Ex-AFL chief McLachlan could unite racing, says powerbroker Munz

The billionaire owner who failed in his bid to topple the Racing Victoria board believes former AFL chief Gillon McLachlan is “smart enough” to help unite the industry if he decides to nominate for the vacant chairman’s role.

Jonathan Munz, chairman of the Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association, said McLachlan would be a suitable candidate for racing’s top job.

Ex-AFL chief Gillon McLachlan has been linked to Racing Victoria’s top job.Credit: Marija Ercegovac

“To my knowledge, he hasn’t applied yet and if he applies, the advisory panel can be reconvened and interview him,” Munz said after his association lost its push to dethrone five RV directors at a special general meeting on Wednesday.

“I’ve never met him but … I think by all reputations and knowing people that know him, I think he would probably be a good candidate.

“I think he would be smart enough to consult widely with industry members and participants. Hopefully, that all happens and we have achieved something.”

Industry stakeholders continue to wait on whether McLachlan will apply to join the board, almost four weeks after it was reported he was in the frame to become chairman.

Racing Minister Anthony Carbines.Credit: Eddie Jim

It comes as Racing Minister Anthony Carbines has waited more than eight months to fill a vacancy on the board that was created by former chairman Brian Kruger stepping away last June.

Carbines, who appoints all Racing Victoria directors, will need to fill a second vacancy when acting chairman Mike Hirst walks away by the end of May. Hirst, the former Bendigo and Adelaide Bank CEO, announced last week he was leaving to concentrate on his new position as chairman of AMP.

A special interview panel, consisting of members of the racing industry, has presented a short list of candidates to Carbines to fill Kruger’s seat. McLachlan is not one of them.

The former AFL chief would have to apply to join the RV board and then sit before an advisory panel before he could be considered for Hirst’s position.

Carbines would not be drawn this week on whether McLachlan was his preferred candidate to become Racing Victoria’s new chairman.

Carbines also declined to directly respond to a question, asking if he were concerned that failing to replace Kruger for eight months, and having an RV board operating with an acting chairman, had led to disunity within the industry.

The Age first reported that Racing Victoria faced an uprising from disgruntled stakeholders early in last year’s spring racing carnival.

“An open and competitive recruitment process is currently underway to fill the board vacancies, and it would be inappropriate to comment further,” a Victorian government spokesperson said.

McLachlan was contacted by this masthead but declined to comment.

After leaving the AFL at the end of October, McLachlan said he would not be making any decisions on his future until February this year. It is now March.

Trainer Ben Hayes believes Gillon McLachlan is suited to a racing role.Credit: Getty Images

Lindsay Park co-trainer Ben Hayes would not be drawn on this week’s board challenge, but said McLachlan, a long-time family friend, would be suited by a role in racing.

“Change is always a good thing and if he were to come in, I think he would have good ideas, and he’d run a good ship,” Hayes said.

“He’s a very likeable person, he listens, and I think he would do a good job if he were to come on board.

“We have seen how he ran football. If he can run racing like he ran football, run a slick ship, I think he would be a great person to have.”

A third position will open up on the RV board later this year when Greg Nichols’ 12-year tenure expires.

Munz welcomed the likelihood of three new RV board members being appointed within the next 12 months.

“You have got to hope that the new directors help the board pivot, and you return to some sense of normality,” he said.

“Because we had normal, and then we’ve had chaos. And we want a return to normal and good management. And that’s all we want.”

The owners’ association, led by Munz, lost the vote 17 to 3 (10 abstained) on Wednesday to dismiss five directors - Hirst, Kate Joel, Paul Guerra, Tim Eddy and Ross Lanyon.

Munz, owner of The Everest-winning sprinter Giga Kick, has been highly critical of Racing Victoria’s management over the past seven months and has maintained that CEO Andrew Jones “has to go”.

In December, he released a statement blasting a new one per cent levy on prize money – introduced to subsidise horse trainers for workcover costs – and pointed to an alleged $10 million in spending wastage.

Jones, who has declined to comment when contacted by The Age this week, came under fire from some in the racing industry over changes to the spring carnival, including prizemoney cuts, and floating novel concepts such as a new whip-free racing series contested by teams, dubbed “the Big Bash of racing”.

As CEO, Jones’ future can only be decided by the board.

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