"Next season is going to be huge for us hosting those massive racedays as well as our own traditional major meetings," Castles told the Weekend Herald yesterday.
Castles says Te Rapa would not have been able to step up as it has a few years ago when the track was widely panned for kick back issues after the wrong sand was used on it. Enter Te Rapa's personal hero, track manager Bart Cowan.
"What Bart and his team have been able to do here is enormous," says Castles.
"He is world-class and came on board at a very tricky time but has worked really hard to get the track back to what it should be.
"He has experienced staff which really helps but one of the crucial factors is he cares. He cares about his track and how it presents and works hard to achieve that."
Cowan may be good at his job, but unless he owns the world's biggest umbrella, Te Rapa is going to be soaked today, like every other piece of turf in the country.
It may not be the most attractive form of racing but there will still be winners to be had, with the best backed at the meeting being Two Madison (R8, No2) in the Taumarunui Cup.
The Lance O'Sullivan/Andrew Scott-trained mare loves Te Rapa on a wet day and her 4kg claim with Yuto Kumagai in the saddle takes her down to the 53kg luxury weight that usually wins these Cup races.
Last-start Ruakaka winner Pacific Dragon opened at a very backable $5.50 in the Ryder Stakes. But bookies are now favouring Sophmaze and Winexpress to handle the wet better than Pacific Dragon.
But in reality, every horse in the Ryder Stakes is already a winner.
Because unless Te Rapa had stepped up again, none of them would be chasing the valuable black type they are today to end one of the more remarkable seasons in New Zealand racing history.
