- Published:
- Friday 24 June 2016
Minister for Racing Martin Pakula and Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan today visited the Bendigo Jockey Club see the progress on a million-dollar-plus upgrade to the club’s sand training track.
The Andrews Labor Government provided $550,000 for the upgrade through its Victorian Racing Industry Fund.
Work on the $1.1 million project is expected to be completed in six weeks and will create up to 28 jobs during the construction phase, which will see the existing synthetic track surface removed and replaced with a new sand composition.
An automatic irrigation system is also being installed to ensure the new track provides an ideal and safe surface for trainers to prepare their horses all year round.
Bendigo Racecourse is one of Victoria’s premier country racing destinations, with the club holding more than 20 race meetings annually and more than 200 horses trained at the track each morning.
The current 1700-metre sand training track was installed nine years ago and the degraded surface no longer meets the needs of trainers.
Racing Victoria is also contributing $440,000 towards the upgrade, with the club providing the remaining $110,000.
Quotes attributable to Racing Minister Martin Pakula
“Bendigo Racecourse is a premier country racing destination and it’s important that we are able to support the Bendigo Jockey Club in installing the best possible training facilities.”
“The new track will encourage owners and trainers to continue to invest, support and grow racing in regional Victoria.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Bendigo East Jacinta Allan
"This $1.1 million investment is great for local racing, and great for local jobs and the economy."
Quotes attributable to Bendigo Jockey Club CEO Aaron Hearps
“We are grateful to the Victorian Government for its generous funding, which will enable us to construct a more cost-effective and safer training track.”
“The Bendigo Jockey Club is dedicated to offering the best racing experience in Victoria and the new track will ensure that our training facilities are also of the highest standard.”