Sport
8 December, 2022
Oakey Racecourse - stable destination for the future?
Oakey Race Club Chairperson Matthew Park hopes new upgrades to Oakey’s Racecourse will help encourage racing owners to base their horses near the track.
The success of Oakey and District Race Club Inc’s Stage 3 grant application is the latest step in Chairperson Matthew Park’s ambition to turn Oakey Racecourse into a major training destination.
With proximity to the track in Toowoomba, a country feel and acres of land nearby the Oakey Racecourse, Mr Park says he believes the venue possesses the qualities to make it attractive to Australian owners.
“It’s very unique this side of the range, Oakey’s still very country in that you can ride your horse out the front of your property,” he said.
“The track’s in a really good place.
“You could buy 5 acres across the (Janetski) road.”
The approval of the Country Racing Program grant application means that the 50 year-old barriers will now get a stainless steel, padded makeover to go along with a new water truck and tractor secured from a pokies funding grant.
The CRP is a $105.6 million fund set up by the State Government in 2018 as a recognition of the social and economic benefits of country racing for regional communities.
The $2.6 million fund for country racing club infrastructure repairs and maintenance is assessed on an as needs basis by Racing Queensland.
“It’ll be a very good benefit to us, and it’s something we’ve been chasing for a while,” Mr Park said, although he added that he had yet to receive official confirmation from Racing Queensland about the application.
The apparently successful Stage 3 grant application follows on from a Stage 1 CRP grant for new outside running rails at the track and a Stage 2 CRP application for $50 000 which contributed to the track base being relaid in 2020.
Mr Park said that unlike racecourses in other regional areas, Oakey’s track is used by a number of different organisations throughout the year.
“In Ballina, they’ll race once a year” he said.
“At Tara, they’ll have 4 meetings.
“At Oakey, there’s seven polocrosse fields on the inside of the track, once a year you have a carnival, the Australian and Queensland teams come out to train here on occasion and other clubs as well. They plough the fields (situated in the middle of the track).
“The Pony Club also come out here, the rodeo, the show, T.A.D.O.M.S hold events out here, there’s lots of activities.”
Ultimately, Mr Park said the hope of the Race Club is that it can build the training facilities in Oakey up to a standard similar to clubs such as the Ballarat Turf Club in Victoria, which attracts a large selection of horses from across the country.
“Build it and they will come,” he said.
Despite the availability of cheap land in close proximity to the track, one hurdle to be overcome is the issue of the contaminated water.
This has made banks reluctant to offer loans to buyers in the region and has resulted in the Club having to use TRC water instead of the on-site bore water at the racing-track.
If that hurdle can be surpassed, it’s hoped that race-winners will bebased in Oakey once again.
