Premier praises resigning ATC chair’s bold ideas for Sydney

The man who championed the unsuccessful bid to sell Rosehill Gardens Racecourse and secure the future of the racing industry in NSW has quit the top job at the Australian Turf Club.

Peter McGauran has announced he has resigned from the ATC. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The man who championed the unsuccessful bid to sell Rosehill Gardens Racecourse and secure the future of the racing industry in NSW has quit the top job at the Australian Turf Club.

Peter McGauran said he had decided to resign as chairman of the ATC after a narrow majority of ATC members voted against the $5 billion once-in-a-lifetime deal to sell Rosehill in May.

“I remain convinced the potential sale of Rosehill Gardens was a lost opportunity for the Club and the wider racing industry,” Mr McGauran said.

“I believe history will judge the decision to pursue the vision as having been the right one.”

The sale of the course would have created a new suburb with 25,000 new homes to ease Sydney’s housing crisis and provide the ATC with a $5 billion windfall to turn Warwick Farm into a world class racing and training facility and secure racing in NSW into the future.

It was met with a ferocious Save Rosehill campaign with leading trainers including Gai Waterhouse and Chris Waller speaking out against the sale.

Peter McGauran championed the bid to sell Rosehill Racecourse. Picture: Jonathan Ng

It was particularly bruising for Mr McGauran who said: “It was a fully transparent and vigorous debate, and I am grateful to the 44 per cent of ATC Members who voted in favour of the proposal.

“I believe history will judge the decision to pursue the vision as having been the right one.”

Privately many ATC members are now shaking their heads at the missed opportunity.

Premier Chris Minns had welcomed the chance to ease Sydney’s housing crisis but was adamant that it had to go ahead while there was time to build a new Metro Station at Rosehill. That opportunity has now passed.

Mr Minns praised Mr McGauran as a man who was not afraid to bring “bold ideas” to the table.

“Peter had a big vision for Sydney and Rosehill and I’ll always respect him for that. We’d love him to stay on, but Peter has elected to pass on the baton,” he said.

“He’s been a gentleman throughout — even in the face of tough debates — and always acted with integrity.

“We need more people bowling up ideas and trying to get things done for the city, not less.”

Mr McGauran was chairman of the ATC for three years, taking over when it had posted a $6.9 million deficit from its four racecourses at Rosehill, Royal Randwick, Warwick Farm and Canterbury.

“In the past three years we have driven down costs, including a restructure of the leadership team, which assisted the Club in posting an operating surplus of $570,000 in 2023/2024,” he said.

Mr McGauran said he was resigning “aware of the challenges for the ATC ahead” and believed that a new Chairman would guide new initiatives for the Club’s future.

Originally published as Premier praises resigning ATC chair’s bold ideas for Sydney