Horse racing halt: Hastings racecourse to remain closed for reconstruction, races to be rescheduled

The Hastings racetrack will not see any racing action while reconstruction is prioritised. Photo / Warren Buckland

Horse races at the Hastings racetrack have been cancelled for the immediate future, just weeks after the abandonment of a race due to safety concerns and the eventual relocation of Hawke’s Bay Racing’s biggest horse race to Waikato.

In a statement released on Tuesday, HBRI (Hawke’s Bay Racing Inc) and NZTR (New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing) management jointly announced that because of continued concerns around the track’s performance, the decision had been made to bring forward a reconstruction of the track.

As a result, racing would not resume at the venue in the immediate future.

The move follows the assessment of the Hastings track after a horse slipped, but did not fall, on what was to have been the first race of the second day of the Colliers Spring Racing Carnival in late September.

Subsequently, the highly anticipated Livamol Classic, scheduled for last weekend, was moved to Hamilton. Instead, a phantom race day took place, with the races shown on the big screen at the track alongside live entertainment.

HBRI chairman Eliot Cooper said while the news of the closure would be disappointing for the Hawke’s Bay community and racing enthusiasts, both parties believed that prioritising the reconstruction project was “essential for the long-term future of racing in the region”.

NZTR chief operating officer Darin Balcombe reiterated the same message, saying the decision reflected “a commitment to addressing the underlying track issues for participants and horses alike”.

In response to the original slipping event, track staff had undertaken multiple steps to remedy the situation, thought to have been at least partly caused by a light morning frost after 1-3mm of overnight rain.

It included treating the track as it dried out in the sunshine on the day and more on Sunday and improving irrigation.

The HBRI and NZTR board and management confirmed they would meet later in the month to discuss the next steps.

Following this meeting, further information will be provided to the industry to ensure stakeholders remain informed of the progress and potential timelines moving forward.

Replacement dates for upcoming scheduled Hastings race days are set to be revealed over the coming days.