Wild weather ends Te Aroha meeting
Abandoned race meetings have never been as topical as they are in 2018 and now there is another one to talk about.
Heavy rain, that has lashed much of the Waikato region in the last 24 hours, has forced the abandonment of today’s Te Aroha meeting.
The nine-race card has been called off due to heavy rain and an unsuitable racing surface - New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) said in a statement.
Te Aroha joins a long list of meetings to be abandoned in 2018.
Two of New Zealand’s most prominent trainers Tony Pike and Allan Sharrock have recently voiced concerns over the growing number of abandonments.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister For Racing Winston Peters has promised the racing industry an all-weather racetrack.
Peters announced the plan for an all-weather track to horse breeders and buyers at the Karaka National Yearling bloodstock sales last month.
He said the track would save millions from being lost in abandoned races and give the industry more certainty.
Peters was vague on detail for the track pending Budget approval.
Where and when it will be constructed remain unknown but New Zealand Racing Board chief executive John Allen has said the Waikato region was one option.
A synthetic track would likely cost between $6 million and $10m to construct.
The Te Aroha surface was rated a heavy 10 at 8.30am on Tuesday but that was downgraded to a heavy 11 less than two hours later.
More heavy rain was forecast to fall on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.
NZTR have been looking to create opportunities for horses who were due to race at the Te Aroha meeting with nominations for the upcoming Wanganui (Friday), Auckland (Saturday) and Poverty Bay (Sunday) meetings re-opened until 9am on January 14.
Races are also likely to be added to the Avondale meeting on February 21.