Albany Racing Club president Alan Smith believes financial issues can be resolved amid racing suspension

The president of the under-fire Albany Racing Club is confident financial issues which have forced an immediate racing suspension can be rectified quickly. Alan Smith took over as ARC president at the start of this season but Racing WA announced on Tuesday the Great Southern venue has had its racing suspended because of the “club’s ongoing financial challenges”. The ARC also confirmed to the Advertiser acting general manager Karen Short resigned on Monday, but said the decision had nothing to do with Tuesday’s decision by the State’s racing body. Smith holds strong hopes the club will be back racing before its marquee slot race, The Bluff Knoll, on March 16. He said board members would attend a meeting on Wednesday night. “We are having meetings to decide how we rectify and solve the issues,” he said on Wednesday. “We will work through the issues at a meeting (Wednesday). . . we have support coming from a lot of areas but I’m confident we will be back racing shortly. “(The Bluff Knoll coming) is why we need to get it solved quickly, and I believe we can and be back racing soon.” Short has taken on the role as acting general manager for this season, replacing Mark Bayliss. Smith said Short was on a six-month contract but resigned on February 10. “I want to stress that (Racing WA) taking these meetings off us is not the reason,” Smith said. “Karen’s resignation has nothing to do with the financials or this decision by (Racing WA).” Smith said the club was already advertising for a new general manager. The club’s next meeting on February 21 has been moved to Mt Barker, and its only other meeting before The Bluff Knoll is on February 28, which also appears unlikely. Other major meetings the club still has planned this season include the Albany Cup on April 20, and the Jericho Cup Qualifier on April 27.