Eagle Farm redevelopment proposal: Greens’ plan slammed by Gai Waterhouse

Racing’s first lady Gai Waterhouse has slapped down a “nonsense” Greens plan to forcibly seize the Eagle Farm racetrack, while another identity says it should be called out for simply being part of an anti-racing crusade.

The Greens' Brisbane City Council election commitment to redevelop Eagle Farm Racecourse into 4000 affordable dwellings, community parkland and sports fields, as well as potentially a new public school. Photo: Supplied.

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Racing’s first lady Gai Waterhouse has slapped down a “nonsense” Greens’ plan to forcibly seize the Eagle Farm racetrack, saying it would be akin to getting rid of the iconic Gabba ground or Suncorp Stadium forever.

And Queensland’s leading racehorse trainer Tony Gollan, who has scored 10 consecutive Brisbane training premierships, says the Greens’ plan is “deplorable” and should be called out for simply being part of an anti-racing crusade.

Greens Lord Mayoral candidate Jonathan Sriranganathan is in the hot seat after announcing his intentions to compulsorily acquire Eagle Farm for affordable housing and public green space if the Greens win the looming Brisbane City Council election.

Racing Minister Grace Grace has already knocked the proposal on the head, saying in State Parliament on Thursday that the Greens “are dreaming”.

Racing’s first lady Gai Waterhouse. Picture Glenn Hampson

“While I am on my feet, let me confirm that the excellent Eagle Farm Racecourse is going nowhere — especially not for the ridiculous fire sale price of $40 million,” Ms Grace said.

The radical plan has also come under fire from plenty of heavy hitters including Racing Queensland boss Jason Scott and Brisbane Racing Club CEO Tony Partridge who say it is absurd.

Now Sydney’s Hall Of Fame trainer Waterhouse, who in 2022 won Queensland’s most prestigious race the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap with star horse Alligator Blood, has lambasted the Greens’ plan.

Waterhouse, who also recently torched a $5 billion plan to sell-off Sydney’s Rosehill racecourse, told The Courier-Mail: “This is just complete nonsense.

“It would be like someone suggesting they should get rid of the Gabba, or Suncorp Stadium.

“Yet they (the Greens) are saying it about Eagle Farm?

“Eagle Farm racetrack has been there for more than 150 years and it is a great source of entertainment for the community.

“It is also an open space which is important for air flow and to ease congestion.

“If you just keep building houses we are just going to be like any major metropolis, like New York or London or Mumbai.

“One of the lovely things about Eagle Farm is that people can go there and be entertained.

“And you have got plenty of open space all over Queensland to build housing.

“And think of the people who are employed by racing, aren’t they entitled to a livelihood?”

While Waterhouse says the Greens plan is ridiculous, she says it should be attacked head-on, saying “It’s a crazy world we live in sometimes, when people come up with ideas like this.”

Jonathan Sriranganathan, Greens candidate for Lord Mayor of Brisbane. Picture: Richard Walker

The Sunshine State has always been a happy hunting ground for the Waterhouse clan – Gai’s famous father Tommy “TJ” Smith won the Stradbroke with Kilshery in 1962 and Imposing in 1979.

Champion trainer Gollan is yet to win a Stradbroke, but has won just about every other big race in the state.

He described the Greens’ Eagle Farm plan as “deplorable” and said there was a hidden agenda.

“This should be called out for what it is – it’s simply an anti racing crusade as there is no way known that this would be the best possible outcome for affordable housing,” Gollan said.

“It is deplorable really that someone is trying to use our (racing) industry for their own political wellbeing.

“It seems to me it is not really about acquiring a racing asset to do something better with it, they (Greens) just want to get rid of horse racing at any chance they get.

“This just doesn’t make any sense, because there are so many other areas in Brisbane that you could look to utilise for a housing crisis.

“Why would we get rid of something that brings so much enjoyment to so many people and it’s also a huge employer?

“They are talking about getting rid of something that’s important not only for our racing industry but also for the government, it brings returns back to the government.”

BRC boss Partridge has also been moved to write to club members about the proposal, saying: “Let’s be frank about these comments – the Greens despise horse racing.”

Originally published as Eagle Farm redevelopment proposal: Greens’ plan slammed by Gai Waterhouse