Newcastle Jockey Club are searching for a new chief executive after Matt Benson resigned on Friday following almost six years in the job.
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Chairman Geoff Barnett confirmed on Sunday that Benson had surprised the NJC with the news and he would finish up at the end of November.
A former Sturt AFL club and South Australian Jockey Club boss, Benson started his tenure at the NJC in February 2016, replacing Cameron Williams, who had his contract terminated in September 2015. Barnett said Benson's latest two-year contract was not up until the middle of next year.
"It certainly came as a surprise to me," Barnett said of the resignation.
"He's just decided that he's had enough and he wants to move on."
Benson has overseen major changes at the club, including the $11.2 million course proper overhaul unveiled in 2017.
He spearheaded the rebranding of the Broadmeadow track to Newcastle Racecourse, which was made in conjunction with the new surface's launch.
He created the Max Lees Classic for two-year-olds and was instrumental in securing New Zealand Bloodstock as club sponsors.
Under Benson's leadership, the club also sold the Cessnock racecourse to Racing NSW as part of a deal to build a multi-million dollar stabling complex on course at Broadmeadow.
Stage one of the plan was completed this year with construction of new raceday stalls.
The former day stalls at the Chatham Rd end of the course will become the site of the new stables under a development application that has been lodged with the NSW government.
The existing stables site at the opposite end of the track will then become a potential investment opportunity for the NJC.
Benson also backed the creation of the Newcastle and Hunter Racing Hall of Fame and the club's annual Legends Day meeting.
Barnett said Benson also served two years as chairman of the NSW Provincial Racing Association.
"He was very much involved in putting our new track down and when he came there we had just started racing on the [inside] Beaumont [track]," Barnett said.
"It's been good and I think he's done a really good job for us, but now he's moving on."
The news comes after the addition of former Muswellbrook Race Club boss Duane Dowell and ex-Perth track manager Chris Nation to the NJC's team over the past two months.
Dowell took on the role of general manager of racing and operations, which was a merging of vacated positions, including that of former industry liaison and racing supervisor Michael Buckley, who is now general manager at Tamworth Jockey Club.
Nation is the racecourse and facilities general manager, filling the void left by Marshall Howarth.
"Matt recruited those guys and he's recruited well," Barnett said.
Given his experience, Dowell looms as a strong contender to replace Benson.