The Australian Turf Club is unlikely to start the search for a chief executive until August after the sudden departure of Jamie Barkley from the post on Friday.
Barkley’s resignation with immediate effect was announced in a press statement late on Friday afternoon and came after chairman Peter McGauran and a number of board members met with the former chief executive on Thursday following a board meeting in the past week.
Jamie Barkley resigned as Australian Turf Club chief executive on Friday.Credit: Fiona Morris
It is understood Barkley didn’t return to the office on Friday and a financial settlement for his departure is still to be finalised.
Barkley guided the ATC through the difficult years of Covid-19 and was part of the team that put pandemic insurance in place to help secure the club’s bottom line when crowds were kept away from racecourses.
He always pushed for the best deal for the club and wouldn’t sign off on agreements he felt were not in the best interests of the ATC.
The ATC’s financial results recorded a decline for the past two reporting years, going from a surplus of more than $16.5 million on core operating activities, which included government assistance payments, to a $6 million loss in 2021-22. It is understood that trend has continued.
While Everest Day has been an outstanding success, crowds have been slow to return to other carnival days in the past couple of years.
McGauran wished Barkley well as he looks to take different opportunities in the future and said there was no hurry to start a recruitment process.
Star mares’ rivalry to continue at Inglis Chairman’s Sale
Group 1 winners Icebath, Montefilia and Nimalee have often clashed on the track and they will renew their rivalry in the sales ring with one of them likely to top the Inglis Chairman’s Sale on Thursday.
Each of the star mares could easily break through the $1 million barrier, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if they were to bring more than $3 million in the current market.
“Those three mares have been at the top of racing for a number of years and been very popular horses,” said Sebastian Hutch, Inglis General Manager Bloodstock Sales and Marketing.
“This sale is where the commercial side of the business will recognise their racetrack performances. Montefilia is being sold as a racing and breeding prospect, so we might see her continue her career on the track if the buyer chooses that path for the four-time group 1 winner.”
The final mare of the 109 lots to be sold on Thursday will also bring a lot of interest as Berimbau, the dam of Imperatiz, will be sold in foal to I Am Invincible, which would be a full relation to the five-time group 1 winner.
Jett Stanley on Healing Oasis.Credit: Getty
Stanley joins apprentices’ golden age
Sydney is enjoying a golden era of apprentices, with Zac Lloyd, Tyler Schiller and Dylan Gibbons sitting in the top four of the jockeys’ premiership, but another name could be added to the list in 19-year-old Jett Stanley.
The big three combined for another six winners at Rosehill on Saturday, and Stanley joined in on his birthday, riding his first Sydney winner on Healing Oasis for boss Annabel Neasham.
“It’s great to get my first winner for my new boss Annabel. It is great to work there and everyone just gets along so well,” Stanley said. “It took me ages to pull her up. She still thought she just went for a track gallop. She came in not even blowing. She’s a very nice horse and I can’t wait see what’s underneath that motor.”
Stanley is the son of Caulfield Cup-winning jockey Brent and is tall at nearly six foot, but can still ride 50kg with a three-kilo claim, which will give him plenty of opportunities in Sydney.
Harron sticks with Giga Kick in The Everest
There were no surprises when James Harron locked in Giga Kick again for The Everest on Friday.
The bloodstock agent took a risk on the son of Scissor Kick before he stormed to victory in the $15 million slots race last year and he had last-offer rights on the star sprinter, with several slotholders chasing him for 2023. Giga Kick is back in work at Randwick as he targets next month’s Doomben 10,000.
The next Everest announcement will likely be for TJ Smith winner I Wish I Win, which should be confirmed in the slot of Max Whitby in the next month.
The odds are also shortening that Hong Kong star Lucky Sweynesse will make the trip to Australia for The Everest.
There could also be announcements about deals for slots to be leased.
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