The Moe Cup has been cancelled for a third consecutive year amid fears the recently redeveloped track surface will not be ready for racing by December.
Racing Victoria, Country Racing Victoria and Moe Racing Club yesterday announced the scheduled 26 November resumption date would be pushed back to 18 February, scratching the programmed Moe Cup and January Kids Day Out meetings. MRC chief executive David McKinnon said the postponement was a precautionary measure to preserve the $4.5 million all-weather facility’s long-term sustainability.
“It’s just a cautious approach… to ensure when we return to racing at the track it’s everything it should be, which is an industry leading track that will last long into the future,” Mr McKinnon said.
“It’s obviously high risk to return too early and not have the track 100 per cent ready for racing… if we pressed ahead and in October or November found the track was not suitable it would be a disaster.
“To lose that day again is a bit heartbreaking for us (but) ultimately we can accept that the decision is made in the best interests of the club as well as the industry and everyone else in the long term.”
The StrathAyr contract for the new track surface was completed to schedule with the last of the grass laid in late June, despite a series of setbacks including vandalism, delayed sand supply and unseasonably high rainfall.
Mr McKinnon said the original time frame estimates for a November return were not too aggressive.
“It wasn’t aggressive or conservative – it was simply the time frame the contract was put around for completion and from that the industry allocated race days,” Mr McKinnon said.
“At that point in time we all (RV, StrathAyr and MRC) believed that (a November return) was the achievable result.
“A year down the track there are other factors and we’re taking a cautious approach and ensuring the investment we’ve made, and it is a significant investment, is going to give the most benefit it can possibly give.”
The extended cultivation period will allow the root system to further develop over the warmer summer months. Mr McKinnon said any inclement weather throughout spring and summer would not likely force any further delays.
“We certainly have got the best drainage system in country racing because of the profile of the new track,” he said.
“Our expert opinion (is) that we fully expect that to cause us no issues for a return to racing in February.”
Losing the marquee Moe Cup meeting will also cause significant financial strain on the club and community, according to Mr McKinnon.
“The economic benefit to the community of racing in Moe is substantial and there is no better example than the annual Moe Cup Day three-hour sale which we know will unfortunately be affected this season by the absence of a cup meeting,” Mr McKinnon said.
“We have already met with the Traders Association to offer our support, both financial and human, to ensure that this year’s three hour sale is a success.” Moe Racing Club outlaid $3.04 million for the redevelopment project last year, in conjunction with $1.2 million from the State Government and $260,000 from Racing Victoria, with funding sourced primarily from the club’s gaming facilities in Moe and Bairnsdale.
The overhaul came in response to the relocation of 20 race meetings from the venue since 2010 due to poor weather. RV chief executive Bernard Saundry applauded MRC’s resilience in the face of ongoing disruptions to its race calendar.
“The Moe Racing Club is to be congratulated for the significant investment of non-racing revenue made to realise this project and for their efforts in progressing the reconstruction to its current point despite several challenges over the past 12 months,” Mr Saundry said.
When recommissioned Moe will host 14 race meetings per season and be available to host meetings transferred from other tracks. MRC is scheduled to host a reduced six race meetings for the 2013-14 season.
