Racing away- Cranbourne Turf Club chief executive Neil Bainbridge has welcomed Racing Victoria

By Bridget Brady
A MAMMOTH upgrade of the Cranbourne Training Centre is set to inject $200 million annually into the local economy and create up to 400 jobs.
Cranbourne emerged as a big winner in Racing Victoria’s blueprint for the future, which was announced on Tuesday.
The number of race meets held at Cranbourne will double from 22 to 42 a year and after August 2011 meets will be relocated from the current Cranbourne Turf Club site to the Cranbourne Training Centre.
New grass tracks will be installed at the training centre, which will be expanded to be 2400 metres in circumference. These works will start within six to nine months. Lights will also be installed for night racing.
Cranbourne Turf Club chief executive Neil Bainbridge said the upgrades were a once in a lifetime opportunity, and everything the club had hoped for in its master plan.
“This is fantastic news for our club. We’re delighted with the outcome and it gives our club and members a clear path and direction forward,” Mr Bainbridge said.
The upgraded Cranbourne Training Centre would further cement it as one of the best in the southern hemisphere and the racing as the number one industry in Casey, Mr Bainbridge said.
“The training centre in Cranbourne is number one in Victoria and the southern hemisphere.
“The additional investment is a vote of confidence in reinforcing the important role that the centre plays in this area.
“This could provide about 300 to 400 jobs for and career opportunities for young people in Cranbourne.”
Mayfield Ward councillor Amanda Stapledon said the blueprint would support Cranbourne traders.
“It is a key economic driver in Casey and most importantly it will support local traders,” Cr Stapledon said.
She said the upgrades would encourage people who visited Cranbourne to stay in the town.
“I can see this generating a lot more business for Cranbourne. I’m very excited about it.”
About 800 horses are trained at the centre each morning and the turf club hoped the upgrades would allow between 1200 and 1500 horses to be trained at Cranbourne each day.
But Mr Bainbridge said the Cranbourne Turf Club now had to hold up its end of the bargain by developing state-of-the art customer facilities at the training centre.
He estimated it needed to raise about $5 million to do so.
“Racing Victoria invested significantly in Cranbourne and now the onus is back on the club to be able to implement its commitment.
“There is a significant amount of work that needs to be done but it is a very exciting future.”