Wellington Race Group chairman slams man who ran on Trentham track

The man was lucky not to be injured. Photo / Twitter

A witness who watched a man walk on the Trentham race track mid-race on Wellington Cup Day has described feeling "sick", thinking she was about to see someone trampled to death.

A man has been arrested and charged after jumping the fences at the race track and standing in the middle as jockeys and horses passed him at speeds of 60km/h on Saturday.

Victoria Taylor was at the races that day and said she and other witnesses felt "sick" thinking they were about to witness someone being trampled to death.

She said the man was in a group of about 15-20 people.

"He had a cigarette in his mouth. He jumped the first fence, took out the cigarette, jumped the second fence, put in the cigarette, ran into the middle.

"A lot of people ducked around us, didn't want to watch what was happening.

"He basically got on to the track when you could see the horses coming in your vision. He took a puff of the cigarette the moment they passed by and then opened his arms up like he was this champion kind of thing."

After the horses passed by, the man quickly went back over the fence and was hugged and cheered by members of his group.

"He was yelling something when he was coming back off the field, like 'I did it, I did it'," she said.

Shortly after, what appeared to be two middle-aged punters came down the hill, tickets in hand, and started beating up the man, yelling "you don't know what you've done", she said.

The man's friends came to his defence and he made a run for it - apparently stumbling and injured - before police showed up and tackled him to the ground.

"He did not look afraid, doing it."

Taylor was horrified at the possibility a gruesome death could have been witnessed by children and other innocent bystanders.

She thought it might be a good idea for races to have police or security present like they were in stadium games.

Wellington Race Group chairman Paul Humphries said the man's actions were totally unacceptable and the club would be seeking a lifetime ban to prevent him from returning.

"It's really unfortunate that one member of the public can put a stain on the day."
Humphries said the elements of danger to the man's act were countless.

"It could have led to interference with the horses and the result of the race but it's the safety that's our main concern, not only of himself but also the public."

"The horses can shy, go through the running rail and when you've got jockeys on top of horses going 60km/h, it's just madness."

Close to 12,000 were enjoying Wellington Cup Day at the Trentham Racecourse when the man walked on to the track where the horses were on the home straight.

The jockeys had to quickly steer away and came just inches from trampling over him as he stood stationary in the middle of the track.

James Dunne, general manager and legal regulatory of compliance for New Zealand thoroughbred racing, described the man's actions as disgraceful.

"This idiot has put horses at risk, riders at risk, himself at risk. We've got a responsibility to preserve and protect safety."

Dunne said the man would probably be banned from the racecourse in the future.

"He's not likely to ever step foot on this course again, and I doubt he'll ever be allowed onto a racecourse ever again in this country."

The man, who is facing a charge of endangering life, safety and health by criminal nuisance, will appear in the Hutt Valley District Court on Thursday.