TOWAC Park is set to become one of the best tracks in country racing after Racing NSW chief executive officer Peter V’Landys yesterday revealed he and his board will continue to back the efforts of Racing Orange.
The once tired venue is already set to receive a multi-million dollar upgrade with the sand track currently on the outside of the course booked in for a move to the inside of the race track in the near future.
Towac Park’s drainage will also be upgraded.
But that’s just part of the plan.
V’Landys said he was looking to give Racing Orange more race meetings in the future as well as provide more funds to help take Racing Orange to the next level.
“We’re already going to invest in a multi-million dollar development here at Orange and if the enthusiasm and passion shown by the Orange committee continues, we’ll continue to put money into making Orange one of the better tracks in NSW,” V’Landys said.
“And that’s just the first part of it. As I said, we see a big future for racing in this area.”
V’Landys first visited Towac Park when he first started with Racing NSW in 2004 and said he was a little disappointed in what he saw in Orange’s track eight years ago.
Not so yesterday.
The most powerful man in racing across NSW was thrilled to see Racing Orange’s Saddle Up Sunday meeting so well supported, with early figures suggesting over 1500 people were on hand at Towac Park yesterday afternoon.
“It was a mission of mine to get Orange back to where it should be and I think Ellie Brown and everybody has done a fantastic job up here and it’s really motivated me to see how good they’re going,” he said.
He added the enthusiasm the new board, headed by chairperson Ellie Brown, has for racing was unrivalled.
“I think it’s their energy and their passion,” he said.
“They’ve got enormous energy and enormous passion to get racing as part of the community here in Orange. They want the community to embrace racing in Orange.
“I think in the 12 months they’ve been in the job they’ve done a remarkable job.
“It’s a credit to them and I think you’ll see things get better and better from here.”