Rosehill sale won’t happen ‘if members vote against it’: Australian Turf Club chairman Peter McGauran

Australian Turf Club chairman Peter McGauran said the board would continue to “inform members of the proposal” which was submitted to the state government on March 28.

An aerial view of Rosehill racecourse.

Australian Turf Club chairman Peter McGauran has written to club members clarifying the process around the potential sale of Rosehill racecourse.

The proposal arose from discussions between the ATC management and state government last year about plans for a new Metro station near Rosehill and the rezoning of surplus racecourse land.

McGauran explained “only after those discussions and further analysis, that the possibility of a sale of the entire racecourse with a huge increase in its value” was he informed about the proposal.

The chairman then advised Racing NSW of the Rosehill sale proposal which is now valued at nearly $10 billion.

READ | The Coast meeting transferred from Gosford to Newcastle

McGauran said the board would continue to “inform members of the proposal” which was submitted to the state government on March 28.

But McGauran also wrote that Rosehill will not be sold unless club members vote in favour of the proposal.

“If the members vote against the sale that will be the end of the proposal,’’ he said. “The members vote will be respected.’’

McGauran said if the members vote in favour of the sale, the proceeds of the sale will be “invested and spent in the interests of the ATC and its members”.

READ | Inside Rosehill turf war as Waterhouse, Waller rage

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There is growing speculation an Everest slot-holder is set to sell or lease their slot for the $20 million sprint race at Royal Randwick in October.

It is understood the slot-holder is in negotiations with at least one interested party while, separately, a leading stable with an abundance of sprinting talent is keen to buy their own slot.

Unusually, not one horse has been confirmed as a starter for The Everest although favourite I Wish I Win seems certain to be selected.

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GAI Waterhouse goes back to where it all began when her stayers Goldman and Sir Lucan clash in the Listed $300,000 Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) at Newcastle on Saturday.

The Hall of Famer started training in 1992 and her first stakes win was the Gosford Gold Cup with Moods that same year.

Waterhouse, who has trained in partnership with Adrian Bott since 2016, has prepared four Gosford Cup winners but none since Iron Horse in 1997.

READ | Bjorn Baker has a Hero and Star in Coast contention

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THE Waterhouse and Bott stable’s juvenile juggernaut rolls on relentlessly this season with boom filly Clean Energy their latest two-year-old winner.

Clean Energy, the superbly-bred filly by Zoustar out of Solar Charged who cost $2.6 million at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale last year, overcame a heavy 10 track surface to score with authority on debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

Bott said Clean Energy, a full-sister to three-time Group 1 winner Sunlight, will now chase black type next start in the Listed Carter Stakes at Doomben on May 25 before being spelled and set for the major fillies races in spring.

Clean Energy was the 18th individual two-year-old winner of 28 races for the Waterhouse-Bott stable that includes the Golden Slipper (Lady Of Camelot), Magic Millions (Storm Boy), Inglis Millennium (Fully Lit), Golden Gift (Shangri La Express) and Kindergarten Stakes (Espionage), with the age group earning nearly $11 million prizemoney.

Originally published as Rosehill sale won’t happen ‘if members vote against it’: Australian Turf Club chairman Peter McGauran