Melb Showgrounds

[PremiumEdition]

I was in a discussion recently about the Mobile barrier intro at Melb Showgrounds, I thought it was about 1961, and some of the officials were; Geo Rouse (Starter) Jack Pemberton (Clerk Course) Graham Beer (Mobile barrier driver) Bill Patten (Pick Up Rider) Kevin Smith (Steward) Wally Weight (Chairman) can anybody else weigh in on this ?? Cheers !!

[Messenger]

Welcome Bob, the board is a bit quiet over Easter but I will be surprised if you do not get some feedback from Noel and others

[Showgrounds]

Think the first mobiles at the Showgrounds were in 1959/60 season. The original mobile was a Chrysler Wayfarer V8 ute, from memory an AP3 with the stacked headlights. That model was released in 1960, so my money is on 1960.

[aussiebreno]

http://www.harnessbred.com/mobile-starting-gate-part-1/

25th Jan 1958 according to this site.

[PremiumEdition]

Thanks guys, I can recall a Pale Blue Ford mainline Ute, does that ring any bells ?

[PremiumEdition]

Just continuing on with yesteryear chats.
A Pacer dropped dead at the Showgrounds during a race, would I be correct in saying it was Thunder Rock (Howard Craig) another crack 2yo filly Medorina (Albert Gath) was put down after a race fall.
Also the horse G.D. "Darky" Wilson was driving when he tumbled from the cart never to drive again was the horse he was driving Ed Brigade ?

Son of Nancy won the last AG Hunter Cup at showgrounds, was Carl O'Dwyer the driver ??

some answers on those would be appreciated. :)

[Adaptor]

Just continuing on with yesteryear chats.
A Pacer dropped dead at the Showgrounds during a race, would I be correct in saying it was Thunder Rock (Howard Craig) another crack 2yo filly Medorina (Albert Gath) was put down after a race fall.
Also the horse G.D. "Darky" Wilson was driving when he tumbled from the cart never to drive again was the horse he was driving Ed Brigade ?

Son of Nancy won the last AG Hunter Cup at showgrounds, was Carl O'Dwyer the driver ??

some answers on those would be appreciated. :)


Neville Welsh drove Son Of Nancy, to win the 1971 A G Hunter Cup with a mile rate of 2.07.6. Trained at Warracknabeal by Malcolm Pyers, the brother of the successful international jockey Bill Pyers

[Showgrounds]

1976 was the last Hunter Cup at the Showgrounds, Brian Gath winning on Truant Armagh for Graeme Morgan.

Ed Brigade was Darky's fateful drive; he was flipped out of the cart at the top of the home straight and spun around a running rail post. As much as we like to remember the "good old days", nobody wants to remember running rails and sulkies pre-wheel discs!

[Danno]

1976 was the last Hunter Cup at the Showgrounds, Brian Gath winning on Truant Armagh for Graeme Morgan.

Ed Brigade was Darky's fateful drive; he was flipped out of the cart at the top of the home straight and spun around a running rail post. As much as we like to remember the "good old days", nobody wants to remember running rails and sulkies pre-wheel discs!

Great call Trevor, far too many career ending injuries before the disks and I have a well earned personal hatred of running rail and their posts, very nearly killed me x 2, when the discussion started to get rid of running rails, I could not air my opinion often or loudly enough.

[PremiumEdition]

Thanks very much guys, much appreciated.
I know that Carl O'Dwyer was a part owner with Tom Taylor and driver of a good trotter named Fiery Luck but did he have any connection with a Hunter Cup winner ?

[Showgrounds]

Not to mention timber sulky shafts. Len Towers and Les Hildebrandt both met grizzly ends. Neil Cavallaro's top filly Rosewood Dream copped a broken shaft through the neck at Bendigo one night.

A much safer sport now. Some might say blander, I say less gladatorial.

[Adaptor]

Thanks very much guys, much appreciated.
I know that Carl O'Dwyer was a part owner with Tom Taylor and driver of a good trotter named Fiery Luck but did he have any connection with a Hunter Cup winner ?


Hanna's Boy, Hunter Cup of 1979

[Messenger]

Not to mention timber sulky shafts. Len Towers and Les Hildebrandt both met grizzly ends. Neil Cavallaro's top filly Rosewood Dream copped a broken shaft through the neck at Bendigo one night.

A much safer sport now. Some might say blander, I say less gladatorial.

But as you would appreciate 'Showgrounds' - we miss the colosseums for the atmosphere they created

[Showgrounds]

Carl trained Hanna's Boy, one of the more obscure Hunter Cup winners. 1979 from memory.

[Showgrounds]

But as you would appreciate 'Showgrounds' - we miss the colosseums for the atmosphere they created

Yeah, the marvelous sight of beaten favourites and their drivers being pelted with drink cans as the returned to scale is sorely missed by bogans everywhere.

The steel back wall and roof of the AG Hunter Stand wise like a giant speaker system and the boos resonated throughout the Ascot Vale night. You'll never hear anything like it these days because our administrators think they are catering for the public. Die-hards at the Showgrounds were happy with a bag of doughnuts, a cup of flavoured milk or, more likely, a few pots of beer from a pop-up bar in a cattle pavilion.

Gee, I wish I hadn't thought of the doughnuts, I know have the urge to have the roof of my mouth seared and my bottom lip and chin scalded by some red-hot raspberry jam!

[paul rowse]

Hi Bob,


The starter was George Rowse my grandfather. He was also a Foundation Member of the Ballarat Club before going to work for the Trotting Control Board (Now HRV).

[arlington]

Hi Bob,

The starter was George Rowse my grandfather. He was also a Foundation Member of the Ballarat Club before going to work for the Trotting Control Board (Now HRV).

G'day Paul,

Welcome to the forum, btw do you have any thoughts on sprint lanes and Inter Dom heats? :)

[paul rowse]

Thanks Wayne, I think the Inter is bigger than any one Club and consistency throughout the series would be paramount in the Event organisers thinking.

[Adaptor]

Thanks Wayne, I think the Inter is bigger than any one Club and consistency throughout the series would be paramount in the Event organisers thinking.

Hi Paul
When does the Ballarat sprint lane go in?
Or is it the other way around, and the Melton and Cranbourne sprint lanes come out ?

[Messenger]

With the redevelopment of The Showgrounds being in the news this month - given $1.5m to develop a Master Plan

https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/news/victoria/cash-for-melbourne-showgrounds-makeover-plans/news-story/de27fb942e9c0fa8834f292f54aeb138

I don't suppose there is any chance of a trotting track

After all the 2017 Back to Wayville meet attracted more people than Melton's ID18 despite their smaller population

Nostalgia

[Dot]

Could fit one next door......

It’s crown land, can we stake a claim.....

[Messenger]

I don't like tracks inside a gallops track but the stands would be attractive :)

[Dot]

No not inside the gallops track. Was looking at the land south of the railway line adjacent the Showground. Have the state government add that to a redeveloped enlarged Showgrounds precinct and a track fits.

[Messenger]

Ray Chaplin emailed me with the following:

This provides probably Harness Racing’s last opportunity to establish its own City entertainment venue
I wonder what Dale Monteith and his Board are doing about it
There are those that makes things happen, those that watch things happen and those that wonder what happened
It would be great if harness racing leadership could fit into the first and not the last category

[Messenger]

“The heartbeat (of returning the Showgrounds) is not gone,” he said.

“The footprint of the Heritage buildings is the issue. As it stands, there is only room for about a 740m track and with today’s horses and the speed they go, the industry would really need something around the 900m mark to be viable.

HRV Chairman Dale Monteith added: “That footprint is an issue the Racing Minister (Martin Pakula) is keen to pursue to a logical conclusion.

“We would like to be at the Showgrounds … Melton is the workhorse of the industry and will always have an important role, but do we need something closer to town?”

https://harnesslink.com/australia/hopes-of-harness-racing-returning-to-melbourne-showgrounds/

[Showgrounds]

So, it only took two decades to work out Melton is 35 kms West of Melbourne. Its predecessors, Moonee Valley is 7km and the Showgrounds about the same. In its heyday Showgrounds trots were well served by public transport, the 57 tram, scheduled bus services and special trains from Flinders Street. A good thing because because car parking was somewhat of a raffle and many patrons were fond of the turps. Melton? I'd love to see a survey of where it's crowds, if crowds there are, are drawn from. Exclude those connected to horses, I am talking those who make a mindful decision to spend a few hours at the Melton trots. I don't think it would take long to do.

It is interesting that HRV finally realises its Melton track, accessible primarily by car or Shank's pony. Or by rail to the new Cobblebank station followed by a vigorous half hour walk. The program for this year's Inter-Dominion includes rounds of heats at Bathurst and Newcastle in recognition, perhaps, if fans won't travel to Menangle for the races you must take the racing to the fans. The penny seems to have dropped with HRV as well. The only metropolitan track that seems to consistently pull crowds is Gloucester Park and you can walk straight down Hay St from the CBD to get there. In Qld it appears that a new track, co-located with the Greyhounds, is being investigated somewhere between Brisbane and Whoop-Whoop.

I am presently sorting through half a century of old race books and Trotting magazines in my stables. A task akin to de-coding th Dead Sea scrolls and discovering King Tut's tomb, for sure. Amongst the artefacts I will soon discover a Trotting Register from 1972 which, on the front cover, featured an architectural rendering of a redeveloped Melbourne Showgrounds, complete with a state of the art half mile track. The track was completely encircled by grandstands, Colosseum style, to cater for the 20,000 or so punters that would turn up every Saturday night!

When the Showgrounds finally was redeveloped the Trotting track, along with the Hunter, Mitchell, Cliff, Gibsonia and Wilson grandstands were demolished. Only the heritage listed Public Stand, which dominated the back straight and was highlighted beautifully on black and white TV by the string of 150 watt light globes under the front of the roof. It, along with other heritage pavilions, remain a stumbling block to any future redevelopment. As part of the last redevelopment the RASV sold off 8 acres from the site, which won't help the proposal.

It is no surprise HRV came out with its interesting comments about the Showgrounds. It coincides with the RASV's announcement that the Royal Melbourne Show has been cancelled for the second straight year due to COVID-19 uncertainties. The Showgrounds website is all about functions and events, none of which are happening. I assume the Society's major source of income has been from the Victorian Government using it as a COVID testing station.

I have absolutely no doubt the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria would welcome the trots back to its Showgrounds. After all, night trotting was primarily the only activity that kept it viable for over three decades and it was as fond of the trots' money as Dracula was partial to drink of blood. As far as I am concerned Orandra Prince will remain the last horse to wIn a TAB race at the Showgrounds.

Times have changed and all the industry participants have moved on, many of them to regional areas because they can no longer afford to train horses on valuable land on Melbourne's fringe. And the traffic!

It's a lovely little throw away line from Dale Montieth but it but it will never, ever happen. I firmly believe Melton was was a mistake bothe in concept and execution. I am not alone with that view. However, the land HRV now owns at Melton is an extremely valuable asset. It begs the question, though, of how good would we be looking now had Graeme Cochran not been white-anted and Keysborough been developed? Maybe Melton will come good and I will be forced to eat my words.

[Messenger]

Trevor you would be happy to know that Ray Chaplin of EquineExcellence/Brand Focus fame presented the discrepancies between the Sydney Showgrounds (leased by the RASNSW) and the Melbourne Showgrounds to the Vic government
Showing that partnering with GWS Giants and Sydney Thunder etc RASNSW has been able to maximize the use of the facilities and produce revenue, something that the RASV/Melbourne Showgrounds needs to do. Suggestion - restore harness racing
You would also be happy to know that he included suggestions for the valuable Melton asset

It is a long shot but I hope the Showgrounds are the ones that have you eat your words (no disrespect intended)

[Showgrounds]

I won't be going on a diet in anticipation of eating my words, Kev. Not unless we accept 700 metre tracks as the way forward or are happy to bowl over heritage listed buildings.

Back in the late 70s, early 80s may be there was a proposal for the Melbourne Showgrounds to become Essendon's home ground. While that never grew wings it did become home ground for the Western Jets under 18 team.

[aussiebreno]

The issue runs a lot deeper than location. Moonee Valley was a ghost town too by mid 00s.

[Messenger]

True Breno but location is a pretty big issue
Moonee Valley was far from an ideal venue, inside a racetrack tells you straight away that one of our drawcards - proximity to the action, was not possible
Say we start creating a bit of publicity for ourselves, pique people's interest then they find out the track is WHERE!
This is why we need some serious reform:

In year ended 2019/20 the Victorian market shares were Thoroughbreds 61.05%; Greyhounds 17.52%; Sports Betting 13.05% and Harness Racing a miserable 8.37%

[Messenger]

I won't be going on a diet in anticipation of eating my words, Kev. Not unless we accept 700 metre tracks as the way forward or are happy to bowl over heritage listed buildings.

Back in the late 70s, early 80s may be there was a proposal for the Melbourne Showgrounds to become Essendon's home ground. While that never grew wings it did become home ground for the Western Jets under 18 team.

Is there anything to rule out moving a heritage listed building?

[Showgrounds]

Depends on how deft a touch the bulldozer operator has over his machine, I guess.

[Messenger]

Depends on how deft a touch the bulldozer operator has over his machine, I guess.

Trevor!

[Showgrounds]

Yes, I remember how tiny this cottage was when I went through it with my primary school. Somewhat smaller than the 1,500 square metre Agricultural Hall and the adjacent Public Stand at the Showgrounds are. As is Centennial Hall where Master Chef is filmed. And to prove heritage listing does not necessarily mean ancient so is the Pie in The Sky, an elaborate advertising hoarding erected by Four'n Twenty Pies when it's factory was a tram stop away in Union Road, not Bairnsdale.

Come to think of it I might investigate whether I can get heritage protection, surely I have eaten enough pies!

Nah, won't happen unless HRV starts the ball rolling by forcing a club like Horsham back to its local showgrounds where a smart horse can break 2:10 from a stand.

[Messenger]

I lived in Horsham for a year in the 70's and prefer the old showgrounds :D as the new track has zero atmosphere. (Now live < hour away)

They don't have to deconstruct and reconstruct in another country with this one and I think we both know that the ability to do it is even more advanced nowadays

It comes down to how hard we lobby (and whether we are the best co-tenant) and how agreeable RASV are?

The other sticking point may be how agreeable the industry are to the possible repurposing of Melton

[Messenger]

Maybe HRV should conduct an industry survey in regards to the level of support for the showgrounds opportunity

[Messenger]

"Has the time come for harness racing participants to decide what is more important attracting more people to attend and then become involved
in our sport as owners and breeders or just rely upon the punter to grow harness racing
For more people in the highly populated inner metro population of Melbourne to become involved they won’t travel to Melton and they need to be entertained
at a level that goes beyond a two minute harness race ever half hour or so

Harness Racing in Victoria is heavily reliant upon wagering turnover and resultant revenue and whilst Covid 19 has assisted all 3 racing codes and sports betting to increase turnover
harness racing continues be at the bottom when it comes to wagering market share.In year ended 2019/2020 the Victorian market shares were Thoroughbreds 61.05%; Greyhounds 17.52%; Sports betting 13.05%; and Harness Racing a mere 8.37%.
When the Covid effect diminishes HRV will need additional income streams if it is to maintain let alone increase stake money

The challenge with the move to the showgrounds is track size but the options to attract more fans wherever racing is held are large tracks (less atmosphere/excitement and less fans) or smaller tracks more atmosphere/excitement and more fans
Proof of this is the Little Brown Jug and Cup and Saucer run in Delaware and Prince Edward Island both on 800 metre tracks with track records of 1:49.0 and 1:50.1 respectively
and annual attendances of 40 – 50,000 for the Jug and 20,000 (maximum capacity) for the Cup and Saucer (population of the Island 160,000 and the race is run at midnight)
In Australia Gloucester Park is a unique and versatile venue in Perth, showcasing exciting harness racing every Friday night. The superbly appointed facilities include 3 restaurants operating during race nights and 9 function rooms available for private hire on any day or night of the week.
This 804 metre track attracts the highest number of regular fans of any metropolitan track in Australia with mile rates in the mid 1:50’s not unusual

So is there a once in a lifetime opportunity to revive the interest and attraction to harness racing in Victoria and subsequently ensure a prosperous future for up and coming participants?
If the stumbling block is a heritage building why not resite it in another section of the Showgrounds and why not hand Melton back to the State Government in return for a first class entertainment venue
operating seven days a week at the Showgrounds in order to generate a vital new income stream for the industry delivering higher stake money"

Ray Chaplin Equine Excellence

[Messenger]

https://www.thetrots.com.au/news/the-forum/hamilton/hamilton-bring-on-a-bold-new-era-starting-in-2022/

MELBOURNE SHOWGROUNDS

I don’t know if there’s a one per cent or 50 per cent chance, but as long as this is any hope at all it will be number one on my wish list, not just for Victoria but the Australian industry.

There is no magic pill to take harness racing back to its glory days, but to have a new track, smack-bang in the middle of the city and next to the home of the Melbourne Cup would be something special.

I’m told talks are ongoing with the Royal Agricultural Society, who must surely be in need of some partners after Covid-19 has cruelly denied them holding the Royal Melbourne Show for the past two years.

I can’t see anything but a massive win/win for a total development of the area to include a harness track with a greyhound track inside it.

It would give us a world-class racing precinct with the marquee track for all three codes alongside each other.

It’s no secret Dale Monteith and Dayle Brown want it and we’re lucky to have a passionate, engaged and understanding racing minister in Martin Pakula at the big table to help make it happen if possible.

Of course, it’s not as easy as it sounds, but where there is a will, there is surely a way.

Keep everything crossed.