A superior quality Marsa racecourse

For over four years the group has been gradually assembling a worldclass team of individuals and professional resources to deliver the €28m scheme, the most significant sporting investment in Malta’s history.

The members of the consortium have a long-standing knowledge in this area of expertise and have contributed to proposals to renovate this venue. To illustrate, one member, Dr Ken Hill, specialises in equine performance and nutrition. He has over 40 years of experience with race horses, both in terms of helping maximise overall performance and also in the treatment of injuries, particularly muscular and skeletal ailments. Similarly, Don McClean, former head of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, brings a wide knowledge of betting and the historic evolvement of betting systems.

Brendan McCardle has exten

sive experience within racing and equestrianism. A lifelong career in sales and marketing has seen him hold management roles at Leopardstown and Punchestown racecourses and with Ireland’s racing and equestrian newspaper, The Irish Field. His real passion is sport horses, contributing to the staging of a number of international showjumping and equestrian events such as the Dublin International Horse Show and many others in Europe. He has competed on the national grand prix circuit for a number of seasons and was also a senior selector for the Irish Show-jumping team.

The consortium has worked extremely hard to identify a business model that will ensure the sustainable and progressive revenue for the venue. To compensate other, more diverse, income streams have been proposed to give certainty to racing in the years to come. In addition a wide range of worldclass experts, in the areas of building and track design, media rights, betting and integrity services, have been advising the consortium right through the Request for Proposal and negotiation stages. This has allowed a proposal of a genuine international standard to be put forward

The customer is of central importance to any business. In venues such as racecourses, which people attend for a variety reasons, the racecourse operator must recognise and provide for all their needs. The ability to exceed expectations on a regular basis builds customer loyalty and reputation and achieving a reputation for delivering an exceptional customer experiences is a central strategic aim.

A complete redevelopment of the site will include a new threestorey grandstand, built to the highest standards, which will serve as the central element of a superior quality offering to racing enthusiasts and social attendees. The newly-developed racecourse has the potential to become a social and sporting focal point on the island, benefiting locals and tourists equally.

Horse owners and other participants will also be wellserved through the provision of proper stabling and elevated levels of veterinary care. The consortium intends to encourage horse ownership by ensuring that owners are properly appreciated on race days and also by increasing prize money. Trotting is already well established in Malta and this development will allow the country to progress within European circles and become a respected member of the international racing community.

The Maltese can proudly regard this development as the island’s version of the recent Longchamp redevelopment in Paris or any of the very impressive tracks currently being built in the Middle East and China.