ATC reveals grand plans for hotel, conference facility
The Australian Turf Club's plans for a four-star, apartment-style motel at Randwick racecourse were released yesterday. The eye-catching development will be at the end of the home straight. It will include a pool-deck bar, restaurant and conference facilities and will provide a new source of income for the ATC. It is in addition to the $150 million being spent at Randwick on a grandstand and ''Theatre of the horse''. "Very few new Sydney hotels have been developed in recent years,'' ATC chairman John Cornish said. ''Our research shows there is strong demand for rooms to service the needs of visitors to the event precinct of Royal Randwick and its surrounding neighbours, which includes the eastern suburbs beach precincts.'' The ATC is keen to tap in to visiting surgeons, families and specialists at the nearby children's hospital, while the University of NSW needs accommodation for visiting lecturers and students. "On race days, we will be able to accommodate our intrastate, interstate and international visitors trackside, which will be highly valued during carnivals,'' Cornish said. "Our growing non-race-day meetings, conference and events business will be greatly enhanced with on-site accommodation and additional conference facilities just a few kilometres from the Sydney Airport, Sydney CBD and Bondi Beach."
GREEN LIGHT
It's official: Hall of Fame trainers Lee Freedman and New Zealander Graeme Rogerson are in partnership operating out of Randwick stables. The ATC recently allowed them to train at headquarters. The pair will start Mossamine in the last at Rosehill tomorrow. Mossamine was a strong last-start winner at Canterbury.
DERBY HOPE
New Zealand trainer Murray Baker has won the the Australian and Victoria derbies and wants to add a Queensland Derby with promising Malandrino. He will make his Australian debut in the Rough Habit Plate searching for a hat-trick of wins after back-to-back success over ground in March. Malandrino continues Baker's association with Montjeu. ''He is one of my favourite stallions. Nom Du Jeu, Harris Tweed and Mr Tipsy were all Montjeus, and this one [Malandrino] is one of the first we have had out of a Montjeu mare,'' Baker said. ''He won very well at home and James McDonald was very impressed by him. He is sticking with him, which is a good vote of confidence because there is no one riding better. He seems like the right horse to take to Brisbane and we are aiming him at the Derby.''
IN THE BAG
Sam Kavanagh is two months into his training career and could have his biggest day as Bagman is part of the support card for Black Caviar in the RA Lee Stakes at Morphettville tomorrow. A long-time Adelaide foreman for father Mark, Sam decided to go it alone earlier this year and has 10 in work. Bagman has already given the fledging stable black-type success, in the Matrice Stakes in March, and has since run a couple of placings. ''The owner supported me when I decided to go out on my own because he had most of his horses racing in Adelaide,'' Kavanagh said. ''He is a good horse to have so early in my career. He won the Matrice but this is the race he has been set for. We won a race with him on this day a year ago and told the owners then that we would come for this race in 12 months' time. He has been looking for the mile on a big track and his last couple of runs have been very good.'' Bagman has a solid record over the 1600 metres at Morphettville, winning twice and being placed under a big weight on the other occasion, and has Chad Lever in the saddle, who has won four times on the five-year-old Easy Rocking gelding. ''That's a bonus because Chad knows him so well,'' Kavanagh said.
Source: The Brisbane Times, 11 May 2012
