Giants like the concept

RACING giant Godolphin and leading southern operation Snowden Racing are two training groups who will consider opening Gold Coast stables once upgrades are complete.

Major southern trainers are watching the developments of the Gold Coast Turf Club’s track closely as they prepare to follow the likes of Chris Waller, Gary Moore and Queenslander John Zielke and open a base at Aquis Park.

Former premier Sydney trainer Peter Snowden said the upgrade of the training tracks would be enough to entice him to Queensland.

“If an artificial track was there you would definitely get more horses training there,” Snowden said.

“Sydney is so strong at the moment and I’m not putting it down but Brisbane is a lot softer.

“It would give you an option and help you keep owners who have horses in the stable.

“Not all horses can be good but to keep the owners happy you could take them to a lesser area and win with them.

“It saves you giving the horse away and losing part of that ownership group you have with them.

“The training track upgrade is the selling point with the Gold Coast because that Velvet track and sand track are not good enough.”

Godolphin’s Australian managing director Vin Cox said while there were no immediate plans to open a Coast stable, the upgrades made it an attractive prospect.

“At the moment we have

got three different stables, two in NSW and one in Victoria,” Cox said.

“Would we do it today? No, but ultimately it’s a possibility.

“Absolutely we would look at it. It all depends on what happens with the racetrack and what happens with racing in Queensland.

Any upgrade to any facility is a benefit to all in racing so that certainly makes it more attractive.”