By MIKE DILLON
There haven't been too many good days for Ken Browne in the past five months, but yesterday was one of them.
The paralysed jumps maestro, and his wife, Ann, were declared life members of the Auckland Racing Club just hours after he was flown back to Hamilton from Christchurch, where he has been undergoing rehabilitation in the Burwood Spinal Unit.
Ken Browne, injured when he fell from a horse in training on May 1, is expected to spend two or three days in Waikato Hospital before a longed-for return to his Cambridge property for the first time since the accident.
Chairman Geoff Clatworthy announced the Brownes' honour at the club's annual meeting at Ellerslie yesterday.
"The club's board unanimously resolved to make Ken and Ann Browne life members in honour of the fact Ken has trained 603 winners and Ken and Ann in partnership another 132," said Clatworthy.
The chairman also announced that the club had bought a 45 sq m LED infield screen, which will replace the current manual infield indicator. The screen will be shared with Ericsson Stadium and can be relocated within an hour.
Board member Grant Stembridge, chairman of the Takanini relocation sub-committee, told yesterday's meeting that slow progress in obtaining resource consent meant the project would be delayed.
The target date for starting work had been next month, but resource-consent issues meant it was unlikely to begin until February or March.
"That will restrict the earthworks before next winter and that could result in an opening delay of upwards of twelve months.
"But it is important to remember that Takanini will not close until a new facility has been completed."
Stembridge said the original design of barns with boxes had been changed to 4m by 7.5m yards within barns.
"Initially there will be 10 compounds, all of which will cater for up to 40 horses, 20 horses in the covered barn and 20 in walk-in, walk-out yards."
The election saw no change to the board, sitting members Stembridge, Lin Stephens, Barry Holland, Bob Ennis and John Stubbs returned. Colin Devine was unsuccessful.
* Shogun Lodge has broken down and will miss next week's Cox Plate.
The group-one performer is heading home to Sydney in a move that has resulted in Sunline's shortening into $2.50 Cox Plate favouritism with bookmakers.
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