW government punts $67 million on regional racetrack upgrades

See also 2020: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/the-rise-and-rise-of-country-racing-in-nsw/

ABC Upper Hunter

By Jake Lapham and Bridget Murphy

Posted Yesterday at 5:31pm

Featured Image: Scone Races ABC Local Radio

See also:

NSW government punts $67 million on regional racetrack upgrades – ABC News

Scone Race Track $20 million upgrade – scone.com.au : scone.com.au

Millions of dollars being poured into race tracks including Scone – AM981 Hunter Valley (2nm.com.au)

$67m boost for NSW country racetracks – Racenet

Millions of dollars being poured into race tracks including Scone – 98.1 Power FM (981powerfm.com.au)

NSW government punts $67 million on regional racetrack upgrades

ABC Upper Hunter

By Jake Lapham and Bridget Murphy

Posted Yesterday at 5:31pm

Regional horse racing is among the big winners of next week’s state budget

ABC Upper Hunter: Jake Lapham

In the largest investment in regional horse racing in a decade, the Berejiklian government will spend $67million on upgrades to racetracks around New South Wales, including a $20million package for Australia’s horse capital, Scone.

Key points:

  • Funding will be allocated to upgrading regional race clubs in the upcoming NSW budget
  • Scone, in the Upper Hunter, will receive a $20 million boost
  • A total of 21 racetracks will see upgrades to grandstands, tracks and stables

Racing NSW CEO Peter V’Landys joined deputy premier John Barilaro, treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Member for the Upper Hunter David Layzell, for the pre-budget announcement at Scone Race Club, which will be receiving a new Polytrack and stables.

Minister for Racing Kevin Anderson said the investment reflected the resilience of the racing industry, which continued to operate through the height of the coronavirus lockdown.

“When you look at the economic benefit that [horse racing] pumps into the state economy, it’s around $1.9billion. Some 14,000 jobs are in racing in regional New South Wales,” Mr Anderson said.

Around the state, 21 racetracks will receive a slice of the budget money, including a $4.2million grandstand upgrade at Muswellbrook as well as new facilities at Cessnock.

Scone Race Club hosts the annual Scone Cup, Australia’s richest country race meeting.

ABC Upper Hunter: Jake Lapham

Horse capital the big winner

Mr V’Landys said plans for $20million of upgrades at Scone Race Club were already under way, and that he hoped they would be completed within two years.

“We’ll build 600 stables straight away. We’ll put the Polytrack in straight away,” he said.

Racing NSW CEO Peter V’Landys hopes to solidify Scone as a hub for regional racing.(

ABC Upper Hunter: Jake Lapham

Polytrack is the brand name of a man-made racing surface consisting of silica sand, Spandex and rubber fibres, which is then covered with wax.

The Racing Minister praised its choice.

“It is consistent, it’s safe, it allows all-weather, fast-track work, rain, hail sleet or snow, seven days a week,” Mr Anderson said.

Racing hub coming together

The suite of racetrack upgrades comes just months after Racing NSW purchased the nearby Scone TAFE site, which it plans to transform into a training centre for the racing industry.

Mr Barilaro said that the investment, the vision, the strategy, and the commitment to the equine industry in the region, put together, was something the state government was “going to absolutely back”.

Scone Race Club chairman Alastair Pulford said he expected the investment to bring the number of people employed in the industry across the Hunter to more than 7,000.

“Wow. It’s going to be hard to wipe the smile off my face for at least a week, but probably a couple of months or longer.”

Posted Yesterday