Building new $800m course at Warwick Farm ‘makes sense’ to replace Rosehill

An $800m proposal to upgrade Warwick Farm racecourse with the proceeds of the sale of Rosehill Gardens has split the racing industry.

A first look of the $800 million Warwick Farm Racecourse transformation that will go ahead if Rosehill Gardens is sold to make way for housing. Picture supplied.

An $800m proposal to upgrade Warwick Farm racecourse with the proceeds of the sale of Rosehill Gardens has split the racing industry.

Opponents of the sale have told The Daily Telegraph the plan to revamp the racecourse does not address the Australian Turf Club’s promise to build a completely new course.

But the boss of auction house Inglis has urged racing industry participants to “be brave” and learn from the company’s move from Randwick to Warwick Farm six years ago.

ATC members vote on May 27 on whether to sell Rosehill Racecourse in a $5bn deal that would secure the future of the industry and create 25,000 new homes to help solve the NSW housing crisis.

On Tuesday, ATC members will receive details of an $800m plan to upgrade the existing Warwick Farm racecourse to Group One status with a finishing straight to match Flemington’s in Victoria, new grandstands and stabling and training facilities for 1000 racehorses.

Inglis managing director Mark Webster said the company had received ferocious opposition when it proposed moving from its ancient base to new facilities next to Warwick Farm.

“I copped a lot of flak from industry figures about the relocation. People said ‘how dare you? It is so important to the industry. No one wants to go to Warwick Farm’.”

However he said they were all won over when they saw the brand new facilities and luxury hotel.

Mark Webster. Photo: Tim Pascoe

Mr Webster said there was no need to look for land to build a replacement track for Rosehill when “the answer is right under their nose” at Warwick Farm.

“The amount of land at Warwick Farm is 87 hectares compared to 60 at Rosehill. They have 27 extra hectares to play with,” he said. “It is the centre of the new Sydney. The new airport is 20km to the west and the old airport is 20km to the east.”

Mr Webster said the ATC had fumbled the announcement about the sale of Rosehill.

“Rather than leading with a press release, you have the detailed homework done,” he said.

“This idea should not be blocked because they made that error. It’s not too late to do this.”

However racing industry insiders were furious the new proposal made no mention of a new replacement course.

A spokesman for the Save Rosehill group said despite Warwick Farm being bigger than Rosehill, and the home of racing for more than a century, it was not an appropriate replacement.

“It is shocking to see that Warwick Farm remains the proposed alternative to Rosehill Gardens,” he said.

“It is too small, flood prone and geographically inferior to Rosehill.”

Originally published as Building new $800m course at Warwick Farm ‘makes sense’ to replace Rosehill