By Robert Windmill

MELBOURNE, May 12 AAP - An expansion of night racing and more meetings at Geelong, Cranbourne and on a new Pakenham track highlight a five-year plan for Victorian country racing.

Overall, an extra 17 race meetings will be programmed by the fifth year of the Victorian Racecourse and Training Facilities Infrastructure Plan but 23 clubs will lose up to two dates each to accommodate twilight/night racing twice a week between Thursday and Saturday for 10 months of the year.

The Infrastructure Plan is the first of its kind for Victorian thoroughbred racing and is the result of more than 12 months of consultation with individuals, clubs, trainers and local government.

Racing Victoria chief executive Rob Hines said the plan gave clubs certainty and provided a clear understanding for the future direction of racing across the state.

"It is aimed at establishing a sustainable and viable racing industry for the next five years and beyond," Hines said.

Each country club has been provided with an individual five-year plan for race dates and club funding.

"RVL and Country Racing Victoria will undertake annual reviews of each club's circumstances, financial performance and general club development," Hines said.

"This will provide the basis for the allocation of future race dates and funding."

In conjunction with the Victorian government, $60 million will be invested in racecourse infrastructure in regional Victoria over the next four years focusing on drought-proofing, training facilities and Occupational Health and Safety.

Racing Victoria will fund training track maintenance and capital works at Tier 1 tracks Ballarat, Bendigo, Cranbourne, Echuca, Geelong, Kilmore, Kyneton, Mildura, Moe, Mornington, Pakenham, Sale, Seymour, Stawell, Swan Hill, Wangaratta, Warrnambool and Wodonga.

Tier 2 tracks at Bairnsdale, Benalla, Colac, Hamilton, Stony Creek, Tatura and Yarra Valley will get maintenance funding on an ongoing basis as well as the course proper at Ararat, Horsham and Terang.

Funded training maintenance will end after five years at Tier 3 tracks at Camperdown and Mansfield, and after two years at Warracknabeal, Kerang and Casterton.

Murtoa and Edenhope will lose funding after next season.

A 34-meeting revamped picnic racing season will begin from the start of the Spring Racing Carnival.

Werribee will get a new life as an International Horse Centre in time for the 2010 Spring Racing Carnival with a complete track reconstruction and associated infrastructure expected to cost up to $5 million.

Werribee hasn't raced since November 2007 but will hold one meeting next season and up to eight a year by the end of the 2013-14 racing season.

There is also potential for some non-TAB meetings to have off-course wagering.

Metropolitan race meetings will be reduced from 115 to 111 in the next five years.

Extra race dates at Cranbourne are subject to council planning allowing racing to move to the Cranbourne Training Centre in 2011-12 with an increase of meetings from 22 to 40, many under lights, and to 42 meetings in 2013-14.

Subject to the sale of the current Pakenham course and relocation of proposed powerlines, Pakenham's new racing and training venue at Nar Nar Goon would hold 30 meetings in 2013-14, an increase of 18.

Lighting of the synthetic and turf tracks at Geelong is favoured with the number of meetings increasing from 37 to 42 in 2013-14.

Two country meetings will be held on Sundays but only only one on Sundays between May and September each year.

AAP TURF rw/gm



Click the "like" button on the Punters Paradise Facebook page to receive our news directly to your facebook feed, along with extra photos, discussions, newsletters, free tips and special betting offers.