RACING NSW ANNUAL REPORT MISSION STATEMENT “TO ESTABLISH A DYNAMIC NSW THOROUGHBRED INDUSTRY WHICH ADVANCES PARTICIPATION, ENSURES INTEGRITY AND DELIVERS QUALITY RACING AT ALL LEVELS.” VISION OBJECTIVES • Provide a committed, user-friendly, professional and cost effective administration which uses best business CONTENTS practice in serving all aspects of the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry. • Provide Leadership and Strategic Direction to ensure the Deputy Chairman’s Report 2 NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry achieves revenue growth, profitability and greater returns to Owners and Chief Executive’s Report 3 Industry Participants. • Provide a Racing Product which appeals to all Laboratory 7 demographics, and takes all actions necessary to guarantee integrity and confidence in the sport. Integrity 8 • Maximise betting turnover on NSW Thoroughbred meetings by accommodating punters’ needs and Veterinary Services 10 desires, and work with Tabcorp to promote new Racing & Commerical 12 wagering products, which reflect changes in demand. Appeals 15 FUNCTIONS OF THE Group & Listed Winners 16 BOARD Industry 18 Under section 13(1) of the Thoroughbred Racing Act (NSW) Regulatory 20 1996, the Board has the following functions: a) all the functions of the principal club for New South Industry Training 24 Wales and committee of the principal club for New South Wales under the Australian Rules of Racing, Insurance 26 b) to control, supervise and regulate horse racing in the State, Administrative and Financial Structure 28 c) to initiate, develop and implement policies considered conducive to the promotion, strategic Annual Trends 29 development and welfare of the horse racing industry in the State and the protection of the public Financial Statements 30 interest as it relates to the horse racing industry, d) functions with respect to the insuring of participants in the horse racing industry, being functions of the kind exercised by the AJC on the commencement FRONT COVER: Sydney’s champions for last racing season of this section, and such other functions with respect - Peter Wells (pictured at the top - Leading Apprentice), to insurance in the horse racing industry as may be Gai Waterhouse (left - Leading Trainer), Blake Shinn (right - prescribed by the regulations, Leading Jockey) and Tuesday Joy (NSW Horse of the Year) e) such functions as may be conferred or imposed on the Board by or under the Australian Rules of Racing REAR COVER: NSW Country Champion - Takeover Target or any other Act, (Jay Ford) f) such functions with respect to horse racing in New South Wales as may be prescribed by the regulations. M E G M Pemberton AC (Gary) D E Hopkins OAM (Don) M CHAIRMAN DEPUTY CHAIRMAN Independent Chairman Nominated by Racing NSW B appointed by the Board Country Appointed 15 November 2004 Re-appointed 12 March 2004 for 4 years for 4 years E Attended 11 meetings Retired 11 March 2008 R Retired 2 July 2008 Attended 7 meetings S R M Lapointe (Bob) G F Pash (Graeme) Nominated by eligible industry Nominated by the Sydney Turf bodies which represent the Club owners and breeders of Re-appointed 13 March 2004 thoroughbred racehorses for 4 years Re-appointed 17 May 2004 for Retired 12 March 2008 O 4 years Attended 2 meetings Retired 16 May 2008 F Attended 9 meetings D P R Esplin (Phillip) B J Reardon (Brian) Nominated by eligible industry Nominated by the Provincial bodies which represent the Association of NSW T interests of licensed persons Re-appointed 13 March 2006 and race club employees for 4 years Appointed 13 March 2006 for 4 Attended 11 meetings H years E Attended 11 meetings R A Ferguson (Rob) N F Bracks (Noel) Independent additional Board Nominated by the Australian Member appointed by the Jockey Club B Board in accordance with Appointed 13 March 2006 for section 6(4) of the 4 years Thoroughbred Racing Act 1996 Attended 11 meetings O Re-appointed 1 November 2006 for 4 years A Attended 10 meetings R W A Picken (Bill) G Lindley (Gordon) Nominated by the Sydney Turf Nominated by Racing NSW Club Country D Appointed 13 March 2008 for 4 Appointed 12 March 2008 for 4 years. years Attended 7 meetings (3 as Attended 4 meetings Alternate Director) T R Lobb (Trevor) P N V’landys (Peter) Nominated by eligible industry Racing NSW Chief Executive bodies which represent the Appointed 23 February 2004 owners and breeders of Attended 11 meetings thoroughbred racehorses. Appointed 17 May 2008 for 4 years Attended 2 meetings [ 1 ] D E P Messrs Gordon Lindley, Bill Picken and Trevor Lobb were appointed to the Board on the nomination of Racing NSW Country, the Sydney Turf Club and Racehorse Owners and U Breeders respectively. Mr Gary Pemberton AC resigned as Chairman of Racing NSW, T effective from 2 July 2008. Gary’s leadership and experience were of enormous value to the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Y Industry during his term as Chairman. On behalf of the Board I thank and acknowledge the Chief Phillip Esplin Executive, Peter V’landys, and the entire staff of Racing NSW for Deputy Chairman Racing NSW their outstanding dedication and achievements during the year. C The Hon Kevin Greene MP In last year’s Annual Report Gary Pemberton expressed the hope Minister for Gaming & Racing that the new governing authority would be well established by this H Parliament House, Report. We are still waiting for this to occur and we again hope Macquarie Street, this appointment of the new Board is imminent. Once in place I Sydney NSW 2000 would urge all sectors to commit to the procedures behind the A workings of the Board and the Racing Industry Consultative Dear Minister, Group. The decisions that lay ahead are critical to the wellbeing I In accordance with Section 29 of the Thoroughbred Racing Act of every participant in the industry. The challenges are 1996 I submit to you the 12th Annual Report of Racing NSW unprecedented. R covering the period 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008. The Board met on 11 occasions and the application, dedication M and expertise of my fellow Board members is acknowledged. The Deputy Chairman, Mr Don Hopkins OAM, and Board A members Mr Graeme Pash and Mr Bob Lapointe retired during the year, having completed their maximum terms under the legislation. Their contributions on behalf of the industry were N significant and I express my personal appreciation. ’ S R E P O R T [ 2 ] C H Throughout the crisis, the contribution of the then Federal Minister I for Agriculture, the Hon. Peter McGauran MP, was outstanding. He worked tirelessly with the industry to minimise the disruption and E financial hardship facing participants. At our request, Minister McGauran immediately set up a $4 million Hardship Assistance Fund ($2.5 million for New South Wales) to be F administered by Racing NSW for participants who were in need of urgent financial assistance to meet their commitments. Racing NSW administered the Fund on behalf of the thoroughbred racing, standardbred racing and leisure horse industries and assistance was provided to some 2,133 individuals within these industries. E Peter V’landys Chief Executive $235 MILLION RESCUE PACKAGE With the assistance of Minister McGauran, I personally negotiated X In the history of racing in NSW the year 2007/08 will go down as with the Prime Minister, the Hon. John Howard MP, for the provision one of the most turbulent. The year saw a severe Equine Influenza of further financial assistance and was successful in obtaining (“EI”) outbreak and the announcement by the State Government Government support in an unprecedented $235 million Rescue E that World Youth Day activities were to be held at Royal Package for the NSW and Queensland thoroughbred, harness Randwick Racecourse. racing and leisure horse industries. C In addition to managing these major issues, Racing NSW was This financial assistance package allowed the following grant again able to implement a number of initiatives which provided programs to be established: significant benefits for the NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry. G Commercial Horse Assistance Payments Scheme (CHAPS) U Complete details of all the operations of Racing NSW are outlined G Equine Influenza Business Assistance Grant Scheme later in this Annual Report. However, I have identified the major G Equine Workers Hardship Wage Supplement Scheme items below. T CHAPS OPERATING COSTS AND ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGE CHAPS – the largest of the programs – was devised and administered by Racing NSW. Under CHAPS, payments were I Racing NSW’s financial performance was again strong during the made on a “per-horse per-day” basis ($60 - metropolitan: $55 - 2007/08 financial year. General Activities operating costs were provincial: $50 - country) in fortnightly instalments to trainers. down a further $70,000 on 2006/07. These savings were in addition V to the $3.6 million reduction in operating costs over the prior three These payments provided significant financial support. For years. Racing NSW also absorbed $618,000 in costs related to EI, example, a metropolitan trainer with 40 horses in work would have without any additional charge to the NSW racing industry. received $28,000 per fortnight; a provincial trainer with 25 horses in E work would have received $15,750 per fortnight and a country The result for Racing NSW’s Workers Compensation Fund has been trainer with 15 horses in work would have received $8,400 per affected by a substantial increase in provisions of $6.7 million and fortnight. a $2.2 million reduction in the carrying value of investments due ’ to declines in the stock market. In 2006/07 the Workers The payments were split between trainers and owners on a 30:70 Compensation Fund reduced provisions by $2.3 million. Ignoring ratio and were subject to a number of conditions with the S the reduction in the carrying value of the investments, the objective of keeping horses fit and ready for a return to racing as aggregate performance of the Workers Compensation Fund over soon as possible after the end of the crisis.