26-05-2025
Victorian racing mourning the passing of country racing stalwart Brendan Dreschler
Dreschler was a passionate racing man, serving the industry as a Country Racing Victoria director from 2016 until his passing after a long battle with illness.
Dreschler was also the chairman of the Bendigo Jockey Club for eight years as part of a 23-year stint on the club's committee.
Dreschler was also instrumental in the introduction of the Golden Mile race day, which has become part of Victoria's autumn carnival in its position as a standalone Saturday fixture.
The Brendan Dreschler Hurdle was named in his honour, starting its tenure at Bendigo before being moved to Pakenham in recent years.
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The race will need to find a new home after Pakenham held its last jumps meeting in April.
Racing Victoria chief executive Aaron Morrison hailed Dreschler's contribution to racing.
'On behalf of everyone at Racing Victoria, I extend our deepest sympathies to Brendan Dreschler's wife Pam, and his extended family and friends. Brendan faced his illness with the same fierce determination that defined his more than 20 years in racing administration,' Morrison said.
The Bendigo Jockey Club is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Brendan Drechsler, a cherished member of our community and a stalwart of the racing and emergency services sectors.
Brendan's association with the Bendigo Jockey Club spanned over two decades, during which he…
— Bendigo Jockey Club (@_BendigoJC) May 25, 2025
'As the long-term Chairman of the Bendigo Jockey Club and a Country Racing Victoria board member, he played a hugely influential role in the promotion and advancement of racing across the state of Victoria.
'He was a particularly passionate advocate for jumps racing, and to have a race named in his honour is testament to his standing in the sport.'
Dreschler owned a car yard in Bendigo and worked in his local community as part of the Country Fire Authority, serving as Captain of the Sedgwick branch for many years.
