RV chairman backs MRC exploring option of selling Sandown racecourse

Racing Victoria chairman Brian Kruger says the Melbourne Racing Club would be “negligent” not to consider the sale of Sandown racecourse.

Racing Victoria chairman Brian Kruger says the Melbourne Racing Club would be “negligent” not to consider the sale of Sandown racecourse as part of a mooted $300m development vision.

There is no concrete plan — as yet — for Sandown, other than the MRC, which also controls Caulfield, exploring the viability of sale for housing development in Melbourne’s south east.

“It’s an asset that’s potentially worth many hundreds of millions of dollars,” Kruger said.

“To not look at the option … would have been negligent really, on the Melbourne Racing Club’s behalf.”

Sandown racecourse could be rezoned for a housing development. Picture: AAP

If successful, in re-zoning the property gold mine, the MRC would also be less reliant on RV support.

Moonee Valley Racing Club would be in a similar position with its proposed development.

“We don’t want to penalise them because they’ve done clever things with the assets that belong to their members but they also understand part of the proceeds, if they go down those paths, needs to be for the benefit of the industry as well,” Kruger said.

But trainers hold grievances about the “workhorse” venue’s future, due to the quality, evenness and reliability of the surface, especially during winter months.

Sandown hosts 35 race meetings each year, shared between the Lakeside and Parkside circuits.