Longreach Jockey Club set to unveil new jockeys’ rooms

By Jordan Gerrans

The Longreach Jockey Club will officially unveil their new jockeys’ rooms on Saturday.

The new jockeys' rooms cater equally for male and female hoops and are part of a wider plan from the Central West club to continue to develop their facilities.

Longreach Jockey Club president Andrew Watts is looking forward to seeing them in use on Saturday.

“These jockey rooms are the best in the West,” Watts said.

“They were designed while being mindful there is an increasing number of female participants, making the men’s and ladies rooms equal in size.

“Also, we have a new secretary’s office for our race day secretary as well as a new disabled toilet as part of the project as the jockey club did not have a disabled bathroom before that on the premises.

“Racing Queensland has been instrumental in many small clubs being able to receive funding to do these projects.

“It has been wonderful to engage with local contractors and tradespeople to perform the jobs.”

The new Longreach jockeys’ rooms, co-funded by Racing Queensland and the club, were completed by a local contractor in Kent Constructions.

Regular Longreach-visiting rider Emma Bell thinks the new jockeys’ rooms are some of the best in regional Queensland.

“They are great, they are nice and spacious,” Bell said.

“There are plenty of showers in there, so that is always good when we are trying to get home at the end of the day.

“Some places we go to has no air conditioning and you can image how hot it gets in the summer in Western Queensland – so this being fully air conditioned and with plenty of room is great.

“They have done a great job of getting them and I think they are better than some of the provincial clubs that we ride at.”

Longreach has hosted mid-week and Saturday TAB fixtures in recent years.

On the back of that, the club’s committee is keen to continue to improve their facilities.

“With most of our racing assets up to date and compliant, we are starting our three stage development of the Longreach Jockey Club,” Watts said.

“This will include a new bar, a new ablution block and a function facility, which we plan to have completed in the next five to 10 years, if funding streams allow it.”

The 34-year-old Bell – who is based at Clermont – heads to the dirt track this Saturday with a full book of engagements.

“The Longreach club are very lucky out there to have the committee they have,” Bell said.

“They are proactive in getting things done and that is what keeps racing so strong in Western Queensland – it is the strong committees and people that volunteer to run them.

“The West seem to do it the best.”

Longreach will host six non-TAB races on Saturday, headlined by a heat of the Outback Racing Showcase over a mile.