Big Boost for Victorian Horse Racing
Victoria’s presence on the global racing scene will be strengthened with the establishment of an international horse centre in Werribee.
The Werribee International Horse Centre will become a home-away-from-home for visiting international horses competing in the Spring Racing Carnival and other feature events.
The State Government has committed $1.12 million to the new centre, which will boast three stabling compounds.
“The new compounds will fulfil the necessary requirements of the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service and replace the facility that has been housed at Sandown Racecourse since the mid 1990s,” Deputy Premier and Minister for Racing Rob Hulls said.
“Initially the new facility will be able to accommodate up to 28 horses and in the future it will be able to house up to 42 horses, compared to Sandown’s capacity for 22.”
Other key features of the new facility include:
- Single controlled access point
- Monitoring by continuous closed circuit television (CCTV)
- Exercise walking circuits, sand rolls and day yards
- Truck washing bay
- Horse washing bay supplied with filtered water from rainwater tanks
- Isolation box
- Media viewing platform.
The centre is expected to be completed in time for the big races in 2010.
“While this year’s international horses will be housed at the Sandown Quarantine Centre, next year all arrivals will be accommodated at this new state-of-the-art international horse centre,” Mr Hulls said.