In a coup for Central Districts racing, respected track manager Bryce Mildon has returned to New Zealand to take up the position of General Manager of Track Development and Operations with Hawke’s Bay Racing at Hastings Racecourse.

Mildon has had a lifelong involvement in the industry, which was instigated by his owner-trainer grandfather Jim Mouat, and he found his way into turf management after studying horticulture, while his brother Rhys was also bitten by the racing bug and is currently assistant trainer to leading Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh.

“My grandfather was an owner-trainer, so I would always go to track work and race meetings with him,” Bryce Mildon said.

“When I left school I studied horticulture, so I am a qualified gardener. When I was working as a gardener, I did a few turf units and had a bit of interest in turf and growing grass. That is when I went to Matamata (Racing Club) for 10 years and that is where I qualified in sports turf management.”

After a decade at Matamata, Mildon moved across the Tasman to further his career. With the exception of spending a year at Pukekohe Park, Mildon has plied his trade in Victoria, Australia, for the last decade, working at several clubs.

“I went from Matamata to a small track in Victoria called Stawell. I was there for 12 months and then I spent three years at Sale and then I moved to Pakenham where I was track manager,” Mildon said.

“I was then at Pukekohe for 12 months before returning to Pakenham for five years where I was General Manager of Racecourse. I was looking after all the infrastructure and development there as well, so I got to see a lot, do a lot, and learn a lot.

“Pakenham is quite unique because it has synthetic racing as well as turf racing. The turf track was also a sand profile track that was fibre reinforced. There were a lot of things I had to learn to be able to look after those particular profiles and grass types. That really broadened my knowledge.

“To come to Hastings and continue that on will be really good.”

Mildon has been working at Hastings for a fortnight and he is already enjoying his new role, with the track having conducted its first race meeting since February over the weekend, and Mildon has given the track his tick of approval.

“The club hadn’t raced since February, but we had our first meeting back on Saturday which went well,” he said. “The club did a really good renovation in the autumn, which has got the track in really good order.

“It has come through the meeting well, we are racing again this Saturday, so it is a quick back-up, but the track has got a good cover of grass, and we are moving the rail out to get over that wear and tear. We had a lot of rain last week as well and the track took that rain well. It was a genuine heavy track on Saturday and performed well. I am happy with where it is at.”

Mildon is looking forward to the challenge of preparing the Hastings track for the looming Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival but holds even more excitement about potential developments at the club in years to come.

“As part of my role, the club is looking at whether they redevelop their current site here at Hastings or whether they move to a different site and build a new racecourse in Hastings,” Mildon said.

“That will be a great challenge but full of excitement as well. I am really looking forward to that.”

Mildon is also enjoying being back in his homeland after several years away from family.

“It is good being back, I was away for over 10 years,” he said. “With what is happening in racing in New Zealand at the moment, it is quite an exciting time to be back here and be a part of.”