Racing queen’s claim on shock development

Australian horse racing stalwart Gai Waterhouse has explosively claimed industry members “had pressure on them” amid an inquiry into plans to turn Sydney’s Rosehill racecourse into 25,000 new homes.

NSW Premier Chris Minns revealed last year that the state government had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Australian Turf Club, which owns and operates the racecourse in the city’s west.

Under the deal, the ATC would retain ownership of the site until it was developed into new homes, a school and a metro, with a facility with space for up to 400 horses to be built 20km away in Horsley Park.

Waterhouse told the media on Monday that the ATC and Racing NSW were proposing to sell a “core asset” of the state’s racing industry and it was “staunchly opposed” by ATC members who had not voted on it.

The racing heiress claimed the ATC was selling Rosehill, which was purchased by members, to cover its debts to Racing NSW.

Asked if members would back voting down the sale, Waterhouse said it was up to them, but “I can tell you that it will be a unanimous ‘no’ that we do not want to sell Rosehill Gardens racecourse”.

Waterhouse fronted an inquiry into the sale alongside elite Sydney horse trainer John O’Shea, both of whom voiced opposition to the sale and claimed there had been pressure put on members.

“I’m here because I was asked to come, and I am very pleased to be here to state the case of the licensed people and the members but I think there are others who have had pressure on them,” Waterhouse said.

Asked about where that “pressure” was coming from and why there might be concern about attendance at the inquiry, she added: “It’s a bit like the elephant in the room, isn’t it? That’s it. That’s the problem.

“You have a very powerful CEO (Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys) and he controls racing and he controls everybody in racing. You only have to look at the news coverage … We don’t have the true picture at all.”

For his part, O’Shea said both he and Waterhouse had “people represented from afar to suggest that it wouldn’t be in our best interest to attend” to give evidence to the inquiry into the sale.

Asked if that “pressure” was coming from Racing NSW, O’Shea said, without elaborating: “I don’t know where it came from, but I’ve definitely had phone calls from people that I shouldn’t attend.”

During Monday’s press conference, O’Shea added that it was “not incumbent upon the trainers to take the ball up … but as trainers we want to continue to race at Rosehill for a lot longer down the track”.

Despite being billed as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” for Rosehill and the future of the state’s racing industry, Mr Minns conceded earlier this year that the sale of the expansive property might not go ahead.

He said the sale would have to be approved by ATC members, which include Waterhouse and O’Shea, telling budget estimates in February he was hopeful negotiations would proceed.

Racing NSW and the ATC have been contacted for comment.

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