Industry key to Covid-19 relief
Key Waikato equine leaders expect horse racing to drag the region out of a crippling economic downturn.
Australasian’s largest equine training industry is in Cambridge and Matamata. The Waikato towns have seen many trainers trickle back into the stables since the month-long lockdown.
Training and even racing of horses is permitted at level 3, although no horse racing is programmed until May 29 (harness) and July 3 (thoroughbred racing).
Waikato is expected to play a major role in racing post Covid19, with trial races due to start in July at Te Rapa.
Matamata Racing Club chairman Dennis Ryan said while all major industries are struggling during this time, he believes racing will be one of the first to bounce back. ‘‘Given the hammer that our commercial network has suffered in the last couple of months we feel that racing will play a big part in recovering our local economy.
‘‘The Government has responded quite well to what they see as a key industry.’’
‘‘The financial impact of racing and the ramifications of that are no different to other parts of the economy but racing is known for its resilience. The people are resilient and their horses are very much a part of that too, so, all in all, we hope to come back as strong as ever.’’
Cambridge Jockey Club chief executive Mark Fraser-Campin is also staying positive, but believes changes need to be made first.
‘‘Cambridge itself is the biggest training facility in Australasia, and obviously in the Waikato region there are more horses than anywhere in New Zealand, so between Matamata, Cambridge and the Te Rapa race course, we are definitely major players in supporting the region,’’ Fraser-Campin said.
‘‘But there needs to be some changes made first, that the current administration is trying to make, to create a more streamlined industry.’’
In Cambridge about 400 horses are back in training, while Matamata has around 250. For both training facilities this is about half the number they usually have for this season.
Cambridge also has special protocols around the construction of New Zealand’s first synthetic track, which was ahead of schedule before lockdown. He said the new track was due to be completed in August.
‘‘We already have a 10m buffer zone between the construction of the new track and the two other tracks we are using for safety reasons,’’ Fraser-Campin said.
Te Rapa has the first set of trials in the North Island beginning on July 3, with eight meetings from July to November – some may not have spectators.
‘‘Being close to Waikato’s significant horse population, means we will see Te Rapa playing a vital role in the new ‘normal’ as racing emerges from this global catastrophe,’’ Waikato Racing Club CEO Andrew Castles said.
‘‘The proximity to horses was a key component ... but there’s also a surface here that can cope with winter racing, and the fact that we have inside trial tracks helps immensely.’’
What the races will look like in two months’ time, however, is still unknown, Castles said.
At alert level two, he said, they will be limited to 100 spectators indoors and 500 outdoors. If this is the case, he said, very few people will be on site.
‘‘In a perfect world, by July 4 we would like to welcome back people to the race course, but we will continue to be guided around that.’’
He said staff are working on alternative options in case they do have ‘‘closed door’’ racing.
‘‘. . . people are going to be craving that social interaction that a day at the races can provide.
‘‘We hope that we can get back to welcoming our members, our club supporters and in particularly the owners of the race horses competing.’’