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Racing NSW Appoints CEO For Race Series

9th Jan 2013

AAP Megaform - Warwick Barr - Tuesday, 8 January 2013

Secrecy still surrounds the exact details but at least a new thoroughbred racing series planned for Sydney has a frontman.

Well-known NSW racing administrator Ian Mackay has beaten "a field of outstanding applicants" to be named chief executive officer of the Racing NSW promoted series.

In almost a decade working in the racing industry, Mackay has held senior roles with the Sydney Turf Club, Tabcorp and the Australian Turf Club.

He leaves the ATC after spending the past 15 months as its chief operating officer.

In announcing Mackay's appointment, Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'landys said it was hoped the race series would get underway next year with Randwick racecourse's new $150m grandstand as a backdrop.

"The hard work now begins for us to deliver this, ideally in time for 2014," V'landys said in a statement.

A proposal for a NSW race series to be run along similar lines to the United States' rich Breeders' Cup series was first raised after Racing NSW won a landmark court case which allowed the governing body to charge rights fees for bookmakers wagering on NSW races.

More than $100 million in fees was immediately made available to the racing industry following the High Court's judgment in March.

But while Mackay will report to a newly-created race series board from February 11, details are scarce about the workings of the series.

"The series that is being developed is currently undertaking some commercially sensitive negotiations which unfortunately do not allow more information to be provided at this stage," V'landys said.