He said: "I stood as a bookie at the Castle Irwell racecourse in Salford, which closed in 1963. I think it would be terrific for Salford pride and the city's image if horseracing came back."
The plan could mean the return after more than 40 years of the Manchester Gold Cup. Fred, who lives in Worsley and whose Betfred empire has sponsored the Gold Cup - formerly the Whitbread - says he would jump at the chance of sponsoring THE race of the year in Greater Manchester.
"I would love it - can you imagine that? A Salford lad sponsoring the biggest race of the year at his local course, it would be brilliant. I hope I get invited when the course opens."
Overdue
He says the return of horseracing to Greater Manchester is long overdue. "It would create jobs and I think it is a disgrace that a city the size of Manchester does not have a racecourse.
"We can bring some of the best horses in the country here. The site is ideally placed between Liverpool and Birmingham.
"I'm not saying this because I'm in the gambling business. I don't need another facility to bet on.
"The objectors are the same brigade who object to everything. They are Luddites - they need to get a grip on life. I'm sure Peel want to work closely with Salford's councillors and officers.
"Peel have got to use their imagination. It would be very difficult for a racecourse alone to be sustainable. There are other courses where they also have a golf course and so there are people there every day."
He has one note of caution, however: "I would not be happy if Peel started putting houses around the racecourse and too many hotels. That is an area where there has to be give and take."
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It's all right for a Millionaire Bookie to want a racecourse on what is one of the few peaceful, beautiful areas of Salford. After all, he can just jet off to any part of the world he wants and get that peace. Some people in Salford don't have that luxury. Also to label everyone Luddites because they want to preserve the greenbelt area for nature and the wildlife is downright patronising.
There are two perfectly good racecourses in Liverpool, in fact the Haydock racecourse is only about 9 miles away so why do we need another one in the area?
My dream come true would be to see the end of this scheme altogether and I am not a Luddite. Progress is all very well but not wanting a racecourse is not Ludditism it is common sense.
Let¿s analyse Fred¿s message to `his¿ public¿. Fred¿s quotes preceded by an `F¿ mine by LJS
F "I would love it - can you imagine that? A Salford lad sponsoring the biggest race of the year at his local course, it would be brilliant. I hope I get invited when the course opens."
LJS Is Fred being positive here or does he know the course is going ahead anyway? Anyway, his first sentence smacks of self indulgence once again. Not a thought for the Worsley people at all.
F He says the return of horseracing to Greater Manchester is long overdue. "It would create jobs and I think it is a disgrace that a city the size of Manchester does not have a racecourse.
LJS Fred, you would have had a course earlier if your beloved Peel hadn¿t objected to a competitor building a similar course over in East Manchester. This proposal, unlike Peel¿s was to be on a Brownfield site. Peel¿s objection was that the road infrastructure could not take the huge amount of traffic the course would generate.
Funny that they have no qualms about their proposed course causing massive traffic congestion in Worsley.
F "We can bring some of the best horses in the country here. The site is ideally placed between Liverpool and Birmingham.
LJS So Heydock, Aintree and Chester being 45 mins from Manchester are geographically too far out?
F "I'm not saying this because I'm in the gambling business. I don't need another facility to bet on.
LJS Well Fred, get back in the Aviary and think of another venture you can make money on without ruining our village way of life mate.
F "The objectors are the same brigade who object to everything. They are Luddites - they need to get a grip on life. I'm sure Peel want to work closely with Salford's councillors and officers.
LJS They certainly do, as well you know.
Let¿s provide skewed figures on how many of the Manchester public want this course. Let¿s take a straw poll and ask a couple of hundred people. Mmmm, where shall we conduct this scientific research? I know, let¿s take our Peel Roadshow to¿¿.CHESTER RACES and ask them there, that¿ll give us the result we want to show Merry and Co.
F "Peel have got to use their imagination. It would be very difficult for a racecourse alone to be sustainable. There are other courses where they also have a golf course and so there are people there every day."
LJS Yes Fred, being a businessman, you will know that this course on its own and the hotel will not give a financial return on racing alone. Next we¿ll have pop concerts, company roadshows, all of which will cause misery to the locals who just want to enjoy this last enclave of greenery in Salford.
F He has one note of caution, however: "I would not be happy if Peel started putting houses around the racecourse and too many hotels. That is an area where there has to be give and take."
LJS After they have decimated 1,069 acres of prime historic greenbelt, do you think they would give a fig about building another housing estate anywhere on the site?