Newcastle race club lowers sights to find support for new stables

The Newcastle Herald revealed in March 2017 an NJC plan for seven blocks of two-storey stables, which would double the on-course boxes available to 508.

Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys said at the time his organisation would "100 per cent support" the NJC plans "if they can show a business case".

NJC chairman Geoff Barnett said then that the club would need government funding but he believed "we could have stables going up and be using them by the end of next year."

Since that time, the club have sold Cessnock Racecourse to Racing NSW to further their stable plans. They then built new day stalls at Newcastle Racecourse to make room for a stables complex on the Chatham Street side of the facility.

Late last year, the NJC's development application for a modified 480-box, two-storey design gained approval from the NSW Department of Planning as a state significant project.

However, the political landscape has changed since 2017 and the government funding for regional racing the NJC hoped to gain has gone elsewhere.

The estimated cost of the project has also ballooned from $20 million to well beyond $50 million.

The original plan was sold on the financial benefits to the region of creating a hub for racing at Newcastle, which already boasted the Racing NSW-funded $11.3 million renovated all-weather course proper and has since had a new Polytrack synthetic training track installed.

The need for on-course stables though in the wider region is set to ease with projects at Scone, Cessnock and Gosford creating about 800 new boxes.

NJC chief Duane Dowell said the club were in talks with Racing NSW about a new plan.

"The two-storey stables just got too cost prohibitive, but we are looking at exploring a modified version, which are single-storey, and they will be significantly less," Dowell said.

"It's early stages but we've got four or five different scenarios about how they will best look. We are also mindful of not making the footprint any bigger.

"We are unlikely at this stage to build 480 in the first instance. The goal now is just to replace what we've got down there."

The DA approval last year included allowing the NJC to complete the project in two stages, enabling them to relocate the Beaumont Street strip of stables and pursue development opportunities on that site to help fund the second half of the project.

However, gaining funds for the initial stage remains the obstacle.

Trainers are desperate for new and expanded stables to replace the outdated 275 boxes on course.

One of NSW's best young trainers, Nathan Doyle, said he moved from Scone to Newcastle with the promise of expansion. Doyle has become increasingly frustrated with the stagnate situation at Newcastle Racecourse as his own team grows.

He is keen to take advantage of his recent success and said he will look at moving his operation if plans do not progress.

"We've got 40 boxes and 100 horses on the books, so it doesn't work out well," Doyle said.

"When we came down here probably three years ago the club said to us that in 12 months' time those boxes will be up and running and if you are here, you will be first to get in and get them.

"Three years down the track and nothing's been turned and there looks no movement in sight, which is very disappointing.

"When you are going well, you've got to take advantage of it and it's a dead-end street here. It's very frustrating.

"It means you have to look at options. You don't want to have a satellite stable in NSW. If you are going to to do that, you may as well pack up and move to a different spot."

Former Port Stephens mayor Bruce Mackenzie, a prominent Hunter horse owner, is also campaigning for new stables at Newcastle.

In a letter to V'landys and media outlets, Mackenzie criticised Racing NSW's increased spending on elite races instead of funding new on-course stables at Newcastle and Randwick.

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