Horse racing: Aquacade owners donate Avondale Cup winnings to Cyclone Gabrielle relief efforts

Aquacade (black and gold) wins the Avondale Cup. Photo: Supplied / Trish Dunell

The racing industry’s efforts to support those affected by Cyclone Gabrielle received a stunning boost after Aquacade dominated the $140,000 Avondale Cup at Pukekohe on Saturday.

After the win, owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay donated their winning stake of $68,000 to a fund being set up by the racing industry to provide immediate frontline relief for those who have been left homeless, predominantly on the East Coast of the North Island.

Trainer Roger James was so horrified by the scenes from the stricken regions, he spent much of Friday night and yesterday setting up a relief fund aimed at assisting racing industry participants to help the victims of the cyclone.

It is just one racing fund, with syndication giant Te Akau also setting another targeting their huge ownership base, and that fund was already more than $20,000 yesterday, with Te Akau matching that with $10,000, while other trainers, jockeys and racing groups have made donations.

But James’ efforts look set to skyrocket and the Cambridge trainer has spoken to Red Cross personnel in Hawke’s Bay and asked how he can get water and supplies directly to those worst affected.

His first offer of help came from Milan Park owner Tony Rider, a supermarket owner, who will provide a truck and driver to transport supplies purchased by James’ fund.

“We are making sure everything is done properly and my accountant will oversee the bank account we set up on Monday morning for donations,” says James.

A morning of phone calls yesterday secured the donation of at least four service fees to stallions, with that number certain to grow.

These will be auctioned on New Zealand Bloodstock’s online platform Gavelhouse on Wednesday night.

If more stallion owners come to the party, the money from those service fees alone could roll into the tens of thousands of dollars, but the Lindsays’ gesture has all but assured James’ fund will pass $100,000 by midweek.

“We want racing people to show they care, and whether they are owners, trainers, in the industry or punters who have won a dollar this weekend, if they can contribute and want to show as an industry we care,  we will have that bank account set up for them to do so by Monday,” says James.

“First and foremost, we want to get supplies which are needed urgently straight to the people who need them and hopefully we can do more than that.”

The Lindsays joked with James yesterday morning they would donate the winning stake from the Avondale Cup, knowing he and training partner Robert Wellwood had two horses running against them.

In the end, the $68,000 donation was never in doubt as Aquacade bolted in and is now the hot favourite for the Auckland Cup back at Pukekohe on March 11.

The other big Group 2 race saw Desert Lightning outfinish favourite Waitak in the Avondale Guineas, both horses earning the right to take on Sharp ‘N’ Smart and Prowess in the New Zealand Derby at Te Rapa on March 4.