By DAVID NAGEL
STUNNING progress is being made at the Pakenham Racing Club’s new state-of-the-art facility in Tynong as the racing world’s new frontier continues to take shape.
And it’s full-steam ahead for the PRC as it heads towards its first race meeting on turf, on Thursday 26 March, 2015.
More than half of the 9.5 hectare turf track has been laid by Evergreen turf; two sand tracks are basically complete in preparation for the commencement of training, while the 140-horse under-cover raceday and training stalls also stand proud.
PRC chief executive, Michael Hodge, said the number one priority right now was to get the facility safe for training.
“We’ve had the lights switched on and now it’s a matter of making sure the venue is safe for trainers and track-riders, so training can begin,” Mr Hodge said.
“From there, it’s onto the turf track, the events centre, the synthetic track and the trainers’ allotments.
“The tender has been issued to the market place for the construction of the synthetic track and we need to be building in September of this year and be completed in about February 2015. Our first race meeting on the synthetic will be on May 26, 2015.”
Mr Hodge said construction of stage-one of the trainer’s allotment sub-division would begin next week.
“Stage one of the residential sub-division will be built by the end of the year,” he said.
“We’ve sold 11 of the 18, and 10 per cent deposits have been paid, which has provided the funding for the construction to commence. The roads and services will be complete by the end of the year which means the owners can take title to their block and start building. The first horse should roll off those properties at the start of 2016 and that’s on track.”
Mr Hodge said he was excited by many aspects of the new facility at Tynong but it is the actual tracks themselves that will set this venue apart.
“It’s important that people realise that between the grass and synthetic tracks, and the tunnels, that’s nearly $22 million worth of investment,” he said.
“That’s more than a third of our budget has gone on those two tracks and that indicates the priority of the club.
“The clear big-ticket item for this facility is the combination of the grass and the synthetic tracks and what that does for this race club.
“It absolutely underpins everything, is superior to anything internationally and is our conduit to night racing.
“I also get very excited by the trainer allotments and what they will do for those participants.”
Mr Hodge said the club was very close to offering its first membership package to the public.
“The racing operations team is finalising the brochures now and we’re looking forward to getting into the market place. We’ve got a great offer, a great incentive for those who sign up in year one. The best spot on the track is devoted to the premium members’ facilities.”
