‘Very sad’ V’landys quits racing, poised to take up historic NRL role

Peter V’landys has officially quit his role at Racing NSW and is poised to become Australian rugby league’s first executive chairman.

Racing NSW confirmed on Thursday morning the 66-year-old would step aside as chief executive when his contract expires at the end of November.

V’landys became CEO in 2004 and was the mastermind of The Everest, Australia’s richest horse race.

“Naturally, this is a very sad day for me,” he said in a statement.

“I have put my heart and soul into racing for 22 years.”

V’landys has also been operating as chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission.

After Andrew Abdo quit as NRL CEO earlier this year, V’landys has been acting in that role, too, and is expected to soon be appointed as the game’s first executive chairman, despite previously cautioning against the idea given the power such a title would wield over the sport.

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“There needs to be a segregation between the board and management,” he said on the record in 2020.

“I’ve always believed in proper corporate governance, so it would be hypocritical to do anything other than that.”

The appointment would need the backing of NRL clubs but reports in recent weeks suggest V’landys has the support needed to create the role.

He was instrumental in guiding the NRL through the COVID pandemic, but has also ruffled feathers through the introduction of new rules such as the divisive six-again.

He has pushed expansion in recent years, with the Dolphins entering the league five years ago, the Perth Bears coming in next year and Papua New Guinea in 2028.

V’landys is also pushing the game abroad, with the NRL now kicking off its season in Las Vegas and a State of Origin game next year being played in Auckland.

He is a shrewd operator whose decisions are credited for horse racing in NSW finding an estimated $3.5 billion in new revenue since he took the reins in 2004, according to News Corp.

“I was just a member of a dedicated team of professionals who were able to generate outstanding outcomes for Racing NSW,” V’landys said on Thursday.

“As a team, we went from a struggling jurisdiction to a world-leading jurisdiction.”

Rugby league has also boasted growing profits under his watch, with investment in pubs and plans to purchase a private jet for the NRL.

V’landys is copping criticism this week after failing to secure a grand final entertainment act for Sunday week.

Leading Sydney horse trainer Chris Waller says while V’landys has plenty of critics, his achievements can’t be ignored.

“For sure, but they might understand in about six months’ time how good he really was,” Waller told Nine’s Today after the news broke.

“I think overall everybody would say he’s done so many great things, and like any great leader not everyone agrees with everything they do.

“But that type of person is what you need. There are hard decisions that need to be made.

“He is a world leader on so many fronts, and sure there will be critics, but it has been overwhelming what he’s done.”