EXCLUSIVE: Anthony Carbines to pull trigger on two Racing Victoria board vacancies

Victoria’s racing minister is today expected to make two key appointments to the Racing Victoria board, with an experienced administrator and a corporate powerbroker in the frame.

Racing Minister Anthony Carbines is expected to announce the appointment of two Racing Victoria board members today. Picture: Jason Edwards

An experienced racing administrator and corporate powerbroker will join a refreshed Racing Victoria board.

Racenet has established Macedon Lodge chair Mark Player and United Energy chief Tim Rourke as the prime candidates to fill two of three vacant seats on the board.

Former AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has been linked to the third vacancy.

McLachlan has yet to officially apply but a commitment is understood to be imminent.

Racing Minister Anthony Carbines would not be drawn on the recruitment process, other than he had “no announcements at this time”.

Rourke is aligned to McLachlan through Melbourne University Blues Amateur Football Club.

His racing interests include a share in Young Werther, set to contest the Group 1 Australian Cup on Saturday at Flemington.

• ‘Massive coup’: V’Landys hopes McLachlan lands top racing job

United Energy chief Tim Rourke is expected to shortly be named to the Racing Victoria board. Picture: File

• McLachlan in box seat to be new chairman of Racing Victoria

Young Werther’s trainer Danny O’Brien was a groomsman at Rourke’s wedding.

Player, a highly-rated and respected administrator and accredited bloodstock agent, has more than 25 years’ industry experience in Australia and overseas.

Player, likewise invested at Flemington on Saturday with promising stayer Sea What I See, also trained by O’Brien, has deep-seated racing knowledge and acumen.

Player was the inaugural chief executive of New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing before being appointed as director of equine business development at Racing Victoria in 2002.

Mark Player (right) inspects a yearling at the 2010 Magic Millions sale with Hong Kong Jockey Club CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges (left). Picture: File

• ‘He’s a punter’: Reaction to Gillon McLachlan’s potential appointment to Racing Victoria board

He returned to Melbourne in 2010, after six years as Hong Kong Jockey Club head of international races, sale and development, to start International Thoroughbred Solutions, a bloodstock and consultancy agency.

Outgoing board members Greg Nichols and Mike Hirst will retire on March 31 and May 31 respectively.

Former chairman Brian Kruger retired last year on June 30.