Turf club on a new-year winner

Saturday night Clifford Park racing on hold in January as makeover begins.

Toowoomba Turf Club chief executive officer Lizzy King explains plans for a makeover of Clifford Park's betting and public leisure areas. Picture: Bev Lacey

RACING : A visit to the track promises to be a fresh experience for Clifford Park racegoers in the new year.

Saturday night racing at Clifford Park goes into recess during January, but trackside work will be frenetic as Toowoomba Turf Club embarks on its latest public facility upgrade.

With the financial backing of Tabcorp, the club will undergo a major renovation of its betting auditorium, and public bar and dining area underneath the grandstand.

The three will be combined with the current walkway between the betting auditorium and bar to be covered in to connect the two buildings.

The renovation will include an upgrade in technology for punters including self-serve totalisators, touch information screens and enhanced viewing monitors.

Manned tote windows and bookmaker facilities will remain to ensure punters have access to both current and advanced technology.

The makeover follows the demolition this year of the former trainer’s bar and modernisation of the Winning Post function facility.

Club CEO Lizzy King said the latest renovations have been made possible through sponsorship and are set to revolutionise Clifford Park’s betting and leisure areas.

“There will be a huge makeover taking place here after our final meeting of the year on December 28,” King said.

“Tabcorp has stumped up the money for the work in the biggest single sponsorship the club has received and it will see our three major public areas under one roof.

“It goes to show the willingness of Tabcorp to be involved with a provincial centre like Toowoomba as well as those in major cities and it will help bring our club into the 21st Century.”

Demolition will be carried out by club labour with the construction work won on tender by Highfields Builder.

“The new design will create a theatrical atmosphere with lots of existing technology combined with new technology,” King said.

“Our bookmaker Pat Kynoch will be a centrepiece of the facility which is aimed at catering for both traditional and modern punters alike.

“During the club’s January racing down time our racecourse manager Dave Morrison and his team will also continue the next phase of their track maintenance.”