‘We are not pursuing or engaging on club merger activity’ – VRC attempts to shut down MRC amalgamation talks

The Victoria Racing Club has moved quickly to distance itself from a proposed merger with the Melbourne Racing Club.

In an email to members on Thursday, VRC chief executive Kylie Rogers and chair Neil Wilson were steadfast that the club, which oversees Flemington and the four-day Melbourne Cup carnival, would not be investigating any merger with the MRC.

The financially embattled VRC, which posted a $24.2 million deficit last financial year, taking its losses since 2020 to $87 million, was linked to merger talks with MRC chair John Kanga and powerful racing figure and billionaire Jonathan Munz by Victorian media outlet The Age on Thursday.

In responding to the report, Rogers and Wilson wrote that the VRC would not be considering a merger with the MRC any time soon.

“We want to speak to you directly as a valued member of the VRC to advise that we are not pursuing or engaging on club merger activity and we have no reason, financial or otherwise to do this at this time,” they said.

“We remain committed to working alongside Racing Victoria and the broader industry for the betterment of Victorian racing.

“Our focus is squarely on strengthening the VRC – growing our club, backing our members and partners, and building on the success of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. 

“We have many exciting club-wide announcements in the pipeline to share with you in due course.”

The revelation of the top secret meeting between Kanga, Wilson and VRC deputy chair Michael Ramsden at Munz’s Toorak mansion in February emerged after the sudden sacking of MRC chief executive Tom Reilly late on Monday.

MRC director Barbara Saunders also resigned from the board, citing governance concerns about the appointment of chief operating officer Tanya Fullarton whose role was made known during a statement on Reilly’s dismissal.

Kanga, in the News Corp media, declared that the MRC would not appoint a new chief executive of the club which oversees Caulfield and Mornington and hosts 80 meetings a year.

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A Melbourne Racing Club director has quit her role after raising concerns with chairman John Kanga about key executive appointments at the club.

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Instead, Kanga insisted he would act as executive chair alongside Fullarton who will be on a reported $500,000 annual salary.

“Sometimes it just doesn’t work out. Tom was only CEO for three months and when things don’t go as well as they should, it is best to pivot and move on,” Kanga said in a statement on Monday confirming Reilly’s exit.

“Everyone can be assured that we have put a management structure in place to ensure a smooth transition. 

“I will spend substantial time at the club as chairman, as I did before Tom Reilly was appointed and am pleased to announce that we have appointed Tanya Fullarton as chief operating officer to work with me.”

Fullarton has been Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association (TROA) executive officer and deputy chair. 

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Munz, who holds considerable bloodstock interests through his GSA Bloodstock and Pinecliff Racing businesses, has been on the TROA board since 2006 and its chair since 2012.

In The Age report about the secret meeting, VRC vice-chair Ramsden said “nothing really happened since we had that chat a while ago” in terms of progressing merger talks any further.

Reilly departs MRC, Fullarton to assume role as Chief Operating Officer

Tom Reilly’s short tenure as CEO of Melbourne Racing Club has come to a sudden end, with chairman John Kanga announcing his departure on Monday night, four months after Reilly stepped into the role.

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“Nothing’s progressed and they’ve (MRC) got a few matters they are dealing with at the moment … anyway, we’ll see what happens,” Ramsden told the publication.