The upgrade of the Glenburnie race track to an all-weather facility has been hailed a success by Member for Barker Tony Pasin, who officially opened the track with a ribbon cutting immediately prior to the Gold Cup on Friday.
The $3.3 million upgrade has provided a new racing surface incorporating improved drainage and irrigation enabling the club to race across a larger part of the year.
Member for Barker Tony Pasin secured $1.5 million from the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Funds to make the upgrade possible.
“Providing a track that can host race meetings in all but the worst possible weather conditions is a major boon for the local industry and the economies of Mount Gambier and its surrounding region,” Mr Pasin said.
“The first Gold Cup of the new track has been the ultimate test; with over 40mm of rain in the days preceding Friday’s race day, there is no doubt that the meeting would have been cancelled if it wasn’t for the upgrade. A cancelled Gold Cup is a major loss to the local Limestone Coast economy.”
“In addition to ensuring the sustainability of racing in the region, this project also delivers economic benefits through delivering consistent track conditions which will, in turn, improve safety levels for jockeys and their horses,” Mr Pasin said.
“Our regional communities remain at the core of Australia’s economy and identity. Our Government is working to ensure regional Australia can thrive and prosper,” Mr Pasin said.
The project was jointly funded with the Australian Government contributing $1.5 million and Thoroughbred Racing SA Limited contributing $1.7 million.
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