John Kanga can barely walk a few metres at Flemington Racecourse without being stopped for a chat or a handshake.
The Melbourne businessman, who has been described by friends as one of the most popular figures in racing, prefers roaming the members’ area to the exclusive Committee Room – though his name is circulating there as well.
In between races, which command brief but committed attention, and some distracted small talk, discussion returns compulsively to the upcoming Victoria Racing Club (VRC) board election.
The outcome could shape the future of racing in Victoria, particularly when it comes to whether the VRC and its Caulfield counterpart, the Melbourne Racing Club, pursue a long-discussed merger – an idea supported by some nominees, and rejected by others.
There are four places to compete for on the VRC board, with chair Neil Wilson retiring, and Vin Cox, Glenn Carmody and Michael Saadie – who’ve reached the end of their three-year terms – up for re-election.
But there are at least five other nominees who have stepped forward for a spot. And on Friday, less than 24 hours after the VRC hosted Oaks Day and on the eve of Champions Stakes Day, which will close out the carnival, the current board was back to discuss them.
Those nominees include one of racing’s most colourful identities, former Melbourne Racing Club chairman John Kanga, as well as two former Liberal government advisers – Claire Ewart-Kennedy and Nicholas Tzaferis.
Also in the mix are ex-MRC committee member Justin O’Kane, and furniture magnate Bill Guest, who previously served as Melbourne Football Club vice president and FightMND chairman.
It was previously considered unlikely that any of the three incumbents would be unseated. But a source inside the racing industry, not permitted to speak on the record due to their position, said Kanga was so influential that his “wildcard” entrance could completely flip the script.
Adding to the intrigue is that the current board was divided last month by a vote on who should succeed Wilson as chair. At least six sources said it had been widely assumed that when it came time, vice chairman Michael Ramsden would step into the chair position – including by Ramsden, himself. It is a role previously held by his father Andrew Ramsden, whose name and face are omnipresent around the grounds at Flemington.
While it was conducted via secret ballot, this masthead has spoken to two directors and at least five other sources close to board negotiations, who have all said the final vote was 6-5 in Cox’s favour, with Ramsden narrowly missing out.
However, some believed that as outgoing chair, Wilson – who backed Cox – should not have voted. With such a narrow margin, if Ramsden can win the support of whoever replaces Wilson, he could push for a re-vote.
If elected, Kanga would be more likely to back in Ramsden, according to at least two sources close to both men, which would theoretically enable the vice chairman to overturn the vote and assume the top role, assuming he still has the support of the same directors who were behind him last month.
Guest is an old Melbourne Grammar School friend of Ramsden, so at least two sources have speculated he would likely align with Ramsden.
If the vote does flip in Ramsden’s favour, VRC chief executive Kylie Rogers, who voted for Cox to become chair according to several sources, could find herself out of favour.
However, if Ramsden does get his way with Kanga’s help, it may not be for long. A source close to Kanga said he had “no doubt” the businessman would make a push for chair, himself, within 12 months.
“He will definitely shake things up,” the source told this masthead. “It will be very difficult to contain him … He’s a challenging individual … They’d be quite panicked.”
Rogers and Wilson were contacted via the VRC, which declined to comment on the ongoing election process.
The VRC’s constitution lists several factors that could make a nominee ineligible for election, including prior criminal convictions, and material personal interests that could prejudice their ability to act independently.
The source said excluding a nominee from the election process was rare, and the decision could be appealed. He said VRC’s board members “don’t like messy”, so would want to have strong cause to deny Kanga’s application.
Kanga was previously chair of the MRC, but resigned on the eve of last year’s Caulfield Cup carnival after questions from this masthead about loans and the use of his car in a 22-kilogram cocaine trafficking case in 2014.
He said he had resigned “to ensure the focus remains where it belongs – on racing, our members, staff, and delivering a world-class spring carnival”.
The Age does not suggest Kanga was involved in any criminal activity, and he has never been accused of any crime.
Kanga is heavily immersed in the racing industry. He races horses with Flemington trainers Danny O’Brien and Dom Sutton, mentors Melbourne Cup-winning jockeys Blake Shinn and Jye McNeil and takes part in Harry Coffey’s annual Break A Sweat fundraiser for cystic fibrosis. His nomination was endorsed by Flemington trainer and Australian Trainers’ Association president Troy Corstens.
The board will announce the confirmed list of candidates later this month “following the completion of the club’s standard eligibility and governance processes”. If more than four are ratified, which is most likely, it will be put to a member vote. The outcome will be revealed at the AGM on December 15.
‘It will be very difficult to contain him … He’s a challenging individual … They’d be quite panicked.’
A source close to influential businessman John Kanga
And while everyone has been on their best behaviour at the spring carnival, the tension is palpable, far beyond the Committee Room, with the board election now a major talking point across the racing sector.
Though Champions Stakes Day will close out the Cup carnival on Saturday, everyone agrees it is set to be an interesting couple of weeks ahead.
The club is at a crossroads. It is finally in the green after five years posting deficits and has just celebrated the largest Melbourne Cup Day attendance since 2016, but is yet to confirm whether it has secured the future of its Crown lease, which was set to expire by 2060. The VRC had been seeking an extension from the Victorian government of 99 years to enable it to provide long-term assurance to commercial and community partners.
It is also still looking at ways to maximise the use of the 127-hectare Flemington Park, with a feasibility study currently under way into which parts of the precinct are better suited to commercial versus community use, and equine versus non-equine.
Racing Victoria is the governing authority that oversees the rules, scheduling and prizemoney in thoroughbred horse racing, representing the state’s clubs, trainers, jockeys and owners. But clubs, such as the VRC and MRC, are separate entities. They have their own boards, staff, strategies, operations and governance, and are in charge of different tracks and race meetings.
One source said the Ramsden side of the board faction was more open to considering a previously floated merger between VRC and MRC, which Wilson has opposed, and Cox is also reportedly against.
As former MRC chairman, Kanga could potentially help facilitate this discussion, and has indicated he supports exploring the idea.
This masthead reported last year that MRC vice chairman Jonathan Munz, one of the most influential people in racing, hosted Wilson, Kanga and VRC director Carmody at a secret meeting in his Toorak mansion to discuss a potential merger of the Victoria and Melbourne racing clubs.
Munz has long supported racing mergers, and recently lobbied against legislation to change the rules of racing governance in Victoria. The bill eventually passed, though not in its original form.
Wilson rejected the suggestion and has staunchly defended the need for the VRC, which hosts the Melbourne Cup week, to stay independent.
Racing Victoria has previously expressed support for exploring any measures that would improve efficiency and reduce duplication.
As one racing insider pointed out, it is exciting to have so many people keen to join the VRC board as directors – a role which is unpaid – but with so many invested in the outcome, and egos on the line, the next few months could get messy.
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Bridget McArthur is a sports affairs reporter at The Age, covering the intersection of sports and politics/business/economy/society.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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