More track troubles and politics
ONE: Industry silence was deafening
The New Zealand racing industry isn’t travelling overly well. Many stakeholders struggle to make ends meet. Central government appears reluctant to intervene and little is likely to change after Saturday’s election. The pre-election silence from the racing industry leaders was deafening, there didn’t appear to be any pressure for change put upon candidates. Why? Who knows, but what seemed an opportunity to push for government incentives similar to those enjoyed by the Australian racing industry was lost. The New Zealand thoroughbred racing and breeding industry contributes $1.2 billion a year to the economy, chasing hard on the heels of the higher profile wine industry, including exports of 1613 horses last year valued at $130 million. Not to mention further contribution from the harness and greyhound industries. Estimates suggest there are at least 15,000 people directly employed in the thoroughbred industry in New Zealand, and $500 million is generated in wages and salaries by the sector. Their voices need to be heard along with others who contribute.
TWO: Is regular racing at Ruakaka good for the sport?
Many punters are asking the question with a run of seven meetings at the Northern track since May 17. Some punters flatley refuse to bet at Ruakaka deeming racing as boring on a track biased in favour of on-speed horses. Stakeholders from south of the Bombays become less inclined to make the trek north due to transportation costs. On the other hand, it is a boon for trainers from Pukekohe north and for those from further afield looking for halfdecent winter track conditions. At the most recent meeting on September 16, each and every race was won by horses from north of Pukekohe and in all bar two races by horses planted on the pace. No matter how you view it, that’s less than ideal from several perspectives. There will obviously be arguments for and against the continued heavy use of Ruakaka through the winter months while tracks like Ellerslie lie largely unused through that period of the season.
THREE: Sometimes it’s better to be safe than sorry
Let’s be honest, as punters none of us wanted a slow 9 at Hastings on Saturday but there is one thing that would have been worse. New Zealand racing could not afford yet another an embarrassing abandonment because of concerns around a shifty track and let us not forget that is exactly what happened at this meeting two short years ago. Hawke’s Bay Racing Inc could not have been more transparent with what they were doing with irrigation during the week. There were few complaints then but with the benefit of hindsight - when the track was hit with much more rain than was forecast within 12 hours of the first race - the knockers were out in force. But it’s important to remember just how firm the track had got with the warm and windy Bay weather and acknowledge that the club was forced to irrigate. Did they apply a little too much? The answer is most likely yes but hindsight is a wonderful thing and if they went the other way and the meeting was called off where would be we then? Saturday’s track was unfortunate but you wonder if those complaining would have been the same ones whinging if the meeting was called off after one race because the good 3 surface was shifty.
FOUR: A winning G-nuts is a winner for racing
Gingernuts is a good horse but his good on the track is far outweighed by the good he does for racing. The New Zealand Derby winner was a short neck victor in Saturday’s Group I Windsor Park Plate at Hastings over brave first day winner Close Up with six-time Group I winner Kawi just behind in third. Close Up being a live chance at the Triple Crown come the Livamol would have been a fairytale story but is there a better advertisement to entice new owners into racing than watching the passion of the Te Akau Gingernuts Syndicate in their G-nuts hats and tangerine attire? If Gingernuts can win the Livamol and head to the Caulfield Cup, where he will likely clash with New Zealand Horse of the Year Bonneval and her Australian Derby winning stablemate Jon Snow, on the back of two Group I victories it will bring a serious boost to the New Zealand breeding and racing industry.
FIVE: NZTR right to prioritise ownership
Stakes increases, upgrading facilities and synthetic tracks: We all bang on about how important these are and rightly so but it was refreshing to see New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) chief executive Bernard Saundry talk of maintaining and growing ownership being one of his organisation’s priorities over the next 18-months. As Saundry rightly points out, ‘‘owner participation is the bedrock of our sport’’. In his monthly report, Saundry spoke of ‘‘beginning a dedicated programme of work, designed to break down the barriers to horse ownership and improve the ownership experience’’. We have all heard dozens of stories of owners having bad experiences for a variety of reasons and there is no question that there is a need to do more for owners and bring much-needed new blood into the industry. Stakes increases, upgraded infrastructure and a synthetic track won’t mean much without more happy owners. It’s just a plan at the moment but identifying the lack of growth in ownership and starting to address it is a positive start.