Wayne Hawkes says Gillon McLachlan might not be going for the chairman’s job at Racing Victoria.
The former AFL chief was tipped to be in the box seat to become the new chairman of RV with McLachlan said to have beaten a field of more than 10 other candidates to the position.
However, leading trainer Hawkes revealed on Wednesday morning that McLachlan has reportedly been offered the vacant CEO role at TABcorp with a very lucrative deal that has been doubled in recent weeks by the wagering powerhouse.
“There’s a lot of talk, there certainly is,” Hawkes told SEN's Whateley.
“Gillon McLachlan has obviously been mooted as being a chairman of Racing Victoria but he has apparently been offered the job at the TAB who are without a CEO.
“The reports are that they offered him double, and not only how much we were going to pay Gil, now we want you we’re going to double it.
“The TAB offer makes it very interesting because we obviously all thought that Gil was going to be the man (for RV) but I don’t know if he’s going to take it.
“I’m hearing a little whisper today that he might not be chairman of Racing Victoria, and that doesn’t mean he’s going to take the TAB job as he might now have another job in line.
“Why he couldn’t take both the TAB job and Racing Victoria would be the conflict of interest with the betting at the racing, so there’s a big conflict of interest.
“My sources this morning tell me he may not even be going for the chairman’s job now which I think would be disappointing to be honest.”
McLachlan has been tight-lipped surrounding the role after his 10-year stretch at the AFL ended last year.
McLachlan is a lifelong racing fan who has been involved in the ownership of horses.