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Perth Racing announce Belmont grandstand to be demolished

West Australian Racing

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  • DamienWyerDamienWyer    7,985 posts
    paraletic said:

    http://www.perthracing.org.au/news-centre/headline-news/2014/10/31/parnham-has-bass-strait-on-track-for-railway-tilt

     

    a certain sentence about half way down may make some of u happy.

    I was very keen to see this horse trial on Monday. I spoke with both Neville and Stephen after the trial, and I mentioned to them that I thought they had a terrific horse on their hands. It is bred to be a stakes winner, and runs like it will be challenging in a race like a Kingston Town and perhaps late in the campaign a Perth Cup. Easily the best trial I saw on the day.
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  • therealkramertherealkramer    8,008 posts
    edited October 2014
    The new grandstand will need a signature race to draw people in and Perth Racing should look at honouring the career of Luckygray imo. It would probably be better at Ascot, the scene of his Railway triumphs, but over a mile at Belmont would be stil appropriate. Add it to the programme of the Strickland Stakes so you have a lead up of Roma Cup(1200m)-Belmont Sprint(1400m)-Hyperion Stakes(1600m)-Luckygray Stakes(1600m)/Strickland Stakes(2000m) as viable preparations. Make it handicap conditions and put up decent prize money and you make even attract interstate entries on the back of the Brisbane Winter Carnival. Make Belmont work.
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  • LeglessLegless    5,108 posts
    edited October 2014
    =)) =)) =))  geez - you must have won some $$$ on him =)) =)) =))

    =)) =)) =)) Maybe they could call it the "He's Remarkable Robbed" stand - :-? or maybe the "What a Farquin Joke" stand   =)) =)) =))

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    therealkramer dislikes this post.

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  • LeglessLegless    5,108 posts
    edited October 2014
    plans for the new stand are on the PR website

    from the other thread seems there is 472m for offices

    http://www.perthracing.org.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/belmont-racecourse-development-plan---level-1-floor-plan.pdf?sfvrsn=0

    RIO likes this post.

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  • LeglessLegless    5,108 posts
    edited October 2014
    seems there is also new stalls

    http://www.perthracing.org.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/belmont-racecourse-development-plan---ground-floor.pdf?sfvrsn=0
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  • LeglessLegless    5,108 posts
    edited October 2014
    all the plans here

    http://www.perthracing.org.au/belmont-redevelopment-news-and-information
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  • therealkramertherealkramer    8,008 posts
    Legless said:

    =)) =)) =))  geez - you must have won some $$$ on him =)) =)) =))

    =)) =)) =)) Maybe they could call it the "He's Remarkable Robbed" stand - :-? or maybe the "What a Farquin Joke" stand   =)) =)) =))


    Take the protest out of it. His last two efforts in the Railway were HUGE. He owns that race now.
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  • LuckyLongshotsLuckyLongshots    4,270 posts
    So anyone heard anything more on this demolition?
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  • DarkhorseDarkhorse    666 posts
    LuckyLongshots said:

    So anyone heard anything more on this demolition?

    I saw some paint flakes blow off in the breeze the other day, just a natural process I would guess.
    Seriously though, a staff member advised me they still had some pre booked gigs to get through before works can commence.
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  • thefalconthefalcon    20,483 posts
    transfer them to ascot??
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  • RIORIO    14,902 posts
    on another thread last week.............

    this is still the most recent update I can find in writing. Although I actually though that it was going to start before then.

    "Belmont
    Park Racecourse will undergo a $60M redevelopment programme following
    the demolition of the old Grandstand to commence in May 2015."

    Taken from Perth Racing Webpage

    http://www.perthracing.org.au/belmont-redevelopment-news-and-information

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  • thefalconthefalcon    20,483 posts
    how can it have "spectacular views" of the new perth stadium...unless its facing backwards? 8-}
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  • G-MacG-Mac    1,677 posts
    When the NSWHRC was redeveloping Menangle they were cashed up from the sale of HP. They had these huge plans for a great looking stand that went halfway down the home straight, funtion rooms, restaurants. The whole box and dice. Then one of the directors said 'hang on, why build something to cater for 9-10000 when we are lucky to get 1000 on a regular race night?'. It's only twice per year (ID and Miracle Mile) that the place gets in the vicinity of 10k; and that will become one meet per year after March. So they built a very comfortable facility that will easily accomodate about 2000 people and created podiums along the home straight on which temporary marquees can be installed when the occasion calls for it. The major infrastructure investment was on the stabling area and participant facilities. Look after the people that actually turn up. This is the thinking they should have when redevloping Belmont, otherwise they will have a shiny new white elephant.

    TheDiva, JustanL, RIO, Gilgamesh, thefalcon, [Deleted User], Darkhorse, primemover likes this post.

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  • notapuntanotapunta    938 posts
    I reckon the mandurah greyhounds grandstand is a perfect size for what it does. No idea on capacity or attendance most nights but always seems to be a crowd.

    RIO, thefalcon likes this post.

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  • RIORIO    14,902 posts
    spot on G-Mac. been trying to get that message through for a few years and it is unheard. You could bank on 1000-1200 members most weeks, and less than a 1000 others - including participants. And they still go down this significant phallic effigy...called a GRAND Stand.

    What is required is something far less GRAND and lot more appropriate.. the new building once again continues to separate the Members from the horses..The tour of racecourses Mrs Rio and i did 18 months ago;every new facility had been built with an area for Members to be on the ground and amongst the action.

    This building still doesn't address that. i really wonder how many courses have been visited on normal race days to get to this design??????? Very disappointing.

    Falc the views to the stadium will be on the open area on top of the 3rd floor..ensuring that people are even more separated from the action of race day!!!!!
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  • LuckyLongshotsLuckyLongshots    4,270 posts
    edited February 2015
    I can understand why they want a BIG grandstand, because it makes racing look BIGGER than it actually is!

    We all know something the size of the Cannington Greyhounds stand would suit Belmont perfectly, even on the bigger day, such as Irish and Italian Day.

    Cannington handles 5k on Perth Cup night!

    image

    Not sure how something this size, even with another floor added wouldn't be suitable at Belmont?  Build it up on a mound, so it is still almost three levels above ground level, with nice sloping grass down to the track (as it currently has).

    Good Luck to Perth Racing with whatever they do, but I can see it becoming a white elephant (if they build it too big), while Crown laps it up across the road!

    The other thing is, if the whole Golden Rivers development is going ahead, maybe the large grandstand would be suitable, however I'm not sure how much of the whole development is actually going to go ahead....oh well, I'm sure we'll be told how we're wrong!
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  • thefalconthefalcon    20,483 posts
    eddie rigg (sorry forgotten his screen name but he makes no secret of who he is) normally pops his head above the trenches on these discussions.
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  • darkshinesdarkshines    2,837 posts
    Think he even named one 'I Am Theodor'

    RIO, thefalcon likes this post.

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  • scenic11scenic11    236 posts

    When does the demolition begin?

    In the latest racing calendar they have race meetings scheduled at Belmont until the end of June 2015.

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  • bookieloverbookielover    2,709 posts
    I mentioned in the "old photos" thread, that I was reading a book, "Over the Hurdles" a history of jumps racing in Australia by John Adams.

    What I didn't know, and maybe news to some of you on PTT, according to this book, the infamous John Wren, who among other things owned Festival hall here in Melbourne was the private owner of the Belmont Racecourse. I don't know when he sold it or it was taken over by the Government.

    The WA Hunt Club conducted it's annual meeting there in 1913.

    The last jumping races on the WA Goldfields was the 100 quid Boulder Hurdle run in 1918. It only attracted 5 runners whereas in the previous 25 years, fields of 16 and more were common at both Kalgoorlie and Boulder.

    This makes me think that there were two racecourses at that time. Is anyone old enough to confirm that?

    Falcon, Rio, Diva??
    :D :D
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  • bookieloverbookielover    2,709 posts
    By the way, jumps racing finished in WA  on New Years day 1941.
    Rollovant, ridden by T. Outtram took out the 175 pound Australind Hurdle run over one and three quarter miles at Ascot.

    Adams quotes great trainer Angus Armanasco saying " The jockeys used to meet with a couple of bookmakers on Friday afternoons and work the races out"

    Ab Jordan said, "jumping was never real big over here, but there was always one on the program, but some punters and a few jockeys were running the show"

    Another trainer Eddie Spencer said "The rorts got to the point that they became common knowlewdge. The riders were meeting the night before and it came to an end because the authorities had a gut fiull".

    Thank God these things don't go on anymore!!
    ;) :D

    Ridersonthestorm33, notapunta likes this post.

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  • jumjum    3,581 posts
    edited March 2015
    bookielover said:


     
     

    Thank God these things don't go on anymore!!
    ;) :D
    Only at the trots with the Halls nowadays
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  • bookieloverbookielover    2,709 posts
    :)) :))
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  • VoodooVoodoo    1,370 posts
    Actually the last hurdle in WA was held at Wandecla (Kojonup)....maybe late 70's early 80's....
    Only a Picnic meet but still under the WATC banner.

    cheers


    bookielover likes this post.

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  • thefalconthefalcon    20,483 posts
    I do not know..i was not born then.... :\">

    bookielover likes this post.

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  • scenic11scenic11    236 posts
    Is the demolition going ahead in May?
    Calendar says they are still acing there in June??
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  • NevershowsurpriseNevershowsurprise    995 posts
    The redevelopment has ground to a halt scenic.
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  • RIORIO    14,902 posts
    i've not checked lately....might try and get an update tomorrow.....but with MM not announcing a new mid year venue and RWWA allocating races up to the end of June, I'm not certain IF it is coming down..

    However there has been talk of a temporary canvas grandstand, so maybe that is why the racing is going to continue there??
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  • DamienWyerDamienWyer    7,985 posts
    They intend to race with very temporary facilities in place. No crowds will be expected for the midweek meetings anyway, and this will only discourage more from turning up. Saturdays will be held at Ascot.

    So that is essentially what was proposed.
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  • thefalconthefalcon    20,483 posts
    ascot? winter? two drops of rain and they're off.
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This discussion has been closed.