Outgoing Ballarat Turf Club CEO Belinda Glass reflects on her time in the role - The Courier - August 1, 2024
The Courier's David Brehaut speak to Outgoing Ballarat Turf Club CEO Belinda Glass about her time in the role. Video by David Brehaut
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00:00Look I think it's just probably a good time for me as you say 13 years in one workplace is a little
00:05bit uncommon these days but I have been really fortunate to have some progression and as you
00:12say last five years of being CEO but came here as an event contractor for a Ballarat Cup and then
00:20was able to be offered a full-time role as the Executive Assistant and Events Manager
00:25which then as we led into some construction and development here probably morphed into
00:31more of an operations role as well for some years before 2019 when I took over as CEO
00:38here the day after Ballarat Cup. Always plenty of challenges yeah one of the biggest no doubt
00:44was just after you took on the role it was COVID-19 and obviously that changed the whole
00:51racing platform didn't it? It really did we were so fortunate as an industry to keep racing
00:59but there were lots of challenges and we raced behind closed doors. Racing the amount of times
01:05that we do each year I think there was over 60 race meetings conducted here at Ballarat during
01:10that COVID period. I remember at our 50th race meeting we had a cake and we cut a cake to
01:16celebrate 50 COVID safe race days. So it was it was only a few months after I took over from
01:24basically late November to March was that interim period I had and then COVID
01:32came in and it impacted so many people's lives and so many industries so as I said we were
01:38certainly very fortunate to keep operating. Obviously it was really important for the
01:43trainers and for us as a training centre and a racing complex as well.
01:48Proud that we got through that period. It was a tough time and there was a lot of support
01:53that was outside realms of normal activities to to make sure that we could keep racing
01:58behind closed doors basically under locked conditions and keep doing that safely.
02:03You've had many challenges that goes with the job there's no doubt about that it's
02:06part of a massive industry an important industry not only for Ballarat but the whole of Victoria.
02:14Tell us some of the special moments the bigger achievements that you've been able to
02:20to land in your time. Yeah look I'm super proud that we could work on complete construction and
02:27deliver the keys to the Nakawai Mitchell Racing Team in 2020 so that was the first year of COVID.
02:33Construction started it ceased for a while while we found out and sort of learned what impact COVID
02:38might have on racing and then construction began again and we're able to hand over the keys before
02:43Christmas in 2020 so that was a really good project for both myself and staff to be able to
02:48work on and it was something positive to be working on during that period so that's that
02:53was really nice. Welcoming Rob Hickmott the following year also was you know again second
03:00year of COVID and having something positive to work on so the redevelopment of that stable and
03:04expansion there was was great and to see Rob Hickmott and Nigel Blackiston move into there
03:09at the end of 21 was was really positive. Since then we've focused more so on facility development
03:17and so we've seen sand tracks here be upgraded we've seen in the last 18 months our inside grass
03:25track was upgraded and you know by spring we'll see horses on it for the first time so
03:31significant investment in trading facilities here in those last five years not possible without
03:38support from the Victorian Government and Racing Victoria and club contributions as well along the
03:42way so I'm proud of the way that we have been able to manage as a team here and led by our committee
03:51to continue to improve facilities and ensure that the facilities for racing and training
03:56keep up with the growth in horse numbers and trainers as well. And I guess the other big
04:01change was the change of date for the Ballarat Cup going from a spring event to a summer event
04:08last year obviously a lot of work had to be put into that and how challenging was that?
04:14It was challenging I think probably the the notice period in terms of the release of the
04:19cup date last year probably put us on the back foot a little bit in terms of time frames and
04:25we're not having maybe time to pivot and consider could the corporate market still support the
04:32Ballarat Cup with with packages and hospitality on a December date. They'd been very strong and
04:38had supported us for much longer than I've been here probably 15 or 20 years some of some of the
04:43same groups come come and repeat customers and come each year but that in itself our pre-sales
04:52were not as strong last year and then of course we had had bad weather so you know hopefully
04:58fingers crossed for everybody here for the whole team and for the incoming new CEO and our
05:04committee they have better luck with the weather this year. It's out of anybody's control no one
05:09can know it doesn't matter how much you pray every night before you go to bed you can't control the
05:14weather so we we are in the hands of the weather gods a little bit with regard to to that but but
05:19it does have a massive impact on the result of the day so time will tell on that one. Other proud
05:26moments I think I'm exceptionally proud of the achievements that have come out of the racing
05:31facility here and at all levels I'm super proud and chuffed when our smaller trainers that you
05:39know could have two to five horses in work through to your larger stables the group one success this
05:47year you know for Mitch Friedman, McEvoy Mitchell Racing and then for Henry Dwyer Racing to have the
05:52win at Royal Ascot just recently with Espura. Those results just I've birched with pride and I'm just
06:01so proud of our trainers group and the results that they're getting and I think that's real
06:07credit and reinforces to our team behind the scenes here at the club in maintaining and providing
06:13those facilities that we are doing some good work we are supporting our trainers group to ensure
06:20and help them achieve that training success at that level so it's a small part I'm not taking
06:25credit for all the results and the hard work but but the quality training center is crucial
06:32to those businesses to be able to get those results as well. You're leaving with some great
06:35memories of racing hands-on memories of racing in Ballarat you finish up at the end of August
06:44what's what now for Belinda Glass? Well hopefully we go out with a really positive and very
06:50successful and safe Grand National Jumps Day on August 25. A week or so after that and I'm
06:58looking for new opportunities so I don't have anything planned yeah you know I'm a Ballarat
07:05girl born and bred got some great experience under my belt and hopefully I'm not too long
07:11before I find what that next adventure and opportunity might be relatively local here
07:15somewhere in Ballarat. Belinda Glass thanks very much thanks for all you've done for racing in
07:19Ballarat we look forward to seeing you in another life somewhere in the city.