Club to make case to retain races
The Manawatu¯ Harness Racing Club hopes its efforts to retain the sport in the region will keep the Palmerston North venue on the map.
The club is a centre of harness racing in central districts and usually holds about 18 meetings a year. But it has been left off the Racing Industry Transition Agency draft calendar for next season, meaning no harness meetings would run in the North Island south of Cambridge.
Consultation on the schedule ends on June 15 and the Manawatu¯ club has made a proposal to maintain a harness racing presence in the region.
The club has bid to hold dual meetings alongside the Palmerston North Greyhound Racing Club, which has weekly Tuesday meetings.
Manawatu¯ president Dan
Lynch said the club had a case to restore racing long term.
‘‘We’re working with the rest of the lower North Island clubs putting together information which has been provided to Harness Racing New Zealand and RITA.
‘‘We’re putting together a business case we think is extremely strong about the restoration of harness racing in the region.’’
Trials have been held to ensure using cameras to film both meetings wouldn’t impede the other racing code.
Lynch said holding the two meetings simultaneously would be a cost saver. Also, the club has fibre internet, which is a tick in the transition agency’s box.
‘‘Nothing is cast in concrete, but our dual code proposal is very much alive.’’
Harness Racing NZ’S now departed chief executive Peter Jensen told Stuff earlier this month the decision to leave Palmerston North off the calendar was
‘‘Nothing is cast in concrete, but our dual code proposal is very much alive.’’
Dan Lynch
due to the effect of Covid-19.
Fourteen venues have been cut, with 43 fewer gallops and harness meetings, as the racing industry looks to recover.
Jensen said about 28 per cent of horses and race meetings were in the North Island, and only 3 per cent of the national horse population was in the North
Island south of Waikato.
Palmerston North Greyhound Racing Club Paul Freeman said the club supported the harness racing bid 100 per cent.
‘‘We’re bending over backwards to have races after the dogs. It’s a great spectacle for the area, especially to have both of them in the same day.’’