Peters to racing: Backme

The racing industry needs Winston Peters, and the deputy prime minister needs their votes for the coming election.

That was obvious when the NZ First leader’s tour bus pulled into Waikato to visit the Cambridge Jockey Club on a wet afternoon yesterday.

Trainers, thoroughbred horse breeders, jockeys, racing commentators and float drivers were among about 50 people who rallied to see their racing advocate at short notice.

About 20 metres away was the $13 million all-weather race track Peters had encouraged the club to advance.

The track surface was just a few months away from completion and racing is due to start in May.

Jammed inside the small meeting room, his supporter base was worried what would happen to them if NZ First wasn’t part of the next Government.

‘‘If you’re not there at the next election, where are we going to get that support at Government level, an influential Government level, from parties who had previously shown no interest in the racing industry which is a huge part of our lives,’’ racing commentator George Simon asked.

Peters said he wasn’t worried about losing the election.

‘‘We just have to win, for the next three years, and embed these reforms in, because once they are embedded, I think racing has got a great chance of success.’’

Peters was speaking about the governance structure reforms under the new Racing Industry Act.

He was asked again, this time by journalists afterwards, how worried he was about the future for the racing industry, if he wasn’t around to be its champion for another three years.

‘‘We plan to be here after the election and I am asking them (racing supporters) to make sure I am.’’

Earlier in the day Peters had presented to the Hamilton Grey Power meeting and in the later afternoon planned to be at the Waihi Beach Information Centre.