Racing: Merger to form super club looks strong bet

Auckland Racing Club chief executive Paul Wilcox. Photo / Trish Dunell

Auckland thoroughbred racing bosses are confident they have the numbers to form a new super club in a merger crucial to the racing industry's future.

This week looms as one of the most important in New Zealand racing history as members of the Counties Racing Club and Auckland Racing Club will vote on whether they will merge to form Auckland Thoroughbred Racing, the name being given to the potential new entity.

Counties members will vote on whether to merge with the much larger Auckland club at a special meeting at their Pukekohe racetrack at 7pm tomorrow, and if they agree to go ahead, Ellerslie members will vote at their meeting at 4.30pm on Thursday.

If they merge, the new club will have considerable assets they can sell, lease or develop and expect to work closely with the Avondale Jockey Club, who are likely to stop racing at West Auckland in five years and move their activities to Ellerslie while retaining the club's identity.

The three clubs working together could eventually have over $250 million invested and enormously boost stakes in the northern area, with a goal to have an average stake of $100,000 per race at Ellerslie, which is almost certain to install a new StrathAyr track.

That sort of stake level will be the saviour of thoroughbred racing in the North Island and stem the flow of horses and horsepeople offshore as well as rekindle the breeding and sales industry.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing is set to announce decent stake increases this week after higher payout forecasts from TAB NZ but their incremental increases are nothing like what a new mega club in Auckland could achieve.

CRC president Mark Chitty expects about 120 of their 370 members at their meeting tomorrow and says the early indications are positive.

"I think our members appreciate how hard the participants in the industry are doing it and this is the only way to make real change," says Chitty.

"So we are confident they will vote for the merger, especially as racing will still continue at Pukekohe."

Auckland Racing Club boss Paul Wilcox also expects a big turnout of members at Thursday's meeting at Ellerslie and says while there has been plenty of discussion and questions from members wanting clarity on certain issues, the ARC is confident the merger will be voted in.

"We have been really transparent with our members and tried to answer every possible question but I believe the benefits of the merger speak for themselves," says Wilcox.

"It is an exciting week and we hope the start of an exciting new era for racing not only in the north but in New Zealand."

If approved the new, albeit clunkily-named, Auckland Thoroughbred Racing will be formed on August 1 in time for the new racing season.