Top tips as harness race festival begins
Umbrellas were a necessary accessory at the Nelson races along with fascinators and fancy clothes.
Cheers spilled from the covered grandstand as the first race of the weekend got under way in the rain yesterday.
Spectators didn’t seem to mind the wet weather as they urged on their favourites at the Nelson Harness Racing Club Interislander Summer Festival at Richmond Park.
Kim-Marie Satherley and Belinda Mintrom said the weather didn’t bother them, as they sheltered in the covered grandstand while the curtain of rain became thicker. This is the third year they have attended the festival and they enjoyed dressing up and taking a punt on the horses.
The wet weather didn’t faze Christine Guy and Rosanne Guy either. They came prepared holding umbrellas.
They didn’t come to the racing every year but when they did it was a ‘‘special treat’’ and they enjoyed dressing up and watching people.
Event manager Chris Butler said organisers usually expected about 6000 people to visit the event over the two days of racing on Friday and Sunday.
‘‘Obviously, today is going to be a lot lighter because people are going to be put off the by the weather so who knows.’’
The club expected tomorrow to be a bigger day with an estimated crowd of 2000-3000 and a more promising forecast.
The Best Hat competition was held yesterday and the Fashion in the Field award would be presented tomorrow.
Nelson Harness Club secretary Jason Broad said the fields were down this year because of competing race meetings. But there would be a 10-race card tomorrow with the feature being the Nelson Pine Industries Nelson Cup, with a purse of $15,000.
Gates open for the second day of races at 9.30am, adults $10, children free.