Brad Steele appointed ATC Chief Executive

By Michael Guerin

The former boss of Harness Racing New Zealand is taking the reins at the embattled Auckland Trotting Club.

Brad Steele has been named as the new chief executive of the ATC starting on August 3.

Steele only recently left the same role at harness racing’s national body HRNZ in Christchurch and initially indicated he was going to return to his native Queensland for family reasons but the lure of helping rejuvenate the Auckland Trotting Club was an opportunity he couldn’t turn down.

“I’m incredibly honoured to be given the opportunity to lead the Auckland Trotting Club at such an important time in its history,” said Steele from Brisbane.

“Harness racing in the North Island faces genuine challenges, particularly around horse numbers, ownership participation, and remaining relevant to changing audiences and communities.

“But with challenge also comes opportunity.

“My focus will be on building a strong and sustainable future for the Club, improving race day experiences, strengthening commercial performance, growing membership and ownership participation, and ensuring the Auckland Trotting Club is once again viewed as a leader within the industry.

“While my previous role with HRNZ was an important chapter professionally, this opportunity represents a very different challenge and one I felt strongly aligned with both personally and professionally.

“Circumstances evolve, and I’m excited by the opportunity to make a direct impact at club level.”

ATC president Jamie MacKinnon was pleased to secure somebody of Steele’s experience for the role.

“Brad joins the club at a pivotal and exciting time as we prepare to enter a significant new phase, for which there will be announcements over the coming months,” says MacKinnon.

“He brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and industry understanding to the role and the board is confident his leadership will play an important part in securing a positive future not only for the Auckland Trotting Club, but also for harness racing in the North Island.”

The ATC has been through a dark time since enormous complications with apartment buildings which were built at Alexandra Park and while they won an enormous court judgement against developer Canam, that company closed without paying them.

They have fought to stay afloat since, selling off land parcels at Alexandra Park and with a debt currently thought to be around $77 million.

The ATC is hoping to erase some or all of that with the sale of the Franklin Park training centre and the commercial units on the lower floors of the apartment buildings.

While Steele’s new and somewhat similar role comes so soon after him leaving HRNZ but sources confirm he did not leave one for the other and he was not spoken to about or asked to apply for the ATC role under after he had left HRNZ.

It appears as one door closed, another opened soon after and Steele is now stepping through it. 

Which can only be good for the struggling ATC and harness racing in the north as Steele has extensive, up-to-date knowledge of the industry and its players so won’t need the usual adjustment and upskilling period many administrators who come into the industry from the outside require.