RaceCafe..#1...Tipsters Thread.... Share Your Fancies For Fun...Lets See Who The Best Tipsters Here Are.
b kelly

Racing review

Recommended Posts

For those who have not seen this in todays ODT

Dunedin's Forbury Park trotting venue is set to close.

 

The Forbury Park Trotting Club has announced plans to sell the South Dunedin park and relocate to either a greenfields site in Dunedin or to Wingatui.

The announcement followed the release yesterday of the Otago/Southland Tri-code Racing review, which recommended Forbury Park, which is owned and run by the Dunedin club, should close.

Forbury Park Trotting Club Board chairman Craig Paddon said there would be sadness about the move, but the St Kilda club was looking to the future.

“While we don’t necessarily agree with all aspects of the report, it does reflect the work and conversations that the club has been having over the past 12 months, as we plan ahead and seek to grow all racing in Dunedin and secure a sustainable and prosperous future,’’ he said.

The club would explore being part of a development of an all-weather, multi-code equestrian centre at a greenfields site in the Dunedin area or set up at Wingatui, Mosgiel.

Both options were being actively considered.

Forbury Park has a high-quality track, but its coastal and residential location created challenges.

Operating and capital costs were not considered sustainable in the long term, without substantial investment and boosting the number of race dates.

Discussions between harness and thoroughbred clubs took place last year, and about 10 years earlier, but had not resulted in an agreement.

Yesterday’s announcement would create opportunities both for the trotting club and South Dunedin, Mr Paddon said.

Taieri MP Ingrid Leary said there was a chance to secure the future of racing in Dunedin, as well as bring about social and economic development and adapt to climate change.

The raceway was initially developed in 1870 on an area of reclaimed swamp.

Light harness racing began at Forbury Park in 1909.

"The club intends to facilitate the development of Forbury Park in a way that contributes to positive social, economic, environmental and community outcomes for South Dunedin, together with seeking the reinvestment of racing funds from the sale of Forbury back into another shared Dunedin location," Mr Paddon said.

The review was commissioned by New Zealand Racing.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Patiti said:

Who are these guys and where do they fit in.

Not sure exactly but clubs could appeal to a body post Messara report  and contest losing hosting rights and put up a case to have dates reinstated

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

This could be the first indication of big picture stuff and what happens to the money when club assets get sold. Forbury will be worth over $8m so it will set an interesting precedent.

Under current racing legislation, the money received from any venue which is deemed as a surplus requirement and sold, is spent in the region. But the governing body, which in this case is Harness Racing New Zealand, has the final say on where the money is spent.

It is not bound by legislation to give the money to the Forbury Park Trotting Club.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, ivanthegreat said:

Some great horses have raced there 

The Forbury Park Trotting Club was only awarded the Interdominions after Auckland, whose turn it was to stage the series, turned the opportunity down in 1963. That left the club 16 months to prepare to host Australasia's premier harness racing contest.

The racecourse's existing facilities were deemed insufficient and so a new stand - considered at the time as the most up to date in New Zealand - was constructed at a cost of £106,000 (the average wage at the time was under £50 a week).

The Forbury Park Interdominions marked the first time the series had been held under lights in New Zealand and the first time the races were broadcast live (on radio) since the club had changed to night trotting in 1961.

The series lived up to expectations in many ways, with 15,760 people attending the final night on March 3 ( a Wednesday!) and 52,354 attending the four nights in total.

The £147,901 on-course betting total on final night was a record for Otago and Southland, while the off-course figure of £182,362 was the largest bet on a night trotting meeting to that point.

The ODT of March 4 recorded that over the series the racegoers consumed 45,000 cups of tea, 50,000 pies, 2000 gallons of beer and chips equivalent to 100 sacks of potatoes.

The racing itself had a sensational climax when the pacing final ended in a dead-heat between Jay Ar and classy mare Robin Dundee, but only after Jay Ar was originally decorated as the outright winner and was parading with the victory sash while Robin Dundee was taken to the stabling area.

Robin Dundee's driver, Doody Townley, who had kept insisting the presentation was premature, had told Jay Ar's trainer-driver, George Noble as the horses eased down: "I think I got you, George" to which Noble had replied: "Yes, I think you did."

In the trotting final, champion South Australian mare Gramel, who had won her three heats from the back mark of 36yd, was upset by Southland mare Poupette.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm getting mixed messages about the after life when Forbury winds up

It seems the report done basically rules out a new complex and isn't that enthusiastic about Wingatui either instead maybe shifting their dates to Wyndham of all places,the report wasn't overly hot on Ascot park either.

About twenty years ago another consultants report wanted everything at Winton,so many twist and turns in this issue.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, JJ Flash said:

So Wyndham is now a goer again but Gore gone for grit racing but ok as training venue. 

Talk of the 2 clubs amalgamating  which would make sense  .

Ascot Park slammed for its ammenities

I haven't seen the report itself, but I imagine most tracks in NZ would be slammed for their amenities.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.