Racing: All-weather facilities serious plan

Last season 34 meetings were abandoned costing the industry $2.3 million. Photo / Fotopress

By Jonny Turner

State of the art all-weather racing facilities that will stop money haemorrhaging out of the industry could soon become a reality for the racing industry.

According to New Zealand Racing Board (NZRB) figures, last season's 34 abandoned meetings cost the industry $2.3 million that would have otherwise gone back into the its coffers.

That has NZRB chief executive John Allen eyeing a plan for the investment in all-weather facilities that will stop meetings being called off. "We have got to develop racing infrastructure in New Zealand which is appropriate for our conditions and for the modern environment. We can't keep living with infrastructure that was appropriate 40 or 50 years ago."

Racing Minister David Bennett has been hearing the same chorus of calls that Allen has - that the status quo can't continue - particularly for the thoroughbred industry.

"We haven't had consistency of racing that we need, we have got to look at something. I think people want to make sure when races are planned they go ahead."

If a new state of the art facility or facilities, which are staples in overseas racing jurisdictions, are to be built, they will need to be given sign-off by the three racing codes, rather than just the thoroughbred industry, which bears the main brunt of meetings being cancelled, Allen said.

"We are going to have to work together to be able to fund, support and execute those sorts of initiatives."

That means rather than just building a thoroughbred track in a weather friendly location with an all-weather track, Allen is backing any new build to house both horse racing codes and possibly greyhound racing, too.

"That makes sense if you can make that work because it is a lot more efficient if you can use the facility more regularly and race there more regularly and bring crowds there more regularly so people get to know it and use it all of the time."

The chief executive is not ruling out the possibility of building multiple facilities, possibly in both the North and South Islands. "We need some track infrastructure, particularly in the main horse population areas, that can support racing more reliably over more of the year.

"Its hard because when you start prioritising one place you're, in many people's eyes, de-prioritising another and everyone is very passionate about their own facility."

New facilities can mean that existing tracks may need to go and the clubs that race there need to make some tough decisions about their futures. According to Bennett, those conversations are already happening in the industry.

"There is a firming up of ideas around rationalisation and how to build on the base that is there amongst individual clubs," he said.

"It is really good to see those conversations going on."

Despite the plan for the building of new facilities being in its earliest form and discussions between the three racing codes not having taken place yet, Allen wants to get talks under way as soon as possible.

"Obviously these sorts of initiatives take time, but there is a sense of urgency," Allen said.

"I think everybody is recognising we can't keep on with this, we have got to make some calls as a group and we have got to start making some changes."