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February 7 marks 12 months since the inception of the Australian Turf Club following the historic merger between Sydney's two former clubs, the Australian Jockey Club and Sydney Turf Club.
Photo by Racing and Sports
ATC CEO Darren Pearce said he was pleased with the results achieved by the new club, despite still being in its infancy.
“The Club is well on its way to delivering strong business outcomes for the long-term benefit of racing in Sydney,” Pearce said.
Key achievements of the ATC's first year include:
- Commencement of work on the $150m redevelopment of Royal Randwick;
- Signing of a deal with Daktronics to deliver the largest outdoor screen in the southern hemisphere to Rosehill Gardens in time for AAMI Golden Slipper Day 2012;
- Council approval for sale of non-core parcels of land which will underpin a master plan for large-scale improvements to the Warwick Farm racecourse and training facilities;
- A membership base of 13,420 which includes 10,663 renewed members of the previous clubs and the total membership in excess of the two previous clubs combined;
- 2757 new members attracted to the Club;
- Significant increases in Sydney Spring Carnival attendances including Cox Plate Day at Rosehill Gardens (up 29%), Epsom Super Saturday (up 11%), Melbourne Cup Day (up 16%), and Grandstand Finish Day (up 51%) at Royal Randwick.
- Management of the QEII roof issue in September which upheld patron safety and was rectified to allow for Epsom Super Saturday to be held at its rightful home
- Race programming consolidation which allowed for better progression of horses through major races during spring;
- Integration of 210 full-time staff and nearly 1,200 casual staff into the new organisation;
The ATC has now moved from the merger integration phase to future planning and setting the vision which will see it become the heart of Sydney racing.