Geeing-up for twilight races in Hastings

On the home straight: 20km of mowing was undertaken at the Hastings racecourse in preparation for the twilight Christmas at the Races on Wednesday. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hawke’s Bay Racing will on Wednesday have one of its bigger December and January race days in recent years, with entries meaning two extra races have had to be added to the programme.

When acceptances closed on Monday, owner and trainers of at least 150 horses were still looking for starts, leading to a decision to increase the Bramwell Bate Lawyers/Vetsone Twilight Christmas at the Races card from 8 races to 10 - the first at 2.15pm and the last at 7.13pm.

Racing correspondent John Jenkins said while other meetings during the year have greater numbers, he was “a bit surprised” by the interest this week, particularly with the evening finish making it a long day for stable staff from distant areas such as Waikato, who need to get their horses home that night.

But he said unusually softer track conditions elsewhere meant trainers with horses preparing for Summer Carnival racing were looking for firmer conditions which they expect in Hastings, despite Hawke’s Bay having its own unusually wet year.

More than 30 Hawke’s Bay-trained horses are expected to start, representing 15 trainers or partnerships, mainly from Hastings, with eight entries from leading trainer John Barry, but also with horses from Waipukurau, and three from Dannevirke trainer Barry Beatson, set to ward off the insurgents from Waikato, Manawatū and Whanganui.

The day is marketed as an annual end-of-year gig for business and staff and clients, with several marquees already in place on Tuesday.

Hawke’s Bay Racing events and marketing manager Sam Alexander said more than 20 businesses were using the day for end-of-year hosting and entertainment in a marquee village, with numbers ranging from about 10-30, with others using the indoor facilities.

“It is still proving to be a really popular day, perhaps not quite pre-Covid but getting there, with people looking to get out and about,” Alexander said.

Track manager Richard Fenwick and his staff were playing their part preparing the track, including 10 laps of mowing from the rail at 1.73 kilometres and, with the chutes, totalling about 20km.

It’s also up to the weather, with Alexander reckoning they’re looking at several forecasts and relying on the best. MetService was forecasting a few showers in the morning with southerlies, clearer in the afternoon then turning easterly, and possibly rain in the evening.

There’ll be little rest for the workers, with jump-outs at the track the next day, many looking at first starts over the Christmas-New Year period, including the Hawke’s Bay New Year Races, which were controversially moved last year from New Year’s Day to become a New Year’s Eve afternoon event.

This year they’re on a Saturday.