It's now clear there will be at least one offer for assets of Quebec racetrack operator Attractions Hippiques by Tuesday's court-imposed deadline
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A hastily-assembled group of more than a dozen prominent standardbred owners, organized as a non-profit jockey club, will be making an offer, with the required certified cheque of 10 per cent, member and spokesman Tony Infilise said. Each is putting up $100,000.
"We expect to be about 15," Infilise said today. "We're close to that now. It's a credible bunch of people, some quite high-profile. If there's any opening at all with the government, they should want to listen to us."
He wouldn't reveal which assets would be covered by its offer. Hippodrome de Montreal, which has had no live racing since November, does not belong to Attractions Hippiques and is not among the assets on the block.
"We think there's a way to get racing back on its feet after the horrendous disaster of privatization, but it'll be a different approach than what Attractions Hippiques has been doing," Infilise said.
Attractions Hippiques, which operated all four Quebec tracks, entered creditor protection a year ago. The deadline for filing a bid for assets is Tuesday. The latest, and last, extension of creditor protection ends July 3rd, at which point Superior Court Judge Chantal Corriveau is due to okay the asset sale or a submitted plan of arrangement with creditors.
(Trot Insider exclusive by Paul Delean)