Photo finish too tight for Terang

Victorian harness racing club Terang has been forced to shelve its biggest annual fixture for a second time – but is focussing on the opportunities ahead with the completion of a transformative $2M redevelopment.

The club came agonizingly close to being able to host its 2023 Terang Cup at the new Dalvui Raceway facilities, which have been under development since February last year.

But Executive Officer Mark Roberts said the September deadline in the end was just “too risky”.

“The plan was for the handover date to be a week before our cup meeting, but that wouldn’t have allowed us much time to get the power back on, test everything and overcome any issues,” Roberts said.

“It’s a pity, and it was a hard decision for the committee, but it just had risk written all over it,” he said.

“There’s also the fact that we haven’t raced since February last year – the staff, volunteers and groups who help us run our meetings have dispersed and we need to get them back on board and back up to speed.”

It was the second time the club had been forced to reschedule its cup, due to holdups with the redevelopment. Terang’s opening meeting at the new facilities will now be on October 11.

“We’re pretty excited with how it’s looking.  The place will be almost unrecognisable for anyone who’s ever been to Terang,” Roberts said.

“The stabling and horse facilities were 60 years old and pretty much hanging together with baling twine and twitch wire. They were covered with a back on them, but they had an open front, and everyone was very exposed to the elements.  In this part of the State, it’s a real issue at night meetings in the winter months.

“In the new facilities there’s 100 stalls under cover, brand new urinals, wash bays and swab stalls – the trainers and drivers and stable staff won’t know themselves.”

Roberts said the Terang Harness Owners, Trainers and Supporters group had done an enormous job in supporting the club to ensure the plans were seen through to fruition.

“They put together fundraising nights, raffles, silent auctions and everything else to raise around $350,000 and that most certainly opened some doors for us,” Roberts said.

“We were able to use that to draw funding support from the Corangamite Shire, the Victorian Government, the Federal Government and Harness Racing Victoria, and the club itself made a contribution as well.”

Although the Dalvui Raceway is a stand-alone harness racing facility, part of the redevelopment has been aligned with providing a Community Hub for the local area.

“During the St Pat’s bushfire in 2018, we identified that we needed that local, safe area where people can bring themselves and their animals, and have the amenities they need in an emergency, so that’s a facility that will now be available,” Roberts said.

“It’s a win-win for everyone.  Certainly, there have been some hiccups along the way, but I think once it’s done, and we are back up and racing, that will all be forgotten.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink