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VRC Provides Certainty For Flemington Trainers

3 minute read

Victoria Racing Club has consolidated its racing strategy until 2025 that will provide a sense of certainty for industry participants.

Flemington racecourse
Flemington racecourse Picture: Racing and Sports

VRC chairman Amanda Elliott said a detailed analysis of different racing scenarios for Flemington over the past 18 months had resolved to retain the one-track model.

"The VRC will focus on optimising each of its 25 race days to a premium level," Elliott said.

"We have introduced twilight dates across summer and autumn and are now considering the possibility of lights down the Flemington straight for a day/night program involving our incredible new facilities and giving our patrons a new experience.

"The Board also considered the existing heavy schedule of racing for human and equine participants and felt that concentrating on taking its 25 meetings to a whole new level was more important than increasing the number of race meetings held at Flemington.

"We will place an emphasis on elevating existing black-type races as well as developing new ones with the ambition of having a feature race at every VRC raceday."

The VRC will introduce twilight racing on Saturday 14 December, Saturday 18 January, Sunday 9 February and Wednesday 4 March.

The February 9 meeting will be Flemington's first straight-course race meeting with all races held on the famous "straight six" straight and wil feature yet to be anounced new racing concepts.

Elliott reassured Flemington trainers that training will remain unaltered at the track.

"We have many of the best trainers in Australia based at Flemington. This decision gives them certainty going forward," Elliott said.

The announcements comes off the back of an increase in prizemoney and bonuses for the Melbourne Cup Carnival to a record $27.6 million and a new multi-million-dollar synthetic training track.

Owners' facilities will be elevated at this year's Melbourne Cup Carnival with a new al fresco area adjacent to the mounting yard. Planning for a modern revamp of the jockeys' precinct is also underway.


Racing and Sports

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