Racing Victoria (RV) and the Werribee Racing Club (WRC) are pleased to welcome TAB’s extended commitment to Victorian thoroughbred racing through a five-year sponsorship agreement announced today.
TAB has secured signage and naming rights to the TAB International Horse Centre at Spendthrift Australia Park (Werribee Racecourse) – RV’s quarantine facility which serves as the training base for international horses targeting the Spring Racing Carnival.
The TAB International Horse Centre – which housed the first five placegetters in last year’s Lexus Melbourne Cup – will be home to 38 horses from Japan, Ireland and England across the next six weeks as they target a string of feature races in Victoria.
The agreement, which takes in the 2019 to 2023 Spring Racing Carnivals, also sees an extension of TAB’s long-standing partnership with the WRC which includes sponsorship of the Werribee Cup.
The 2019 TAB Werribee Cup will be held on Sunday, 8 December once the visiting horses have departed the TAB International Horse Centre.
RV General Manager – International and Racing Operations, Paul Bloodworth, said: “The TAB International Horse Centre is central to the success and international appeal of the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival and this year promises to be no different with a large contingent of international visitors and imports based at Werribee.
“We’re pleased that TAB has extended its support of the Werribee Racing Club to include the TAB International Horse Centre and we look forward to working closely with TAB on showcasing the international horses and participants over the next five Spring Racing Carnivals.”
Tabcorp Managing Director – Wagering & Media, Adam Rytenskild, said: “The TAB International Horse Centre helps position the Spring Racing Carnival as a leading international event and we’re proud to back it. The facility is expected to house 38 horses over the course of this year’s carnival and these international runners help drive global interest.
“Our new five-year partnership with Racing Victoria and the Werribee Racing Club reinforces our commitment to racing and its participants. Our businesses are the biggest supporters of Australian racing, returning over $1 billion last year.”
WRC General Manager, Adam Wilkinson, said: “The TAB Werribee Cup is the premier sporting event in the City of Wyndham and we are delighted to have our Werribee Cup naming rights partner committed to us for a further five years.
“This partnership is critical to the Club as we expand our footprint in one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia. The second Sunday in December is now a date fully entrenched in the local community and we look forward to our ongoing partnership with the TAB to continue to showcase this day.”
The TAB International Horse Centre includes three stabling complexes – Newminster Stables, Vintage Crop Stables and Americain Stables – and can accommodate 32 horses at one time.
Horse travelling to Victoria are required to complete two weeks post-arrival quarantine at the TAB International Horse Centre before being permitted to compete in Australia.
A total of 19 horses are currently stabled at the TAB International Centre with three horses arriving from Japan this afternoon – Mer De Glace (Caulfield Cup), Lys Gracieux (Cox Plate) and Kluger (Cox Plate).
A further 16 horses are scheduled to arrive from England and Ireland on Saturday, 12 October including 2018 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter and runner-up Marmelo.