Murray Fish

*Best* small to medium Club in NZ Lead by a President who bats on the front foot!

No Anderton horses in at Kurow.

No Cant horses in, a couple from Timaru... distance? Chch to Riverton 594km

They know all about 'cutting their cloth to suit!', one of the D Bros was proud to tell me that they had brought land elsewhere! They are very aware of their connection to their local community! lol, they still have plenty of land they can sell off! the are privileged where the track is! Easy my Fav Club! When were you last their @Chief Stipe 'we' are planning to be on course there for their Big Cup meeting in Feb!

I be thinking that they actually have that sort of thing covered! I believe the next big challenge is the closing down of the Dogs, various people worked across the codes, the unbidden from that is still to play out...

They once had 7000+ at a 'Sunday trail meeting' back in the 70's. a few weeks ago 5000 on course... "Organisers estimate about 5500 people turned out for last Saturday’s races, which they said continued to grow in popularity." https://www.odt.co.nz/southland/southland-express/festive-feel-fashion-fans

Racing club's $750k punt that's still paying out 17 years on “It is a big outlay, and a risk, because it is too expensive to insure against a loss, so if we slipped on a banana skin, it could be catastrophic." Logan Savory Dec 10, 2025 Southland Racing Club president Sean Bellew says its annual Christmas at the Races meeting costs the club $750,000 to put on. That’s a number not for the faint-hearted, let alone a small sporting club with limited resources. “It is a big outlay, and a risk, because it is too expensive to insure against a loss, so if we slipped on a banana skin, it could be catastrophic,” Bellew says. “We haven’t had an abandonment at Ascot Park for over five years, and I don’t want to tempt fate. “I have so much confidence in our track manager and his protocols.” Get more from Logan Savory in the Substack app Available for iOS and Android Get the app Year after year, for 17 years, the public has continued to turn up in big numbers and remains the Southland Racing Club’s “hay-making day”, in terms of the money it brings in. Bellew says on a good day, Christmas at the Races provides about a $120,000 in profit for the club, with the majority of that coming from the hospitality offerings, rather than punting. “I would say that 40% of the people there have their backs to the track. They are there catching up with friends and family. “We expect that and understand that. We don’t expect to convert 100% of them into race participants.” That $120,000 or so profit that is made from the Christmas at the Races meeting is vital in helping prop up the club for the rest of the season. It is used to help fund a portion of the club’s stake money at other meetings. That it is important for the health of the southern thoroughbred industry, Bellew says. Southland Racing Club president says profits from Christmas at the Races help boost the club’s stake money for the rest of the season. There are 3500 pre-booked tickets for this Saturday’s Christmas at the Races meeting, including those in close to 100 marquees. “It just never gets old… I would have thought it would work its way through its shelf life, but we keep working away at it, and it manifests in front of you each year.” “It’s been 17 years, and it keeps staying at capacity.” Why does Bellew believe Invercargill’s Christmas at the Races has held onto its appeal for so long? “It’s the colour and the pageantry. I think it’s the glamour… I watch people walk onto the course, and they have put in a huge effort. “It is the best-dressed public event in Southland… We are talking glitz and glamour.” Southland Racing Club president Sean Bellew believes it’s the glamour attached to Christmas at the Races which is why the event has remained popular for 17 years. The event doesn’t just provide the racing industry with a handy financial boost; it is also an economic winner for the city as a whole. Last year, only Stag Day surpassed Christmas at the Races, as far as an ILT trading day. “We’d have to inject seven figures into the economy, because you’ve got to buy a dress, then you get your makeup done, and your hair done, and fake tans, and of course the boys follow and buy a shirt and a tie,” Bellew says. Race 1 on Saturday is scheduled for 12.40pm, which is the first of nine races. The last race of the day is scheduled to jump at 5.20pm.

A once great raceday... ‘Glamping’ at the races: taking in on-track action great cure for Christmas excess By John Lewis Parker Hood, 3, of Ashburton, and Honey the dog enjoy some time in the sun together at the Boxing Day Races at Wingatui yesterday. PHOTOS: GERARD O’BRIEN Christmas dinner leftovers, a bit of sunshine and some horse racing — what better way to recover from a festive hangover? Zara Hood came all the way from Ashburton with her family to spend the Christmas break with her extended family in Mosgiel. But rather than just stay at her parents’ house, they all decided to go "glamping" in a holiday bus in the Wingatui Raceway carpark, so they could all go to the Boxing Day Races and still enjoy all the comforts of home. Some of the 600 racegoers who travelled to Wingatui yesterday. "There could be worse ways to recover from Christmas Day," she said. "I didn’t have a hangover — I learned that lesson a long time ago — but there may be one or two people in our family nursing a sore head today. "And I suspect a few more hangovers tomorrow." Joe Gordon, of Mosgiel, and Steph Davids, of Christchurch, work out the form of the horses for the next race. She said the on-track action was a great way to take people’s minds off their bloated bellies and aching heads. In between grazing on Christmas leftovers, she had been ducking back and forth to place bets on the horses. "I’ve learnt a lot off my husband about horse racing," she said. "His parents actually had a few racehorses that they’ve done pretty well with up in Ashburton. Enjoying the action are (from left) Luka Mitchell, 9, cousin Hazelle Verburg, 8, Scott Verburg and Julie McKenzie, all of Mosgiel. "I haven’t had any wins yet but if I do, it will probably go towards a nice midyear holiday. "Anything to contribute to that would be great," she said. The Hood family were among about 600 people who revelled in the action of the last racing event of the year at Wingatui.

here? https://racingintegrityboard.org.nz/search-decisions

I stuck to my knitting! One bet for me! Vegas Queen! loved seeing the yellow&black $$$ flooding in! I held off and bet! then bet again when she drifted! Nice Mare, well place and ridden! with thanks!

Seven years since the passing of John Tannehill.

Heavy rain now predicted to arrive at 5pm..

actually, they will be the races I give the most study to.

what a interesting fella he was! ps, re AK weather, Massive rain predicted for around 4pm...

how time flies!