SA harness racing to trot away from Globe Derby if SAHRC committee doesn’t resign

The fractured state of harness racing in South Australia has reached breaking point with the board of Harness Racing SA, threatening to abandon Globe Derby Park as early as April 8 if it doesn’t resign.

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The fractured state of harness racing in South Australia has reached breaking point with the board of Harness Racing SA threatening to walk away from Globe Derby Park as early as Tuesday week.

Harness Racing SA said it’s lost all confidence in the SA Harness Racing Club, which operates Globe Derby, and its ability to oversee and administer the affairs of SA’s premier harness racing club where racing was first held in 1968 before officialy moving away from Wayville in 1973.

HRSA has requested that the current SAHRC committee resign and be replaced by a new interim committee to HRSA’s satisfaction.

“If the current committee refuse to resign by the close of business next Friday, HRSA will walk away from Globe Derby with the final meeting to be held on Monday, April 8,’’ HRSA chief executive Ross Neal said.

Harness racing at Globe Derby Park during the 2007 Inter Dominion.

The HRSA board is concerned with the direction the SAHRC has taken over recent years with their utilisation of racing and meeting fees used to prop up its failing hospitality operation.

HRSA is also concerned with the promotion of the proposed sale of the majority of club-owned land to fund a tavern venture adjacent to Port Wakefield Road, with HRSA believing the money would be better used to for the betterment of the struggling sport.

HRSA expressed significant concerns regarding the formidable operating losses reported by the club over the past decade totalling in excess of $5.5m between 2009 and 2018, but the most concerning is that fact losses exceed more than $2.2m in the past three years alone.

The SAHRC last season reported an operating loss of in excess of $890,000, the losses excluding the annual HRSA contribution which is in excess of $400,000 per year.

SAHRC president Richard Miller said the club “completely disagreed” with the view of the HRSA.

“The SAHRC committee has taken pro-active steps towards improving our financial position, and yet HRSA has constantly sought to block our progress.

“They ultimately want to take control of Globe Derby Park, something we are fundamentally opposed to, and which we believe will be to the detriment of the sport and clearly not in the best interests of the members of our club.”

HRSA walked away from Globe Derby for a short period back in 2015 due to a similar financial dispute which was soon resolved.

“Recent and ongoing attempts by HRSA to engage with the SAHRC management for improved governance and cost structures have also proved frustrating and ultimately futile,’’ Neal added.

“We have now reached the point where HRSA must intervene and arrest the distressing level of financial poor performance and protect the South Australian harness racing industry from further harm.

“It is HRSA’s clear view that in order to move forward there should be one body which oversees harness racing at Globe Derby Park and that this be created through HRSA and SAHRC merging as recommended in the Cunningham Report.

“Given the rejection of this concept by the SAHRC Committee, it is appropriate that they resign and allow HRSA and the new interim committee to work on a merger proposal for the betterment of all stakeholders in the SA harness racing industry,’’ he said.

HRSA are yet to determine where racing would be held going forward with Gawler a likely day venue while Port Pirie would be the logical host of night meetings if there is no resolution.