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i didnt think they could move penrtih, i understood they are the only track in nsw to actually make money through the club they have there
Going to take a big crane!Originally Posted by triplev123
Nah, they're spreading it around as far as I'm aware Smithy. I'll have to ask a few people to get some more nitty gritty info but I believe they're going to build new tracks in Wagga and Tamworth and the intention is to move the track at Bathurst to another spot & make it 1000m. Penrith is also on the radar to combine with Bankstown & Fairfield & all move to Eastern Creek with a 1000m track. I believe that Don Clough is strongly in favour of such a change taking place.
i didnt think they could move penrtih, i understood they are the only track in nsw to actually make money through the club they have there
And that smithy is the main reason for not moving, i like big tracks and seeing time run but i also think there is a place for 800m tracks and whilst Penrith has a strong club that is finacial they should stay where they are. Maybe they should look at what they can do to fix the Penrith track especially the turns.
I believe at lease Newcastle and Ballarat also do.
i'd like to see it at least 900m like moonee valley... but short of that a re cambering of the track wouldnt go astray plus new stabling etc
Yeah i'd agree with that, do they have room to turn it into a 900m track.
G'day Mango,
The reason for the proposed combining of the 3 clubs (Penrith, Bankstown & Fairfield) and a subsequent move to a single 1000m facility at Eastern Creek is that the respective site constraints are such that each of the tracks are unable to be meaningfully extended and nor can their respective turns be fixed. On the subject of Penrith making money, a cursory reading of the most recent annual report and with particular attention to Poker Machine revenue, that which augments the prizemoney there, might lead some to reconsider that view. Panthers is just over the road don't forget and they're having a fair impact. There more Pokies over there than there are Pine Trees in the State Forests around Meadow Flat on the way out to Bathurst.
Panther's has been over the road for a long time and have alway's had a shit load of poker machine's, Paul Fitzpatrick who as we all know is a leading trainer has stated he would like to see Penrith remain as there is still a place for 800m tracks. Didn't one of John Tapps horses struggle the last 2 time's at Menangle and has to requalify again on the track if it is to race there, but he is suited and has know problem's racing at Penrith. If Penrith don't relocate as a guess Harness Racing n.s.w won't have the money to open a track at Eastern Creek i think they were banking on the sale of the Penrith track as the land would be worth some serious $$$$$, correct me if i'm wrong on this last bit as it was a msg relayed down the line.
G'day Mango,
Read their most recent annual report and then compare it to editions from the previous years especially where $ earned from the Pokies is concerned. You will note a dramatic decline in that revenue stream.
So then...you think it's better for things to remain at Penrith and to leave all that money tied up in the value of the land there instead of selling it off ala HP, moving them as well as both Bankstown & Fairfield, to new premises at Eastern Creek, freeing up the $$$ for investment and injecting into the available prizemoney at the new venue both the interest earned on the principle plus the savings made on the economies of scale which will result?
The Steaks Sandwiches are good...but they're not that good.
On this very subject, in a private e-mail from back in early May when all this was originally raised and Penrith immediately rejected it, a friend of mine said as follows...
I note the Media report and accept it for what it is.
It doesn’t surprise me at all – Getting Sydney clubs to work together is almost impossible – none can see the forest for the trees.
Sydney only needs two tracks – If the provincial clubs could get together and put aside parochial issues then you could end up with a really viable operation – Add the greyhounds there (similar parochial issues) and you would have a venue probably working 4-5 times per week – lower fixed costs and increased usage adds up to better prizemoney and a vibrant operation – probably won’t happen in my time however, that is unless the HRNSW board (who control dates) put pressure on the Sydney provincial clubs (and that has not happened to date).
I meant to add that personally, I have only one problem with the piece in blue...I think the last thing on Earth we need is to have a venue tied up with the Greyhounds...they've made absolute knobs of themselves in QLD for as long as anyone can remember and as far as NSW Harness Racing getting tied up with them is concerned...they can go to Hell in a Hand Cart for mine...however, the rest of it is right on the money, IMO.
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