Talented northern galloper Highlad just gets up to win last season's HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas.
Talented northern galloper Highlad just gets up to win last season's HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas.
A rescheduling of dates and unsettled weather have conspired against the Wanganui Jockey Club's annual spring meeting on Saturday.
Traditionally held on the first Saturday in September, the meeting tis year has been sandwiched between the first two days of the higher profile Hawkes Bay triple crown carnival.
The firstday of the Hawkes Bay carnival was last Saturday and the second day is in a fortnight and with both those programmes catering for three-year-old thoroughbreds, Wanganui appears left out in the cold.
The $50,000 Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas has attracted just 7 entries, while the $50,000 Listed The O'Leary Fillies Stakes has nine runners and it could be argued they are not the cream of the three-year-old national crop this season.
The draft dates released earlier this year initially had the Wanganui spring meeting set down for a Sunday this season, but widespread concern and subsequent lobbying from all corners of the industry convinced the powers that be to retain a Saturday programme.
"We are grateful to have retained the Saturday date thanks to all the support we received, but it is disappointing the rescheduling of actual Saturdays has us squeezed us in between the first two days of the Hawkes Bay triple crown. Combined with the wet weather we've had around the country this has all has conspired against us," WJC operations manager Bret Field said.
"We have put up $260,000 in stakes for our spring meeting and host our annual Punter of the Year competition with a $2000 prize up for grabs and the undercard isn't too bad at all. The Foxton Cup and the open sprint are good even fields and will be a great attraction to racegoers."
Racing kicks off with the first two-year-old race of the season nationwide at 12.22pm and the final event is carded for 4.34pm.
