Turf club builds future
THE Gold Coast Turf Club is about to launch a $4 million development of its training and stable facility designed to nearly triple the presence of horses and future proof racing in the city.
The club expects the Gold Coast City Council to sign off on its Traintech proposal in weeks as the club looks to make the facility a “one stop shop” for trainers.
“It’s about future-proofing racing on the Gold Coast, that’s about having a few things in line which underpins the financial returns for the business,” turf club CEO Steve Lines said.
“At the end of the day, we are a racing community and we have an obligation to everyone that sits in that community for not only today and tomorrow but the medium and long term.”
The turf club’s three-year plan is to increase the number of stables at the Traintech site, at the northwestern corner of the Bundall racing precinct, from 130 to 300.
It will also upgrade the walkers, sand rolls, equine pool and walking tracks.
The club will offer a turnkey deal to trainers, who will have access to food, a vet, tooth doctor, farrier, shavings and waste management as part of their racing fees.
The biggest threat facing the club is the current pressure on real estate surrounding the Bundall base where developers are constantly buying or making offers on the land and stables of local trainers.
Magic Millions-winning trainer Toby Edmonds’ property is up for sale while Bryan Guy’s stable is under offer.
“It’s a sign of the times because this land around us is quite premium,” Lines said.
“If these pressures are going to go on it will hurt the horse numbers and we can’t afford to have that in the long term.”
Gold Coast Turf Club’s challenge in recent years has been its steep racing fees which have come from a limited volume of trainers but it is currently cheaper than Brisbane for the first time.
Lines has declared he will reduce the fees further on the back of the Traintech development that the club expects to bring in about $1 million a year in financial return.
The club has 12 years to run on its lease at Traintech but expects to significantly cut the cost – it stands at $170,000 a year now – in the new 50-year term.
Record-breaking Sydney trainer Chris Waller recently opened a stable on the Gold Coast and the club is already attracting interest from other big names from around the country on the back of the development plans.
IT’S A SIGN OF THE TIMES BECAUSE THIS LAND AROUND US IS QUITE PREMIUM TURF CLUB CEO STEVE LINES