The Marsa horse-racing track – the only track of its kind in the country – is to be undergoing some well-deserved development that will continue to professionalise the sport.
This new development is in line with the direction that the government intends to pursue along with its proven track record of increasing and supporting the professionalisation of sports in Malta – not an easy task given the size of the island, but we shall not give up.
The Malta Racing Club and the track in Marsa have a long history. Although horse riding was popular across the island for a long time, the racecourse was only founded in the latter part of the 19th century.
The track was inaugurated in 1869 and, at the time, it was the longest of its kind in Europe.
By 1930, the situation was improved as a result of two factors: first, the influx of British servicemen interested in the sport, and, second, expertly-trained racehorses that were imported from the northern countries of the African continent.
The advent of World War II brought a halt to the progress made by then. However, by the end of 1945, the races were organised once more. Gradually, the interest grew, and the races eventually became more varied.
Improvements were made to the track in 1973 and again in 1981.
Autostart was introduced in 1982 and improved to international standards by 1994. The most recent upgrade to the racetrack had taken place in 2003.
There is no doubt the track deserves a major haul that will continue to improve the sports practised there along with increasing the possibility of Malta becoming an attractive site for international horse racing events.
So what does the development consist of?
In a nutshell, the €28 million regeneration project unanimously approved by Parliament will modernise the racecourse in a holistic manner. It will also ensure that it will be of international calibre.
€28 million regeneration project will modernise the racecourse in a holistic manner
The development will also include a publicly available recreation area as well as an educational component for families.
Appropriate sporting involvement needs to be recognised as a crucial part of the educational process. The regeneration of the track itself will make it possible to hold trotting and galloping races as well as pony races.
The new facilities will also mean that it will be possible to hold show jumping competitions and horse shows. The new course will have a capacity of 3,400 spectators, of whom almost half will be seated.
Needless to say, the new premises will include modernised facilities for jockeys and those involved in the sport, as well as much improved premises for the animals.
There will be 1,200 parking spaces and a bus terminus. One needs to note that the entire project will be eco-sustainable. Enemalta will have exclusive rights to install solar panels on the rooftop of the new building.
There is no doubt that many will benefit from this progressive development. It will give a very positive boost to the sports at hand by providing more professional possibilities. The racecourse will again be available for international competitions.
The development will also benefit the area and its residents.
It will regenerate a rather debilitated area of Marsa and it will attract more sport tourism. It will also provide a first-class place for recreation, not only to owners and those involved in the sports, but also to families.
All of this will have a positive impact on local businesses.
Finally, the new development will also greatly improve the living conditions of the horses and other animals that participate in races.
During the period of the regeneration and development, the horse racing programmes will continue to take place. The MRTL will honour the current employee contracts that exist between the Malta Race Club and its employees.
During 2018, about 60,000 people attended horse races in Marsa. Undoubtedly, given the increasing popularity of the sport, and recognising the benefit of the regeneration, the government prioritised this development. This is a crucial development that will be completed in the shortest time possible.
From an administrative perspective, the Malta Racing Club will have the exclusive right to regulate horse racing. However, a newly-founded authority, the first of its kind for this sport, will assist.
This is yet another project among the various projects conceived by this government to improve the professionalisation of sports in the country.
This project is a communal one with positive impacts for education and worthwhile leisure.
As the chair of the Malta Racing Club noted, many have been anxiously waiting for this project to be carried out. Such a bold and fruitful project would not have been possible without the government’s political vision and stamina.
Clifton Grima is Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Sport and Voluntary Organisations.