Unsung hero signs off longstanding career

[Wandering Eyes]

Timaru’s Washdyke racecourse is synonymous with some of the iconic names in New Zealand and Australian racing history, however, it’s now timely to reflect on the contribution of one of its unsung heroes, long-time chief executive Paul Hinsley.

The Timaru track is well-known as Phar Lap Raceway, honouring the champion galloper who was bred at nearby Seadown in the mid-1920s. Half a century later another locally-bred horse brought further fame, the Peter South-owned and Pat Corboy-trained Grey Way, who became known as the Washdyke Wonder as he compiled a remarkable record of 51 wins from 164 starts.

Both Phar Lap, whose life-sized bronze statue now adorns the main entranceway to the course, and Grey Way earned immortality with induction to the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame.

While Paul Hinsley might not belong in that illustrious pantheon, his contribution to racing in the South Canterbury region cannot be over-stated. At age 68, last month he brought the curtain down on 40 years at Washdyke, having taken on the role of CEO for the South Canterbury Racing Club, the (now defunct) South Canterbury Hunt and Timaru Harness Racing Club based on the dual-track course.

“My first career was car painter, but that lost its attraction and bookwork appeared more likeable,” Hinsley said. “With my wife Jenny we set up a secretarial service for various businesses, which included operations at the racecourse with me taking care of the financials while she managed events.

“It’s a structure that has worked very well for everyone involved, but with both of us dealing with health issues over the past few years, the time had come for us to step back.”

Much has changed over the past four decades in both codes that utilise Washdyke’s racing and training facilities, from raceday funding and programming to the number of actual racedays – and the threat of closure.

“When the Messara Report was released back in 2018, Phar Lap Raceway was one of the tracks earmarked to close,” Hinsley said. “It took us completely by surprise – we were very disappointed that we were slated for closure.

“It made no sense why a venue that offered so much to the local community as well as the wider racing industry should be closed. We weren’t prepared to accept it, so we went to work to fight it and maintain our position.

“We worked through our local MP who fought a really good fight for us and we made a public submission to Parliament with over 6,000 signatures. We basically spent four years fighting it, but it was worth all the effort when we forced a backdown.”

Hinsley modestly takes his share of the credit for the health in which he is leaving operations at Phar Lap Raceway. “When I began here, the Racing Club relied on the annual TAB payout as its main funding source, but back then that was only sufficient to pay the overdraft.

“The payments and funding systems have changed quite a bit over the years – more regular payments to the clubs, bulk funding of stakes and so on – and I’d like to think that we’ve made the most of that. From where the club was back when I started to now having $500,000 in reserves, I suppose that’s a fairly good indication of the club’s health.”

Change has also manifested itself in the number of race meetings conducted on the course, from a total of 15 to the current four gallops and five harness fixtures. Rationalisation of individual races has also resulted in the loss of black-type status for the South Canterbury Racing Club’s Timaru Cup staged annually on December 28.

“It was a close call when the Pattern Committee were overhauling the country’s stakes races last year and the Timaru Cup lost its Listed status by just one point. It was disappointing, but we still managed to run what is now known as the Timaru Heritage Cup for a stake of $80,000.”

One aspect of club administration that is no longer the domain of gallops club manager is the collation of nominations and acceptances, and Hinsley admits to being a convert for the central bureau system that came into play some 20 years ago.

“I have to confess when it was introduced I was one of the nay-sayers amongst those who thought it would mean clubs losing their identity,” he said. “That never happened, the clubs remained part of the process and now I’m one its biggest fans, it really has streamlined the process.”

While Hinsley’s approach to his role has been through a commercial lens, it still hasn’t stopped him from indulging in racehorse ownership, well aware that any such involvement would be based on having fun rather than making money.

“We bought a stable across the road from the track and had Paul Ayton based there as the resident trainer. We won a lot of races through the second half of the 1990s – 18 one season and more than 50 all up,” he said.

“We won races on our home track with horses like Princess Vain, Money Belt and Innovator, and then there was Miss Paris House, who set an 1100m track record at Riccarton that stood for years. Warwick Coles, the course manager here and also a trainer, also won a race on the track for us with Rent A Gent.

“It’s hard to actually make money out of racing horses, but you can’t beat the excitement of your horse flying down the straight in front.”

Hinsley and his wife will step back from their long-time involvement at Phar Lap Raceway with countless good memories, and gratitude for all those who have helped make their job easier.

“We couldn’t have done all this by ourselves,” he said. “Some of the staff here have been with me all the way through, we’ve had great back-up from a whole lot of people, and not forgetting our own community with sponsorship and other support.”

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