Written by Adam Hamilton
The dream of a return for harness racing at Moonee Valley is over.
After greater than 18 months of negotiations, the Moonee Valley Racing Membership and Harness Racing Victoria closed the door on the chance right this moment.
A harness racing observe is not going to be a part of the large redevelopment of the Moonee Valley web site presently properly underway.
MVRC chairman Adam Lennen mentioned all avenues had been exhausted.
“The MVRC was open to exploring the chance for harness racing to return to The Valley as a function of our redevelopment of our iconic racing precinct,” MVRC chairman Adam Lennen mentioned.
“We thank HRV for his or her willingness and assist to evaluate the viability of this challenge. We with them and all harness members and followers each success in future.”
HRV CEO Matt Isaacs admitted the sentimental and emotional connection of harness racing to Moonee Valley made the choice very exhausting.
“I can formally verify now {that a} return to The Valley gained’t occur,” he mentioned.
“We’d have liked nothing greater than to have harness racing again at The Valley and this can be a choice we haven’t taken flippantly.
“It’s been a protracted negotiation course of and our workforce labored tirelessly to discover all the chances, however the return on what would have been an enormous funding simply wasn’t going to be there.
“Ultimately, the business constraints and required timelines made it a bridge too far.
“I need to stress how exhausting all of us tried to make it work and the way unbelievable Adam Lennen (MVRC chairman) , his committee and CEO Michael Browell have been as we went by way of the method.”
Moonee Valley was the house of Victorian, and a few would say Australian harness racing from 1976 when it changed the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds till the Valley’s big farewell assembly in entrance of a 20,000-plus crowd on February 6, 2010.
Since then, Melton, 45 has been Victoria’s premier observe and hosted iconic races just like the Inter Dominion, Hunter and Victoria Cups.
Discuss of harness racing returning to Moonee Valley emerged as redevelopment of the positioning grew nearer in late 2024.
Pleasure grew throughout the Victorian harness business on the prospect and romanticism of returning to venue the place greats horses like Widespread Alm, Gammalite, Maoris Idol and Scotch Notch, together with Corridor of Famers like Vin Knight, Gavin Lang, Brian Gath and others created such memorable moments.
A few of the biggest moments included the Vin Knight-driven Widespread Alm’s well-known comeback win within the 1984 Italian Cup after a damaged leg, having screws inserted and being sidelined for 18 months.
A 12 months later, the nice Preux Chevalier drew the best trendy period crowd The Valley when the gates have been closed at 38,000 when he gained the Inter Dominion last.
These moments, and all that Moonee Valley was to harness racing, is now eternally consigned to historical past.
by Adam Hamilton for Harness Racing Victoria
