``The dates committee was instructed to allocate dates, especially Saturdays, with that in mind. If a track like Wanganui in the supporting category had a Saturday date with no black type races carded, that Saturday was to be allocated to a higher rated club. Wanganui had four Saturdays with three featuring black type races. Unfortunately, the October meeting did not have a black type race.
``Traditionally, Otaki only had two Saturdays and Levin one, which was raced at Otaki _ so effectively it had just three and is rated higher than Wanganui.''
Jewell conceded Wanganui had done a sterling job promoting its Hospice Cup meeting, but under the strategic plan that did not come into calculations by the date committee.
``Wanganui is rated one of the tracks in the supporting category, but under the framework of the strategic plan the October Saturday date didn't fit.
``Wanganui has until the end of this month to put submissions which will be considered by the NZRB... before the dates are set in concrete, probably in May. If the board thinks there may be mitigating circumstances for Wanganui to retain the date despite the strategic plan directives, then it may reverse the draft schedule,'' Jewell said.
Wanganui jockey Club president Kerry O'Connor said while the club supported the strategic plan in principle, it also believed the impact to a community when dates were removed must come into consideration.
``There is massive support from the Wanganui community for this day. Even non-racing people turn out and over the last six years we have raised in excess of $60,000 for Hospice Wanganui,'' O'Connor said.
``And it's not as easy as it sounds to move our Hospice community day to another of our dates. We already have sponsorship, public awareness and public support for the day in October. ``To move the community day to another date would be a major disruption and in our opinion impact heavily on the charity shown to Hospice by the Wanganui community. ``When we go to the board we will be playing our community services card and highlighting the fact that turnover budgets on that raceday have been met or exceeded - in fact, have been steadily increasing over the past six years,'' O'Connor said.
Submissions in support of the jockey club retaining the date close at 4pm today to allow operations manager Bret Field and his team to collate them before putting them forward for consideration by NZRB.
Submission forms are available on the Hospice Wanganui website (www.hospicewhanganui.org.nz), on the hospice Facebook page, or from the Wanganui Jockey Club office. They can be sent to the jockey club office, or sent to Wanganui Jockey Club, PO Box 15, Wanganui, or emailed to info@wjc.co.nz
