But Wairoa Racing Club president Paul Toothill, who is fighting for the reinstatement of racing at the town’s Te Kupenga racecourse, learned of the plans only through media and is yet to discuss it with his committee.
The Wairoa Cup was to have been raced this year at South Wairarapa course Tauherenikau, but neither the club nor the town’s businesses supported the venture because of the disconnect between their event and the fact it would be raced on a track 380km away.
The biggest prize for Waipukurau is the 2200m Hawke’s Bay Cup, with a history dating back to 1860, and which had stakes of $120,000 when raced at Trentham last month. It will be raced next at Waipukurau next April 26.
Waipukurau’s good fortune was announced by Waipukurau club president Kirsty Lawrence on Wednesday, ahead of an HBR meeting in Hastings at which horse owners, trainers and members were told racing should return to the Hastings track in time for the 2026 Spring Carnival.
Well over $1 million is expected to be spent on cambering and other track correction work, which HBR and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing say will sustain racing in Hawke’s Bay well into the future.
The benefits for Waipukurau have been highlighted by the manager and part-owner of the Leopard Hotel (aka Waipukurau Hotel).
Taj Singh said past owners have told him its nine rooms and three-roomed family suite are likely to be booked out on at least one night for each of the race meetings.
Opened in 1963 and thus a host of racing visitors for almost 60 years, it is otherwise only fully booked about once every two months, he said, and it relies on big events.
Mayor Alex Walker was unavailable for comment by Thursday afternoon.
Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today, and has 52 years of journalism experience, 42 of them in Hawke’s Bay, in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.
