The Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) has appointed Tom Reilly as its new CEO, following the departure of Josh Blanksby last August.
Reilly joins the club from Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) and Aushorse, where he has become an industry leader in breeding racing for the last decade. He was also formerly editor of the Sydney Morning Herald.
“The committee is very excited to have Tom lead the team at the MRC. We wanted someone with deep racing knowledge and experience and Tom will bring that to the club,” MRC chairman John Kanga said.
“He is well respected throughout the racing industry and with his extensive contacts and knowledge, both in Australia and internationally, he will be hitting the ground running. Tom will also bring real strength and energy to the role and, as a true racing person, has a genuine love and passion for the industry.
“He shares the vision of the committee to make the MRC more efficient and properly accountable to members, customers and participants, with an overarching aim of putting on better racing programmes and events and benefitting racing in general.”
Additionally, the club has entered into agreement with Mount Scopus Memorial College to sell surplus land west of Caulfield Racecourse for $195 million.
The site is expected to be used by the school to develop a new campus and consolidating the school’s existing three campuses and providing other community facilities.
This transaction, while still contingent, is expected to be settled in approximately 18-24 months.
“The club has been negotiating with the purchaser for around 12 months and the planned new campus has strong bi-partisan government support,” Kanga said.
“It will benefit not only the school and its students but also have a positive impact on local residents and the broader community. The proposed use of the land is also a complementary use for the MRC and will also provide the opportunity for the school to utilise the function and exam venue services already offered by the Club to outside parties.”
According to Kanga, the funds from the sale will help clear the club of its $165 million debt incurred by the former committee “in relation to what are considered to be unnecessary and badly executed infrastructure works at Caulfield Racecourse; which comprised of a new office building, a new inside track which was not required, and a poorly designed and wrongly positioned new mounting yard and ancillary buildings”.
Earlier this month, there was a fire at Caulfield Racecourse in the Norman Robinson Grandstand. The club said it continues to work with the local council to meet all necessary requirements to ensure a safe and prompt resumption of racing at Caulfield.