NSW government to fund $20 million Scone stable and track project
Muswellbrook to also benefit from $67 million state budget as Cessnock in line for upgrade
A stable complex with the capacity for hundreds of extra horses and a new Polytrack will be built in the thoroughbred breeding heartland of Scone as Racing NSW’s long-slated plan to upgrade training facilities across the state won approval from the state government.
The $20 million project, announced by NSW deputy premier John Barilaro and treasurer Dominic Perrottet in the Hunter Valley yesterday, is just one of what is expected to be multiple stable projects undertaken as a result of the $67 million in government funding outlined ahead of Tuesday’s state budget.
The NSW government has also set aside $4.2 million for a grandstand and raceday amenities upgrade at nearby Muswellbrook with confirmation of how the remaining $43 million will be spent set to be released in targeted announcements by MPs in the coming days.
However, the redevelopment of the Cessnock racecourse as a training centre, which ceased holding meetings after it was sold to Racing NSW last year, is also set to become a reality as a result of the budget injection.
The construction of the new on-course stabling complexes at Scone would be on land already owned by Racing NSW whose chief operating officer Graeme Hinton said plans were for the stables to house at least 300, and up to 400 extra horses, on top of the 200 already in training.
Hinton, who along with chief executive Peter V’landys and chairman Russell Balding was on hand for the Scone announcement, welcomed the government’s support of the thoroughbred industry.
“This all stemmed from Racing NSW presenting a business case to the government to say, if you build stables, you create jobs and jobs are good for the economy,” Hinton told ANZ Bloodstock News.
“There’s a format there where you can illustrate that and it’s then easier for the government to invest. We’ve stepped them through that process and the benefits that it drives and this is what’s come from it.
“There were vets at the function today who were talking about building a new vet hospital up here, so these are the kind of flow-on benefits that come from it.”
Development applications for the Scone project will be submitted to the Upper Hunter Shire Council in the near future but Hinton hopes construction to be completed in two years’ time.
He said: “I was standing next to (Scone trainer) Brett Cavanough today and all he was talking about was the Kosciuszko, the Country Championships and the Highways, so there’s plenty of reasons to get out into the country (to train).”
A total of 21 racecourses are set to receive infrastructure funding in the budget, but ANZ Bloodstock News understands at least two major provincial and country race clubs, both to the north and south of Sydney, have been overlooked despite having key projects earmarked.
Hinton indicated clubs who do miss out on funding in the budget may instead be in line for investment directly from the governing body’s own coffers.
“We will try and spread it around, but the bulk of the spending (of the $67 million in government money) will be on building stables, so you need to prioritise where you’ve got the right training facilities and the population,” he said.
“That is where the bulk of this money will end up and then Racing NSW can look at it and say, ‘where else do we need to invest in infrastructure?’.”
Racing NSW has made no secret of it wanting to increase the number of horses being trained in the state, particularly close to Sydney, a goal which has been hindered by a lack of stabling at the three metropolitan training centres of Randwick, Rosehill and Warwick Farm, as well as the provincial circuits.
In 2019, the Southern Highlands was mooted by V’landys as a potential location for a greenfield training centre in a similar way to how Newmarket is in the UK.
“Cessnock is definitely (in line for funding) but I don’t think you’ll see anything on the Southern Highlands, we are early days on that project, but I would hope to see Cessnock as part of this (budget spending),” Hinton said.
“Cessnock is still being used to train horses, there’s a small population there, but our vision is to turn it into a pre-training centre, build a few hundred stables, build a Polytrack and have that as a location to have horses pre-trained.
“That then means horses aren’t taking up boxes at Gosford, Newcastle, Wyong and Warwick Farm like they are at the moment.”
NSW deputy premier and Nationals leader John Barilaro said: “This is the largest investment by the NSW government in racing infrastructure and it is entirely focused on regional NSW.
“Today is yet another example of how we are actively supporting a regional renaissance, giving people in regional NSW access to the best quality amenities and recreation facilities.
“This funding to upgrade racetracks in regional NSW will mean more jobs for locals and more money coming into country towns through increased tourism generated by the capacity to host more high-quality race meets.”
News that Scone would receive a major infrastructure upgrade comes at an important time for the town’s race club, which is currently advertising for a chief executive after the recent departure of Heath Courtney.
The club’s two-day cup carnival in May was also hurt this year when the administration and committee made the shock decision to hand back its standalone Saturday meeting.
It was held at Rosehill for the second year in succession after it was moved due to the pandemic in 2020.
Hinton said Racing NSW and the club were yet to discuss the prospect of Scone once again hosting a standalone meeting next year and beyond.
“It is something we need to sit down with the club about and see what next year looks like and whether they have got the appetite to do it again,” he said.
“I will be honest, it hasn’t been discussed yet.”