Holding the reins: Incoming chief executive Chris Martin next to Seymour Racing Club president Steve Clifton and outgoing chief executive Brett Shambrook.
Photo by
M GIANNARELLI
It's been a tumultuous few years for Seymour Racing Club, but now the course is looking better than ever.
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The club has recently appointed Chris Martin as chief executive after the interim holder of the position, Brett Shambrook, notified the board that it was the right time to find a permanent position holder after leading the club for more than two years.
Martin says it is a privilege to follow in Shambrook’s footsteps, adding he left a lasting and important legacy.
Looking good: Seymour racecourse from above.
“Our previous CEO, Penny Reeve, was here for 18 to 20-odd years and retired, and Brett came to the board with a proposal,” Martin said.
“Because we weren’t running at full capacity and there was no need for a full-time CEO, he would take on the role and manage here a couple of days a week alongside his current role as CEO of the Yarra Valley Racing Club.
“He has completed so many unbelievable projects in that time, so it’s a bit daunting for me thinking, wow, hang on, he’s done that part-time.
“He's left a brilliant legacy; he’s been a fantastic administrator.”
Martin has been a long-serving member of the Seymour Racing Club board and has a real family connection to the course.
“I’ve always been a horse owner; my dad was a life member here, and I had my wedding reception in the Bar Landy room,” he said.
“I was sort of looking for that new challenge, and it smacked me in the face; I applied, and I was successful.
“It’s different but the same because I come from a medical background (as a radiation therapist), but I also come from a managerial background as well in managing radiotherapy centres ... but it's still been a steep learning curve.”
Martin is excited to have race meets up and going at the track, with the biggest event on the calendar, the Seymour Cup, locked in for October 22, the day after the nationally renowned Caulfield Cup.
The race club has 12 meetings locked in for the season, but the racing is only one side of the club that Martin can’t wait to get started on.
“In the short term the board and I will continue to work through facility improvement opportunities as outlined in the Seymour Race Club Master Plan, with a view to having an on-course training footprint within the next five years,” Martin said.
“We’ve got a project piloting, which is one of the first in Victoria, around RFID (radio-frequency identification) tech and usage in terms of the horses going on and off track ... with a view of kicking that off on August 1.
“Grass gallops are a really important part of training a horse, and because we haven’t necessarily had the continuity, that has impacted the ability of our trainers to get horses prepared, so that’s a big thing with getting the confidence back not only in the general racing community at the track but the trainers as well.
“We’re confident now that we can use the grass more consistently for fast work, that will help the trainers be a little bit more successful in training winners.
“A big shout out must go to Brett Thompson, racecourse manager, and his team for their tireless efforts in getting the track back into tip top shape.”
As part of the wider master plan, the Seymour Racing Club intends to upgrade its snack bar, kitchen facilities and the Bar Landy kitchen.
Martin has a clear aim, and that is creating a club that is trusted and enjoyed by trainers and racegoers alike.
“We’re clearly coming from a position where we have to get our reputation back a little bit, considering where we’ve been,” he said.
“We want to get the local community giddied up and understand that we’re back racing; hopefully, this becomes a real focus area for community get-togethers.”
The Seymour Racing Club has its first meeting in the 2023/24 racing season on Thursday, August 17 and those interested in buying a membership for the season can find information on the Seymour Racing Club website or by getting in contact by emailing info@seymourracing.com.au
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