Moyne Shire councillor Colin Ryan has fired a shot at the club after information aired at the council’s October meeting on Tuesday.

During her presentation on the horses on Killarney Beach issue, South West Owners, Trainers and Riders Association secretary Tammy Good told the meeting small-scale local trainers had missed out on a large majority of licences given out for horses to train on a stretch of beach near the Port Fairy Golf Club.

Ms Good said of the 50 licences given out for the summer period, only five of them had gone to small-scale local trainers. She said the rest were given to high-profile, larger-scale trainers Darren Weir, Jarrod McLean, Mitch Freedman, Daniel Bowman and Matthew Williams.

Cr Ryan said he helped find the Port Fairy beach location, from the old tip site to the golf club, as a way of getting horses off the beach in Killarney.

He said Moyne Shire Council worked with the racing club, Parks Victoria and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning on the project. The decision was made to give the racing club the responsibility of handing out the licences.

Cr Ryan said until Tuesday’s meeting, he was unaware how badly local trainers had fared. 

“Warrnambool Racing Club has a lot to answer for,” Cr Ryan said.

“Greed has taken over, they have not looked after the local trainers who have been the lifeblood of racing in the south-west for many years.

“Everyone entered into this in good faith and I am disappointed with how the racing club has handled it.

“It was given trust and responsibility and it let conflict of interest get in the way.” 

Tower Hill hobby trainer Chris Ryan, who addressed the council meeting, said restrictions on the use of the Port Fairy beach and the Cutting had impacted his ability to train his horses.

“It should not be underestimated how important the beach is to the wellbeing of the trainers and their horses,” Mr Ryan said.

Warrnambool Racing Club did not respond to The Standard’s request for comment.