by Keely Mckitterick/TTR AusNZ
Friday's inquiry into the proposed sale of Rosehill Racecourse evolved into a battleground where financial realities, governance controversies, and deeply personal accusations clashed in a high-stakes showdown. At the center of this unfolding drama is Peter V'landys, CEO of Racing NSW, who launched explosive allegations that “wealthy breeders” are orchestrating a campaign to undermine him.
During the second inquiry on Friday, Peter V'landys, CEO of Racing NSW, made a series of explosive allegations about “wealthy breeders” engaging in a deliberate campaign to discredit him and Racing NSW, going so far as to claim that these individuals were spreading falsehoods to manipulate the outcome of the inquiry.
He pointed to an email that allegedly encouraged people to fabricate evidence, a move he described as a direct attempt to undermine the integrity of Racing NSW.
V'landys did not stop there; he went on to deliver a particularly charged statement regarding the motivations behind the scrutiny of Racing NSW's Equine Welfare Fund. He justified the current lack of disclosure in the Annual Report, stating it was the way their reporting has always been done. After Animal Justice Party Emma Hurst's request, V'landys promised to provide more disclosure in this area, stating, “We've got nothing to hide. We're proud of what we do. Transparency is your friend.”
He then alleged that the intense focus on the fund was not born out of a genuine concern for animal welfare but was instead part of a broader agenda by those seeking the information.
“The reason people are focused [on the Equine Welfare Fund], they have never focussed on any other expense of Racing NSW, but they're focussed on this,” V'landys said.
“You know why they're focussed on this? Because they want to show that it is too expensive to rehome horses and that we should allow them [those requesting this information] to put them in abattoirs. That's what the campaign's about. They want to get rid of me so they can put horses into abattoirs.”
This comment added a new layer of controversy to the inquiry and was met with immediate disgust by several parties. Kick Up, an organisation established by a group that includes Vicky Leonard, a part-owner of The Thoroughbred Report, to promote positive welfare messaging and improve industry perception, provided the following statement:
“Mr V'landys' claim that 'transparency is your friend' is starkly contradicted by the evasive responses—or lack thereof—that Kick Up has encountered in our repeated attempts over years to seek clarity on equine welfare fund spending. To then insinuate that those efforts are driven by a desire to 'put racehorses in abattoirs' is both false and insulting. If transparency is truly his friend, Mr V'landys wouldn't require the pressure of a parliamentary inquiry to provide straightforward answers to perfectly reasonable requests.”
The Club's Shaky Foundation
The funding model underpinning the NSW racing industry was brought into sharp focus during the inquiry, as the ATC grappled with the realities of declining TAB revenues and the challenge of maintaining world-class facilities. The ATC Chairman, Peter McGauran, highlighted the club's reliance on TAB distributions, which have seen a steady decline in recent years. This, he argued, places the future of racing at risk unless new revenue streams are identified.
“The financial challenges we face are significant,” McGauran stated, emphasising the need for the ATC to explore all options, including the potential sale of Rosehill, to secure its financial future. The proposed A$5 billion valuation of the Rosehill site, while contentious, is seen by some as a lifeline that could future-proof the club and ensure the continuation of premier racing in Sydney.”
However, this financial outlook as a justification for the sale is not universally accepted.
During his testimony, Jason Abrahams of the Save Rosehill group criticised the funding model, calling for a thorough review.
“There has been a funding shortfall… for a long, long time. It's like stepping back in time 50 years,” Abrahams remarked.
He then questioned the logic of a financially challenged business spending A$300,000 on due diligence when the membership is vehemently opposed to the sale: “You can daresay that at least the Chairman and potentially some of the board are severely out of touch with their membership group.”
Discrepancies regarding the valuation of Rosehill Racecourse were a focal point of contention during the inquiry, with figures ranging from A$1.6 billion to a speculative A$20 billion being cited. McGauran, defended the A$5 billion valuation, claiming it was based on expert calculations.
However, Timothy Hale, Vice Chair of the ATC, soon after admitted, “We have never been provided with a valuation showing A$5 billion.”
Racing NSW Board Member Garry Charny testified that while a A$1.6 billion valuation might be accurate today, the site's long-term potential value could reach as much as A$20 billion.
Governance and Accountability Under the Microscope
The inquiry also turned a critical eye on the governance practices within Racing NSW and the ATC, with Independent MP Mark Latham leading the charge. Latham's questioning of V'landys centered on the organization's decision-making processes, particularly regarding the sale of Rosehill and the allocation of funds.
But the inquiry also raised broader concerns about the transparency and accountability of the Racing NSW CEO, with Charny acknowledging that they offer V'landys a “broad scope” to act independently.
Central to this scrutiny was the revelation that considerable authority granted to V'landys, including the ability to initiate legal proceedings without the need for board approval if expected costs are estimated to be under A$1 million.
The Voice of the Members
While financial sustainability and governance dominated much of the discussion, the inquiry also shone a light on the powerful resistance from the racing community, particularly through the Save Rosehill group. Abrahams and Julia Ritchie, who represented the group, articulated the deep sense of betrayal felt by ATC members over the proposed sale.
“We and many, many others in the club and in the broader industry are steadfastly opposed to this sale,” Abrahams said.
“It is an insult to the members who have supported the ATC and its predecessors for generations, a violation of the cultural norms of a member-based sporting club, and a warning to all of our peers across the city whose golf courses, tennis courts and football fields might stand in the way of the next development.”
The emotional resonance of this resistance was evident in Ritchie's testimony, where she shared that none of the 150 to 200 conversations she had with racegoers supported the sale.
Abrahams further emphasised the disconnect between the ATC leadership and its membership, pointing out the “vehement anger” expressed at members' forums.
The Horseman's Perspective
Rosehill trainers Chris Waller and Richard Freedman, both voiced strong opposition to the proposed sale, though they approached the issue from slightly different perspectives.
Waller began by emphasising the importance of Rosehill to his successful training operation, then acknowledged the housing pressures in Sydney. While he was firmly against the sale of the entire site, staging “once Rosehill is gone, Western Sydney has lost one of its greatest community attractions”, Waller was open to alternative proposals, such as partial sales of under utilised areas like car parks, provided these changes would benefit the community, such as transforming them into parks or sports fields.
Freedman also expressed his concerns, particularly highlighting the lack of information provided to trainers about the proposal and the potential impact of the sale on their operations, describing the situation as “flying blind”. Unlike Waller, Freedman was not in favor of a partial sell-off, arguing that it would cause more harm than good given the possibility of having to train horses in what could effectively become a construction site for years.
The next hearing for the inquiry into the proposal to sell Rosehill Racecourse is scheduled for Thursday, September 12.
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