Written by Jesse Dart
Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
South-east Melbourne now possesses a powerful racing force, with members of the Pakenham Racing Club and Cranbourne Turf Club voting to merge at their respective Annual General Meetings on Monday night.
Members voted strongly in support of the proposed union, with the 75 per cent required by both clubs’ membership base realised, paving the way for what has been touted as a ‘super club’ to move forward into regulatory approvals.
The merger unites three racecourses - Pakenham, Pakenham Synthetic and Cranbourne - which will collectively host over 60 meetings each racing season, including programs held at night, with all three courses fitted out with adequate lighting.
Racing Victoria has long been eager to see growth in the region, which consistently lands amongst the fastest growing areas in the country by population, with Chief Executive Officer Andrew Jones congratulating members in a press release on Tuesday morning.
Andrew Jones | Image courtesy of Racing Victoria
“We commend Cranbourne Turf Club and Pakenham Racing Club members for approving this merger,” Jones said.
“The combined club offers members two tracks for the price of one. Trainers can realise a future where more facilities and options are available to them.
“And club leaders can drive economies of scale across racing, training, customer services, commercial operations, finance, administration, gaming and property.
“Everyone is a winner today.
“Everyone is a winner today.” - Andrew Jones
“This is an historic moment for Victorian racing and one that solidifies Melbourne’s south-east super club as a racing and training powerhouse.
“On behalf of Racing Victoria, I want to thank the committees, managers and members of both clubs for embracing the future. It will be bright in Melbourne’s south-east.”
Both Pakenham and Cranbourne’s training complexes are well utilised, with 1500 horses trained across the two facilities, a representative population of 30 per cent of horses that compete in Victoria.
Cranbourne Turf Club Chief Executive Officer Neil Bainbridge, who has been at the forefront of the public push for the two clubs to merge, is understood to be staying on as the CEO of the new venture, of which there has been no official name announced.
Neil Bainbridge | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Both clubs currently hold one black-type race each, with the Listed Cranbourne Cup held in November, a date that is under threat by a recent Victoria Racing Club proposal to host a 2024 meeting a fortnight after Champions’ Day, a date currently occupied by Cranbourne for their Cup meeting, which also hosts the Apache Cat Classic for the sprinters.
Pakenham have briefly lost their traditional Cup meeting as part of the musical chairs at the back end of spring, moving from December to February, where it will be held as part of a night racing program for the first time in 2024. However, Bainbridge confirmed on Tuesday that this is only a temporary measure.
“What will happen and what has been guaranteed is that the Pakenham Cup will return to a standalone Saturday and that’s important,” he told Racing.com.
“What will happen and what has been guaranteed is that the Pakenham Cup will return to a standalone Saturday and that’s important.” - Neil Bainbridge
“That date’s being worked through at the moment. The date is for the 24/25 season, obviously the current racing season dates have been done.
“It’s the view of the new committee that the Pakenham Cup rightfully deserves a standalone Saturday in the late part of 2024.”
