Race on to get King to track
States in royal visit battle
The King is destined for Sydney’s races instead of the Melbourne Cup on his Australian tour unless Victorian racing gets its act together, an industry figure says.
The gee up comes as Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate keeps his fingers crossed Buckingham Palace will respond positively to his written request for the King and Queen Camilla to put the Glitter Strip on the itinerary.
Victoria’s peak racing body is on the hunt for a new chairman after Brian Kruger announced plans to depart almost eight months ago.
Interviews are yet to be conducted for the Racing Victoria position, with sources claiming former AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan was a target.
The power vacuum has led to disquiet in Victorian racing, with insiders demanding the role be filled now.
Tim Bull, a Nationals MP and opposition racing spokesman in Victoria, said the state was being steamrolled by the NSW racing boss Peter V’landys.
“The chair’s role should have been filled before Christmas, not only do we not have an appointment, there’s no indication of when it will be done,” he said.
“The (Victorian) Racing Minister Anthony Carbines has been asleep at the wheel.”
Mr Bull said the delays were leaving the door open to NSW to steal a visit from the King.
The monarch previously attended the Melbourne Cup with the late Princess Diana in 1985.
“These matters are important when we pride ourselves on being the peak or pre-eminent racing state,” he said.
Mr Carbines rejected Mr Bull’s claims and said acting chairman Mike Hirst had provided stability while a permanent replacement was found.
“We will have more to say on the chairperson appointment after the process to fill the current board vacancy has been completed,” he said.
“Victoria is the jewel in the crown of Australia’s racing industry and I’m confident our 2024 events will continue to attract millions of visitors – whether they be kings or not.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed the King will visit Australia this year, likely after the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa on October 21.
The battle is on to get the monarch to the track, with Mr V’landys naming a race after him – the $5m King Charles III Stakes to be run on October 19.
Mr V’landys already personally invited the King to Royal Randwick at a meeting in London last year.
The Queen is known to dislike long haul flights.