Move unlikely to result in mass exodus north

SOUTHERN trainers do not think there will be a mass exodus north of horses and owners hoping to cash in on Alexandra Park’s huge boost to racing stakes.

The Auckland Trotting Club announced on Monday it will pour $1.3 million into stakes at the start of the new season.

The funding increase means no race at Alexandra Park after August of this year will be run for less than $12,000.

On a standard Friday night meeting next season, the stakes will range from $12,000 to $17,000, club president Bruce Carter said.

The club has another big stakes boost lined up for the 201819 season, with $40,000 to be added to each meeting’s pool, he said.

Former Southland and now Canterbury trainer Tony Barron has campaigned horses in Auckland extensively over the past 10 years.

He labelled the Auckland club’s stakes increase ‘‘great for the industry and a move in the right direction’’.

Barron and his training partner and brother Ken have been regular visitors to Alexandra Park and would continue to target their carnivals, but would not be drastically changing their approach at this stage, he said.

Barron does not think the Auckland stakes boost will result in owners rushing to find new homes in Auckland, either.

‘‘I can’t see it. Everyone always has a kneejerk reaction like that, but I don’t see it.’’

Next season’s stakes boosts in Southland, gradually rising stakes at Addington and Harness Racing New Zealand $1500 bonus payments to maiden winners should mean horses owners would be content to keep their horses in the South, he said.

Barron is hoping the boost in Auckland stake money will put pressure on Addington and other Canterbury venues to do the same. ‘‘We are sort of hoping Addington will follow suit.’’ He acknowledged that the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club had been gradually increasing stakes recently, which meant most of the country offered attractive stake money.

‘‘Just with the way the South Island is looking, in particular Southland and Canterbury, it is pretty appealing over the whole country.’’

Rather than campaign more horses in Auckland, Barron anticipates sending more horses to his home province of Southland next season.

‘‘There would be more chance of that, particularly for your horses just below the good 3yrolds.

‘‘It makes the Southern Supremacy and the Southland Oaks very attractive.’’

Roxburgh trainer Geoff Knight, who trained in the Counties region before moving south, agreed the stakes in Southland were attractive for southern owners.

That is especially the case given the difference in training costs between Otago or Southland and Auckland. It can be double what is charged in the South, he said.

‘‘It is a big call to send them up there to race for $13,000 when the training fees are so dear.’’

Knight applauded the Auckland stakes boost and hopes it will encourage more Auckland owners to race horses from the region.

‘‘They have over a million people in that city and they need to be getting out there and actively putting together and trying to get more owners to race at Auckland with their own horses.’’

I can’t see it. Everyone always has a kneejerk reaction like that, but I don’t see it. Tony Barron