Mark Newnham intends to train in Hong Kong for the remainder of his career. But with deep roots in New South Wales racing, he continues to keep a close eye on the state’s affairs.
Randwick is where a teenaged Newnham first began his career in racing, and it would eventually be where he became a trainer in his own right before taking up a contract in Hong Kong.
“Being a Randwick boy since I was 15, starting out in the stables and with a long history of working there, it depresses me to see the state of the stabling at Randwick,” Newnham told Michael Cox on the Idol Horse Podcast. “There’s been two new grandstands built at Randwick in the last few years, whereas the stabling hasn’t been touched for 50 years, and it’s in a very poor state.
“Quite often it was embarrassing to take owners there that hadn’t had horses trained at Randwick before. When they see the brand new grandstands, and the glitz and glamour of The Everest and other new races, but to come and visit their horse in dilapidated stables, I don’t think it’s appropriate in this age.”
While Newnham admits that building new stables is costly, he sees it as a long-term commitment, both to the industry and in solidifying Randwick’s broader position.
“You need horses to race, and you need horses to be stabled. You need horses to be stabled at Randwick. Randwick should be promoted as the premier track in Australia, and it previously has been—it should be treated as such.
“Race clubs like the ATC are obviously cash-strapped. Where they get that money is Racing New South Wales, and for them to make an investment in stabling at Randwick, I could see only shoring up a future for racing. It does not make money for race clubs having training facilities, but they’re a necessary part of the business, and that’s how it should be treated.”
