Blanksby has been at the helm of the MRC,which runs Caulfield,Sandown and Mornington racecourses as well as several gaming venues,for the past seven years.
Josh Blanksby (right) is leaving the MRC. He is pictured in 2020 with then-Racing Victoria boss Giles Thompson.AAP
He was a key driver of the Caulfield redevelopment,which includes a new inner track and mounting yard area,and his departure continues the upheaval across racing’s key leadership posts.
Blanksby’s decision follows the recent resignations of Andrew Jones and Steve Rosich as chief executives of Racing Victoria and the Victoria Racing Club,respectively. Rosich’s position at the top of the VRC,which runs the Melbourne Cup carnival,.
Blanksby,who will leave the MRC at the end of August,has recently been linked to vacant chief executive posts at Tabcorp,Richmond Football Club and Racing Victoria.
He declined to comment on speculation linking him to other roles when contacted by this masthead.
,also declined to comment on his next step beyond the VRC. A source with knowledge of the situation had previously indicated a return to football was a possibility for him.
Since the appointment of,Richmond are the only club where the CEO role is expected to be vacant when.
Tigers president John O’Rourke that while a football background was important,he had not ruled out seeking commercial candidates from beyond the industry.
“We’re going to take some time with this,” O’Rourke toldThe Age’s Caroline Wilson. “There’s no panic because the foundation Brendon has created is so good. The executive team in place and the 30 people we have in management roles who no one sees make me very confident about our future.”
Recruitment firm Transearch International is running the Richmond process,alongside a board subcommittee.
The club’s chief marketing officer,and long-time Gale lieutenant,Simon Matthews – whose brother Dave has run the Giants since their inception – looms as an internal candidate.
The MRC is undergoing a complete overhaul of its Caulfield precinct,with the state government granting approval last week for the proposed demolition of the glass-fronted Rupert Clarke grandstand.
The MRC is also exploring the possibility of selling its 112-hectare Sandown site for housing development.
In a statement released on Tuesday,the MRC said Blanksby had been instrumental in securing the MRC’s 65-year lease at Caulfield Racecourse,navigated the turbulent COVID-19 crisis and was widely seen as a pioneer in the racing media rights industry.
Blanksby said it was the right time to “pass the baton on”.
“My 10 years at the Melbourne Racing Club have been fantastic;being part of the transformation of the club as we have embarked on the Caulfield masterplan delivering $160 million in infrastructure for the Victorian racing industry,expanding the club’s gaming portfolio to ensure profits can be redirected to racing and innovating the racing offering for our members and customers,” Blanksby said.
“Our balance sheet and underlying business performance are strong,and the current property rezoning processes will result in the club having further strength and optionality.”
MRC chairman Matthew Cain said Blanksby had helped the club achieve significant milestones,including negotiating “the most significant partnership in the club’s history with Sportsbet,and heralded innovation within the racing media rights landscape”.
The MRC recently appointed Sam Bennetts as its new racecourse manager,following the departure of Tim Bailey.
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