So, it only took two decades to work out Melton is 35 kms West of Melbourne. Its predecessors, Moonee Valley is 7km and the Showgrounds about the same. In its heyday Showgrounds trots were well served by public transport, the 57 tram, scheduled bus services and special trains from Flinders Street. A good thing because because car parking was somewhat of a raffle and many patrons were fond of the turps. Melton? I'd love to see a survey of where it's crowds, if crowds there are, are drawn from. Exclude those connected to horses, I am talking those who make a mindful decision to spend a few hours at the Melton trots. I don't think it would take long to do.

It is interesting that HRV finally realises its Melton track, accessible primarily by car or Shank's pony. Or by rail to the new Cobblebank station followed by a vigorous half hour walk. The program for this year's Inter-Dominion includes rounds of heats at Bathurst and Newcastle in recognition, perhaps, if fans won't travel to Menangle for the races you must take the racing to the fans. The penny seems to have dropped with HRV as well. The only metropolitan track that seems to consistently pull crowds is Gloucester Park and you can walk straight down Hay St from the CBD to get there. In Qld it appears that a new track, co-located with the Greyhounds, is being investigated somewhere between Brisbane and Whoop-Whoop.

I am presently sorting through half a century of old race books and Trotting magazines in my stables. A task akin to de-coding th Dead Sea scrolls and discovering King Tut's tomb, for sure. Amongst the artefacts I will soon discover a Trotting Register from 1972 which, on the front cover, featured an architectural rendering of a redeveloped Melbourne Showgrounds, complete with a state of the art half mile track. The track was completely encircled by grandstands, Colosseum style, to cater for the 20,000 or so punters that would turn up every Saturday night!

When the Showgrounds finally was redeveloped the Trotting track, along with the Hunter, Mitchell, Cliff, Gibsonia and Wilson grandstands were demolished. Only the heritage listed Public Stand, which dominated the back straight and was highlighted beautifully on black and white TV by the string of 150 watt light globes under the front of the roof. It, along with other heritage pavilions, remain a stumbling block to any future redevelopment. As part of the last redevelopment the RASV sold off 8 acres from the site, which won't help the proposal.

It is no surprise HRV came out with its interesting comments about the Showgrounds. It coincides with the RASV's announcement that the Royal Melbourne Show has been cancelled for the second straight year due to COVID-19 uncertainties. The Showgrounds website is all about functions and events, none of which are happening. I assume the Society's major source of income has been from the Victorian Government using it as a COVID testing station.

I have absolutely no doubt the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria would welcome the trots back to its Showgrounds. After all, night trotting was primarily the only activity that kept it viable for over three decades and it was as fond of the trots' money as Dracula was partial to drink of blood. As far as I am concerned Orandra Prince will remain the last horse to wIn a TAB race at the Showgrounds.

Times have changed and all the industry participants have moved on, many of them to regional areas because they can no longer afford to train horses on valuable land on Melbourne's fringe. And the traffic!

It's a lovely little throw away line from Dale Montieth but it but it will never, ever happen. I firmly believe Melton was was a mistake bothe in concept and execution. I am not alone with that view. However, the land HRV now owns at Melton is an extremely valuable asset. It begs the question, though, of how good would we be looking now had Graeme Cochran not been white-anted and Keysborough been developed? Maybe Melton will come good and I will be forced to eat my words.