Other News
Trentham earmarked for closure under Project Stamina Masterplan
Trentham has been earmarked for eventual closure as a racing venue, while Matamata would transition into a dedicated training and trialling centre under the independent Project Stamina Masterplan released on Monday.
Prepared by consultancy firm RCP and commissioned by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) and Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) with funding from TAB NZ, the Masterplan sets out a long-term blueprint for racing infrastructure across both codes. Released alongside the report is One Equine View, NZTR and HRNZ’s joint response, which supports many of the recommendations while proposing alternative outcomes for a number of venues.
Among the most significant recommendations for the thoroughbred code is the proposed closure of Trentham, one of New Zealand’s four metropolitan racecourses, once replacement infrastructure has been established. The report also recommends Matamata transition from a racecourse into a dedicated training and trialling venue, reflecting its position as one of the country’s premier thoroughbred training centres.
Project Stamina also identifies Rotorua, Gore, Hāwera and Ōamaru for eventual removal from the thoroughbred racing network. The recommendations reinforce the recently announced cessation of racing at Avondale, while Foxton and Te Awamutu are also earmarked to close. Throughout the report, RCP stresses that investment in replacement infrastructure should precede any venue closures or transitions, ensuring regions retain sufficient racing and training capacity before changes are implemented.
While One Equine View supports many of the Masterplan’s recommendations, NZTR and HRNZ have opted against several of the independent report’s proposed venue exits. Te Aroha, Ōtaki, Whanganui, Ashburton and Timaru have all been retained in the industry’s preferred model, while Taupō and Tauherenikau have been upgraded from community to provincial venues. The response also identifies an ongoing role for Rangiora as a thoroughbred training and trialling venue, subject to future work around governance and ownership.
The Waikato remains central to the industry’s long-term planning, with both the Masterplan and One Equine View recognising that the future roles of Te Rapa and Cambridge are linked to the proposed Waikato Greenfields project. Any decisions regarding those venues will be subject to a detailed business case before implementation.
The Masterplan categorises venues across metropolitan, provincial, community and training roles, with the objective of creating a more sustainable national racing footprint that better reflects current horse populations, participant numbers and future investment priorities. Alongside racecourse recommendations, the report places a strong emphasis on strengthening training infrastructure, improving horse welfare, reducing duplication and ensuring capital expenditure is directed towards facilities capable of supporting the industry over the long term.
One Equine View represents the industry’s response to the independent report and outlines how NZTR and HRNZ intend to progress the recommendations. Rather than adopting every proposal, the two codes have identified a staged implementation pathway that includes further consultation, regional planning and detailed business cases before a number of the recommendations are advanced.
To read the full 137 page report, click here. – NZ Racing Desk
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Another Jackpot story
Barry Leabourn writing for the Bay Of Plenty Times – 2018
The Jackpot fever that swept the country nearly five decades ago, had its origins when Bay of Plenty Racing Club Immediate Past President Mr WS Holland returned from a trip to England clutching a little red book entitled – how to run a jackpot.
The Gate Pa racing official attended a race meeting at Goodwood on a wet dismal day and was mystified by the large crowd in attendance. The reason was that one hundred thousand pounds was to be divided up in a jackpot.
Mr Holland took the little red book to an attentive meeting of his fellow committee men. The Committee and Club Secretary-Manager Ian McEwan saw the possibilities. Tapestry of the Turf written by John Costello and Pat Finnegan, tells us that because the old sweepstake betting which was in vogue before the turn of the (twentieth) century had never be abolished, jackpot betting was legal as long as the entire pool was redistributed to the investors. In other words, neither the government nor the club could take a cut.
The Bay of Plenty Racing Club officials could see that if a jackpot pool built up to sufficient proportions, the hugely increased patronage would bring increased course turnover. It was not all plain sailing, with legalities to be looked at and the law and those in higher places to be convinced. The police and other authorities breathed heavily down the back of the enterprising Tauranga committee and a keen and vigilant eye were kept on proceedings.
When the Bay of Plenty jackpot kicked off on the 22nd March 1969 at the Gate Pa course, with a modest pool of $733, few could have imagined the jackpot fever that would grip the countries punters, until outlawed during the 1973/74 racing season.
National print, television and radio headlines were created, when Te Aroha carrier Peter Moran scooped the pool at the Matamata Racing Club winter meeting on the 1th July 1970. Moran won scored a massive $482,687 return for an outlay of just two dollars giving Te Aroha more publicity that it had enjoyed for years.
The cynics were wagging their heads when Moran outlaid $25,000 for unbeaten two year old Panzer Chief. The jackpot winner had the last laugh, with Panzer Chief trained by John Revell at Te Aroha, winning 10 races in his three year old season to finish second on the three-year-old free handicap behind the season champion, Kirrama.
Te Puna punter, David Borrell, scooped a massive $276,433.20 at Te Awamutu races on the 31st July 1971. The Maori All Black had written his name into Bay of Plenty Rugby history, when he scored all the Bays points against the 1921 Springboks, in the Boks 17-9 win at Arawa Park in Rotorua.
Local author and grandson Tommy Kapai Wilson said “My grandfather and Uncle Darcy made an early start to be on course to chase the big pot at the Taumarunui Racing Club meeting. My grandfather was an astute punter who worked out his numbers well before arriving on course. He gave away most of the jackpot win to family ensuring that all his children had freehold homes”.
The 1971 jackpot winners were, Fountain Gold (rider – Keith Opie) Paint (David Peake) Fairscott (Gordon Colvin) Fair Swap (John Molloy) Just Laddie (Graham McLeish) and Sakata (Bob Skelton).There was a Western Bay of Plenty connection to race two, with the winner Paint owned and trained by Tom Magee at Mount Maunganui.
Controversy took centre stage after the running of the last race at the biggest pot in the country. The Taumarunui Racing Club meeting at Te Awamutu on the 29 July 1972 saw a mammoth $831,564 up for grabs. The day ended in turmoil when Nelsonian, who was first horse past the post in the last race of the jackpot, was relegated. Protracted court action took place before the payout was finally made on the official placings on the day.
The drawing power of the big pots was shown with an estimated crowd of thirty thousand punters, with cars camped outside the course the previous evening. On and off course betting climbed to over $1 million dollars which was a new record for a country racing club.
Tapestry of the Turf tells us that the popularity of the sweepstake jackpots spelt their end. Treasury was chagrined at receiving no gaming tax. While the clubs reaped the benefit through increased turnover and gate receipts – police and the racecourse inspectors were concerned at the security problems posed by such large amounts of untraceable cash in one place and the hand written forms were a temptation for forgery.
John says “Barry Leabourn is a Fortuna client and a lover of racing history – as a freelance journalist, he wrote a number of racing stories for the Bay Of Plenty Times between 2013 and 2018 – Barry also sent me the picture below – this is the winning ticket filled out by Dave Borrell and the payment made by cheque (you have got to love the “good old days” don’t you) – note that in today’s money, $276k is $4.8m – I found the ticket interesting – remember that all of these tickets had to be completed by hand and handed over the counter to the tote operator and paid for in cash – it looks like Dave Borrell outlaid $50 to win the $276k”
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Guest Commentator – Des Coppins
Greetings John and Friday Flash readers
On Tuesday the “Project Stamina” paper was released to the industry and people are telling me that already the social media platforms are in overdrive. There’s so much to analyse. As I mentioned last week in this column, some 19 galloping venues have been de-licensed in the last 50 years but are we better off with their demise?
For what it is humbly worth, I am happy to give my thoughts on the paper in due course in this column but right now is not the time. I need to read it a few times but even then I’ll be like everyone else probably asking a series of questions. Maybe it’s not fair to pass judgement on Project Stamina without scrutinising it fully but as a colleague highlighted this week we’ve already digested in years past, the Finlay Royal Commission report; the McCarthy Royal Commission report; the One Racing and the Messara Report and only in small cases have we gained much from them.We’re all passionate about this business and we want to see the right moves going forward. However, in the last few days I’ve had a good number of phone calls from a good cross section of racing people and its fair to say that there’s clearly a fair amount of emotion and sensitivity with so many questions that need answers from this NZTR consultancy type report. Us diehards will recall when the NZ Racing Conference ( ex NZTR) was set up by the Racing Clubs to do what’s best for the industry in a collective form. How times have changed?
In the meantime whatever branch of the racing industry extends to your good self from Project Stamina make certain you stand up for what you believe is right!
SHINES BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND
We all have to be in awe of Diamond Jak. He’s been the ultimate unsung winter hero for at least the last three years and his consecutive Taumarunui Gold cup win deserves nothing but huge applause simply because of the weight he carried. If you go though the record books and look at those top winter gallopers who mastered heavy weights, not many, if any, can compete with Diamond Jak. On Saturday at Te Rapa he shouldered 62gs.That’s massive and almost unheard of.
If you put things into perspective and think about the premier winter handicap races of the past, I guess the Taumarunui Cup has always been top tier and before their fall from grace, the Cornwall Handicap at Ellerslie and the Parliamentary at Trentham were also right up there. When I think of former weight carrying stars over the last 30 years Deb’s Mate comes to mind. He was a multiple winter handicap winner with back to back Cornwall wins lumping 61kgs in one of them. Back in the day on the Parliamentary front, Kumai was arguably the pin up boy. He lumped. 9 stone 7 pounds (60.3kgs) to victory in the mud at Trentham when the minimum weights were a lot lower than they are today. Take a bow Diamond Jak!
A LONG TIME BETWEEN DRINKS FOR CARIGNAN
CARIGNAN is named after a bottle of red wine but it’s been a long time in the cellar for this Kevin Myers runner. Incredibly he won his first start, a stakes race at Riccarton in the first week of August in 2022 and he looked a serious three year old prospect. It never happened for him. He kept promising to win time and time again and notched up many placings on the flat but the win was elusive. On Sunday at Te Aroha, at his 42nd start and 19 placings, Carignan landed win number two in the Maiden Hurdle! It certainly has been a long time between drinks for him- in fact it’s one week shy of 4 years! Let’s all drink to that!!
A FANTASY FOR THE START OF A NIGHTMARE
OUR thoughts go out to all the people past and present and their beloved dogs as the curtain falls on the greyhound industry.I’ve never been a punter on the greyhounds but I loved watching them race and in my many years on a Sunday afternoon from the radio studios I had a favourite in the form of Swift Fantasy.She did what others simply couldn’t do. She’d drop to the back of the fields every time and amazingly from sometimes in a position of being at least 10 lengths last, she swooped on them with an amazing burst to get the job done. Check out one of her most famous victories HERE – this at Wanganui in 2011
It won’t be an easy time for those who have given their all in their chosen profession in the greyhound industry. It’s an absolute crying shame it has ended this way.
THREE TO FOLLOW FROM TAUMARUNUI
SWEET TORQUER: I liked the way this filly is shaping up for her first win. She ran to the line with purpose in the first race and recorded the quickest last 600 and 400.
FORESTER: after 6 starts and 5 placings this bloke is due. He still does a few things wrong and last Saturday he tended to over race but knuckled down well in the straight to grab third. You won’t have to wait long for the first win.
CHARLBURY: is a rating 75 galloper who jumped a class to compete against the big boys and girls in the Taumarunui Cup. He may have only finished 8th but he was one of the top 4 quickest to the line and back to his own grade he can be backed with confidence.
Good Punting
Des Coppins
021 448 052
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