Victoria Racing Club chairman Neil Wilson to step down after 2026 Melbourne Cup Carnival
Updated ,first published
The chair of the prestigious Victoria Racing Club will quit the role after next month’s Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Neil Wilson will leave the organisation after 14 years in various roles, and was the only person in the club’s history to serve as both chief executive and chair.
Chairs can serve for a maximum of eight years consecutively. Wilson, who was appointed to the role in November 2020, served six, so had the option to run again in the election later this year but decided to step away early.
In a statement, VRC chief executive Kylie Rogers thanked Wilson “for the important role he played during a key time in the club’s history”, which included leading it through the pandemic – recently returning the Melbourne Cup Carnival to pre-pandemic crowds, with 286,000 people attending in 2025 – and growing membership to a record 36,000 people.
He was also instrumental in securing lucrative new deals with Tabcorp and Nine Entertainment (owner of this masthead).
Wilson will be leaving on a high, having returned the club to net profitability after several years in the red.
“It has been a privilege to serve the Victoria Racing Club for the past 14 years, including as CEO and chairman over the past decade,” Wilson said in a statement on Thursday morning.
“I will be forever grateful to those at the VRC who have supported me and had the conviction to believe in our direction at times when it mattered most. This is a very special organisation, and it is important to preserve the VRC’s unique blend of history and tradition while embracing opportunity and progress.
“While my role with the club will come to an end, I will always be a proud VRC member. My passion for the VRC, the Melbourne Cup carnival, and everything the club represents will remain unchanged. I look forward to seeing the club continue to thrive and build on its proud legacy for generations to come.”
Wilson will step down at the VRC’s annual general meeting in December, meaning this year’s Cup carnival at Flemington will be his last at the helm.
Following what the club called “a comprehensive succession process”, board member Vin Cox has been identified as his replacement, and will work closely with Wilson in the coming months “to support a smooth transition”, though he will still have to be officially elected at the AGM.
Cox joined the board in 2020 and is a member of the club’s racing subcommittee, as well as current chair of the committee leading the 20-year master plan, which could involve developing several hectares of freehold land for residential development.
He has worked across racing, bloodstock and business leadership, and previously served as general manager of VRC sponsor Yulong Investments – a major global thoroughbred racing and breeding enterprise. He has also held senior executive roles at Godolphin Australia and Magic Millions, where he played a leading role in expanding the Gold Coast carnival.
VRC said he was selected following “a comprehensive succession process”, with Rogers describing him as someone with “significant experience, a strong understanding of the club, and a clear vision of the future”.
Cox said he was “deeply honoured” to be appointed to the role and commended Wilson for his “extraordinary legacy”.
“As a member of the club for more than 30 years, this is a responsibility that I don’t take lightly, and it is a privilege to help lead an organisation that means so much to so many people,” he said.
“Our members will remain at the heart of everything we do. They are the reason we exist, and my focus will be on ensuring the VRC continues to deliver world-class racing, exceptional experiences and ongoing investment in the facilities and precinct that make Flemington so special … We have an exciting future ahead.”
The VRC is the world’s largest member-based racing club, and one of the three big racing clubs in Melbourne alongside the Melbourne Racing Club and Moonee Valley.
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Bridget McArthur is a sports affairs reporter at The Age, covering the intersection of sports and politics/business/economy/society.Connect via X or email.