By David Nagel
IF there was a Cox Plate – a weight-for-age championship of Australia – for racing clubs, the Pakenham Racing Club would be the exciting three-year-old on the rise.
You know the type – with an already impressive record, plenty of scope for improvement, and ready to take the Australian turf by storm.
The club, once land-locked at the historic but tight surrounds of Racecourse Road, is reveling with a sparkling spring coat as it takes full advantage of its move to Racing.com Park – a sprawling 608-acre property in Tynong.
This Saturday, December 3 2016, the Pakenham Racing Club hosts the highest-quality race-meeting in its history, highlighted by the running of the $200,000 Superior Food Services Pakenham Cup (2500m).
The club will absorb the spotlight of the Victorian racing industry, with a stand-alone nine-race card offering $780,000 in prize money.
But just like that exciting three-year-old on the rise, the club hopes this will be stepping stone to further glories rather than remembered as a career-best performance.
PRC chief executive Michael Hodge is excited by the first step of a still long road ahead.
“It’s a great program, there’s no doubt about that, but a $200,000 Pakenham Cup in 2016 is not the end goal,” Mr Hodge said.
“What we need to think about as a club, and our members do as well, is the potential for growth over the next five years and the coming decades. We want to become relevant, an important part of the spring racing carnival just as Geelong has over the last 10 years.”
We’re open to the possibility of alternative race dates that will enhance our position as a key player in the spring. Racing is our core business and we see this as a pathway to the premium racing product we envisaged all those years ago.”
Mr Hodge said this Saturday’s meeting would add credibility to the club’s plans for the future.
“This provides us with confirmation from Racing Victoria that we’re on the right track, it doesn’t happen overnight but we’re on the way to maximising the opportunities that will present themselves over the coming years,” he said.
“And that’s exciting; not just for the club but for our members and locals who love their racing.”
There are opportunities that may present themselves for the PRC, and a lot quicker than most people may think. The almost inevitable closer of Sandown, and Moonee Valley’s early interest in becoming an all-night racing venue open the door for the PRC to become a key player on the Saturday metropolitan calendar.
The on-course destiny of the club is set to rival an off-course growth that has had an upward spiral since the opening of Club Officer in June.
“The business has grown enormously,” Mr Hodge said.
“With have three venues, Racing.com Park, the Cardinia Club and Club Officer all running as multi-million dollar businesses in their own right. Our aim on the racing side of things is take our cup-day stake money to over $1million next year and to host the richest provincial cup in Australia over the coming years.”
Mr Hodge said the often-debated move from Racecourse Road had proven to be an outstanding success.
“The racing on Saturday will be great, but from a racing club point of view it truly vindicates our decision to move away from the old track at Racecourse Road to move the club forward.”
Saturday’s Program Includes:
Race Name Stakes
1 O’Connor 3YO BM70 Handicap (1000m) $70,000
2 Wise Choice Catering 3YO BM70 Handicap (1400m) $70,000
3 Viatek BM78 Handicap (1000m) $50,000
4 Stabil-Lime Group BM78 Handicap (2000m) $50,000
5 Sportsbet Racing Form Handicap (1200m) $100,000
6 Racing.com VOBIS Gold Bullion (1400m) $100,000
7 Schweppes David Bourke Memorial Handicap (1600m) $90,000
8 Superior Food Services Pakenham Cup (2500m) $200,000
9 Momentum Gaming F&M BM78 Handicap (1400m) $50,000
