There was a good crowd for the annual Matariki racemeeting at the Otaki-Maori Racing Club.
There was a good crowd for the annual Matariki racemeeting at the Otaki-Maori Racing Club.
The only Māori racing club in the world is buoyed by the success of a recent Matariki race meeting, which has quickly established itself as an iconic raceday on the New Zealand Racing calendar.
A large crowd at the Ōtaki-Māori Racing Club meeting last Friday and an atmosphere to matchwould ensure that the Matariki meeting continues to grow in popularity.
Otaki-Māori Racing Club manager Ben Jamison said it was a special day for the historic club, which was officially established in 1886, although race meetings had been held in the area since the 1850s.
Otaki-Maori Racing Club general manager Ben Jamison.
“Being the only Māori racing club in the world, and it makes perfect sense to race on the day of the Māori New Year,” he said.
The Matariki stars were shining for jockeys of Māori descent, who featured prominently on the seven-race card.
Ngakau Hailey rode Strides to win Race 3, Temyia Taiaroa rode Zivjeli to win race 5, while Mereana Hudson rode Cee Are El to win the last race of the day.
Taiaroa, who’s father Evan and koro Arnold were both jockeys, said it was a good day at the office.
Winning smile...Temyia Taiaroa unsaddles Zivjeli at the Ōtaki-Maori Racing Club meeting. Photo / Bruce Falloon
“It’s very good to ride a winner on Matariki race day, it’s my culture and also very special,” she said.
Jamison said the Ōtaki-Maori club would look to build on the success of the meeting, which was held for the first time last season.
There was a good-sized crowd in the Members Stand at Otaki-Maori Racing Club's annual Matariki meeting.
There was a range of traditional Māori cusine available on course with hangi, seafood chowder, steam pudding, paua and mussel fritters some of the dishes on sale, as well as a bouncy castle and merry-go-round for kids.
There were performances and waiata from a Paraparaumu College kapa haka group led by Hinemihi Scott-Baker, which began with a welcoming karakia as the gates opened.
There were waiata performed during races at the Matariki meeting held by the Otaki-Maori Racing Club.
Jamison said there was good racing on the day and the track held up well.
“We’re very happy with the nominations we received for the race card here today, especially with the way the fields stack up, being winter with the track a heavy 10,” he said.
“This is good to know that a lot of trainers and owners have faith in our track in winter. And that’s hard fact as we always used to have a really strong winter track.
“We’re very fortunate to have Kane Smith who has joined us from Awapuni last year, he is our new track manager.
“He’s a perfectionist. He’s out there every day and we’re very happy to have him on board here.”
Levin horse trainer Illone Kelly and jockey Mereana Hudson had a good day at the office at the Matariki meeting at the Ōtaki-Maori racecourse.
Meanwhile, a frustrating run of minor placings for horses trained at Levin by Illone Kelly ended with the last race of the day.
Kelly saddled up three second placegetters and a third placegetter before Cee Are El won the last race of the day for a happy syndicate of owners.
Winning jockey Mereana Hudson and winning connections are interviewed following Cee Jay El of the last at Ōtaki last week.
The meeting also marked the return from injury of one of New Zealand’s most successful jockeys, Lisa Allpress, who had been out of action since March while recovering from corrective shoulder surgery.
Despite the time off Allpress resumes what is left of the season in eighth position on the New Zealand jockeys premiership with 66 wins.
The 48-year-old has ridden 1855 career winners and was the first female jockey to ride 1000 winners. She won her first New Zealand jockey premiership in 2012, achieving the same result again in 2016, 2019 and 2020.
Top jockey Lisa Allpress made a return to riding the the Ōtaki-Māori Racing Club's Matariki meeting.
- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.
