Straight Up – Racing’s power games and the likelihood of collateral damage
In this edition:
- Opinion: The Rosehill toxicity and the path forward
- Going global – New Zealand syndicator making most of established and new frontiers
- The King and the chaos – Noel Callow on still having a crack
- ‘We run a very good race club’ – ATC chairman McGauran remains unmoved
Rosehill survives but what happens next to the central characters who pushed so vehemently for the sale of the Australian Turf Club’s richest asset is likely to shape the immediate future of racing in NSW.
If the stance taken by ATC chairman Peter McGauran is an early indicator, the bitterness and anger created by the unsolicited proposal to the NSW government will linger.
McGauran, a state government appointment to the ATC board, is steadfast in his determination to stay the course, no matter how untenable his position may seem after 56.1 per cent of the membership who voted on the Rosehill resolution rejected the idea of selling off the racecourse.
Less than 48 hours after Tuesday’s vote was passed in a closer-than-anticipated ballot, the lobby group Save Rosehill made its latest challenge to McGauran’s authority on the basis his leadership has been compromised to a point that is beyond repair.
Save Rosehill needs 5 per cent of the membership to sign a petition to trigger a general meeting to vote on his dismissal under the Corporations Act. It has already attracted 500 signatures among the 11,500 members.
Of the other protagonists involved, it seems NSW Premier Chris Minns has already moved on. Unlike McGauran, Minns reportedly has a ‘Plan B’ as he stakes his government’s reputation on its ability to solve Sydney’s housing crisis.
This leaves us with the role Racing NSW played in backing the Rosehill sale.
The regulator’s silence since the vote only adds to governance and transparency concerns that have been highlighted in the past 12 months as race clubs such as the ATC find themselves under financial pressure.
Perhaps the promised government review into the workings of the Thoroughbred Racing Act as one of the recommendations from the Rosehill inquiry will provide a meaningful forum to shed light on a disconnect between a cash and asset-rich regulator and the clubs it oversees.
The Rosehill toxicity and the path forward
Alas, racing infrastructure and assets aren’t a topic of discussion that is exclusive to NSW.
As the Brisbane winter carnival moves to Eagle Farm on Saturday for the Queensland Derby meeting, behind the scenes the Brisbane Racing Club is dealing with its own issues.
One of the famous racecourse’s grandstands is in such a dilapidated condition that it is set to be decommissioned in 2026.
To build a replacement, the BRC needs financial assistance from the Crisafulli Government.
It seems an impasse exists as Queensland capital works spending will be focused on the 2032 Olympic Games. We will have more in this story early next week.
On the racetrack, the Derby meeting was supposed to mark jockey Noel Callow’s first Group 1 ride in Australia in five years.
But in a turn of events that mirrors Callow’s rollercoaster career, the veteran rider has been stood down on medical grounds following a midweek jockeys’ room scuffle that put him in hospital.
Joining Callow as a Derby day absentee will be leading jockey Blake Shinn who has suffered a foot injury that threatens to bring a premature end to his season.
The Derby is an open race and that gives New Zealand syndicator Albert Bosma enough reason to believe Maison Louis can figure.
Bosma’s Go Racing outfit farewelled top mare Atishu in a $2.7 million sale this week and there could be more reason to celebrate at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
What you may have missed this week:
- ‘Sole and absolute discretion’ – one in six foals could be banned from racing under RA crackdown
- Valley closure at centre of major changes to 2025/26 Victorian racing schedule
- Members reject ATC’s Rosehill proposal
- Belmont on indefinite hold as turf, geoscience experts called in to investigate track mystery
- Commingling issue delivers a $69 million hit to Hong Kong turnover
- Call answered – Frankel mare joins Yulong in $2.1 million Magic Millions deal
- Zou got ya – Magnier gets his mare with a $5.25 million price tag
- Run The Numbers – The wisdom of buying weanlings
- Rowe On Monday
Don’t forget to check out this week’s edition of the Straight Talk podcast, where Bren O’Brien and Tim Rowe talk to Tom Magnier and Barry Bowditch about the mares’ market, chat Rosehill and Racing Victoria, as well as Tabcorp’s retail move.
Subscribe or listen on YouTube, Apple, Spotify or Podbean or watch below.
Enjoy your Group 1 racing weekend,
Warwick Barr
Senior Editor
The Straight
