HAWKESBURY WELCOMES NEW RACECOURSE MANAGER
HAWKESBURY Race Club’s new racecourse manager Kristian Mitchell has started work on the eve of Saturday’s feature Ladies Day Cup meeting.
Mitchell began his new role today, keen to ensure the track is in tip-top shape for the Cup fixture, which was traditionally held on a Thursday before being switched to a Saturday date two years ago.
“Kristian joins us from Goulburn Race Club, where he most recently held the position of Track Manager,” Hawkesbury chief executive Lea Porteous said today.
“Prior to this he worked as a senior foreman with the Australian Turf Club, gaining valuable experience in track preparation and racecourse operations.
“Kristian holds Certificate III and Certificate IV qualifications in horticulture (turf management) and comes to our club with strong industry experience and a positive recommendation from Michael Wood, General Manager of Racecourse & Stable Operations at the Australian Turf Club.
“We welcome Kristian to Hawkesbury and look forward to having him contribute to the ongoing maintenance and development of our racing and training facilities.
“The club is also looking forward to arranging a welcome breakfast, providing an opportunity for everyone to meet Kristian and officially welcome him to Hawkesbury Race Club.”
. Twenty-five horses have been nominated for the $200,000 Listed Evergreen Turf Ladies Day Cup (1500m).
There are four local entries. Leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup has Bella Khadijah and Hyperbolic, Jason Attard nominated Cryptonic, and Edward Cummings has Flying From Above.
Acceptances for the Cup and all seven supporting races will be taken at 9am on Thursday.
STORY JOHN CURTIS, NOVEMBER 2, 2026 - PICS BRADLEY PHOTOS
Great to see Hawkesbury welcoming a new racecourse manager, as fresh leadership can bring some exciting opportunities for the racing community. Managing a racecourse takes plenty of organisation, strong communication and a genuine understanding of the industry. Even in unrelated areas like cash for cars, good management and reliable service make a real difference to the people involved. Hopefully, the new manager brings some fresh ideas and builds on the venue's existing strengths. Wishing them every success in the new role and looking forward to seeing what comes next for Hawkesbury Racecourse.
“We welcome Kristian to Hawkesbury and look forward to having him contribute to the ongoing maintenance and development of our racing and training facilities.