Spotlight on night racing plan

NIGHT horse racing at Fannie Bay is back on the radar as racing enthusiasts lead a groundswell of support to make it a reality.

NIGHT horse racing at Fannie Bay is back on the radar as racing enthusiasts lead a groundswell of support to make it a reality.

The NT News understands the Darwin Turf Club will make a bold bid in 2014 to lobby for government and community support for the concept.

It is believed the cost of installing lighting would be $7 million, however the plan is likely to be met with resistance from some local residents.

Any plan to introduce night racing needs 12 months to complete because of the significant work to build the foundations and the light columns.

Leading racing officials put together extensive plans almost four years ago to introduce floodlit gallops in Darwin but when interest in the proposed development waned, for reasons including a lack of money, it was "put on the backburner".

But now, the push to bring racing under lights to the Territory's top racing facility is gaining momentum with a thought that it could attract horses from Asia.

Chief Minister Adam Giles is believed to be a strong supporter of the concept.

"With Darwin's climate and the proximity to Asia, night racing would fire up this town," a Darwin racing identity, who preferred to remain anonymous, said.

"Darwin's social scene is such that they are always crying out for things to do. It would be a real boom to have night racing."

If it were to become a reality, it is likely night racing would be held predominantly in the dry season.

Former Darwin Turf Club chief executive officer Des Friedrich, who will take up a similar role with the Alice Springs Turf Club later this month, was passionate about night racing.

He was so much in favour of the idea that a forum was held with lighting expert Terry Dent, who has been involved with the floodlighting of most sports grounds in Darwin.

Mr Dent is still a firm believer in the idea.

"In March 2010, when Des knew he was going, he wrote me an email saying he wanted the lights up and running before he left in November," Mr Dent said.

"I had all the contacts, so we got together a group of people and there was a confidentiality agreement between us."

Mr Dent said a lot of time and effort went into the plans.

"We came up with a draft scheme of 36 poles and more than 400 lights. The total cost was about $5 million in 2010," he said.

The cost to install Australian-standard lighting on the track has since increased to $7 million.

The racing identity confirmed Mr Friedrich was "very keen" on night racing. "There was a lot of capital investment happening with the stables," the identity said.

"When Des did not get his way because the committee and the government did not want to go into more debt, and the pressure from other sports, the plans were put on hold."

It is the cost factor which continues to stall any night racing plans.

"The cost of putting in lights scared people away," Mr Dent said.

"Without the government contributing to it, night racing will never happen."

Mr Dent said "obtrusive lighting" could be a potential obstacle.

"Residents can say things such as 'I used to be able to sit out in my backyard and see the stars but now I can't see them because the light from the floodlights is too bright'," he said.

"For horse racing (at night) we are looking at 1000 lux. That's the level of lighting we have at TIO No.1 and rugby union No.1."

Turf club chairman Brett Dixon, who did not want to re-open the debate at this stage, is a supporter of night racing but he is known to have concerns about the backlash from people living next to the track.

"This (NT) Government has cut a few things, including the DTC funding by $1 million this financial year, but they do support the concept," said another racing source.

"It's a case of whether they can justify spending $7 million. Whether it will create a stink with the neighbours is an unknown factor."

Another stumbling block with night racing in Darwin may be Sky Channel.

Given the number of tracks around Australia that have installed lights for night racing - including Moonee Valley, Cranbourne, Canterbury, Toowoomba and Tasmania - there is a suggestion it may have reached saturation point.

"It might be a case of racing on Friday nights," the source said.

The installation of lights and night racing, and a potential grass track, could also open the gates to Asian horses with the need to upgrade quarantine procedures.

And if the Darwin Cup prizemoney increased to as much as $500,000 that could be enough to encourage trainers from Singapore and Hong Kong to send their horses to the Top End.

Another idea which would solve the issue of angry neighbours would be to sell the racecourse at Fannie Bay and build a new one near to Palmerston.

Such a move was first mooted about a decade ago, and in today's real estate market could earn the turf club around $40 million to reinvest in a new lit facility.

But Fannie Bay is close to the CBD and the government is reluctant to sell.