The McEvoy Mitchell Racing team has moved into its brand new training complex and is getting ready to start bringing horses to the new base at the Ballarat Turf Club.
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The BTC's flagship facility has been completed, with trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy ready to get started and have runners competing out of Miners Rest.
BTC chief executive Belinda Glass said despite some hold-ups due to COVID-19, the project had moved along well and the finished product was an impressive one.
"It's been a long process, but in terms of the finished product, it's a stable complex design that should work really well and function really well from an operational perspective," Glass told The Courier.
"It's the biggest development that the club has taken on in recent years, even with all the other stable developments that we've had.
"We only started construction on July 8. We didn't have anything above the ground until the second week of July so to see it now be handed over in the first week of January, we are really pleased with the support that we've had from all of the contractors that have been involved and the cooperation we've had from McEvoys to see it fulfilled in a pretty short window of time for construction of something like that."
Glass said the property, which is located opposite the stables of Matt Cumani near the racecourse entrance off Midas Road, had more than 70 boxes and 30 day yards with shelters and included two 20-horse walkers, the capacity for two treadmills, plenty of tie-ups and wash bays as well as a two-story building for administration and other needs.
Head trainer Tony McEvoy said in December that it was an exciting venture for the business.
"We have the beautiful Kildalton Park in South Australia. We've also had Flemington which we really loved, but we wanted more," he told mcevoymitchellracing.com.au.
"Since he has joined the ticket, Calvin was very pro and has wanted to train in Victoria more and more.
"I looked at all the training centres in Victoria and felt Ballarat was the place to go.
"It has got magnificent tracks and a very vibrant community with a young, aggressive and progressive group of trainers.
"I think for Calvin, who will be based in Ballarat, it is a great platform and he'll fit in there perfectly."