Thoroughbred and harness codes join forces for racing’s future

[Wandering Eyes]

by Michael Guerin

New Zealand’s two equine racing codes are set to join forces to plan for the future of the industry.

The thoroughbred and harness racing codes were once considered staunch rivals because while there is plenty of cross over between owners, punters and even trainers in the two codes, they uses to compete for turnover.

Those days are all but gone, with harness more or less a non factor on thoroughbred racing’s biggest days while both codes benefit from a stronger overall turnover at the TAB.

At the moment racing’s percentage of that TAB profit is also shared with greyhound racing but it is slated for extinction next July, the death sentence handed down by Racing Minister Winston Peters last December.

That is, however, being legally challenged by Greyhound Racing New Zealand, although they may not get their day(s) in court until as late as next March.

The other two codes, thoroughbreds known to many as the “gallops” and harness racing still referred to as “the trots” have announced they will work together on their infrastructure issues and even which tracks may survive the next five years.

Racing’s aging infrastructure is one of its greatest concerns, with abandoned race meetings on tired track, mainly in gallopiing, costing the industry tens of millions in lost turnover and eroding owner and punter confidence.

So New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and Harness Racing New Zealand have launched Project Stamina, which supported by TAB NZ, will work toward answering the infrastructure questions which hang over the industry.

Some of the biggest questions will be around the Waikato Greenfields project, the almost certain closure and sale of Avondale and the troubled Central Districts where Hastings and Awapuni have had serious track problems and Trentham may need a new grandstand they can’t realistically afford.

In harness racing the Auckland region will need a new training track once Franklin Park at Pukekohe is sold and with so many potential projects looming the two codes are better working together, especially when applying for funding from TAB NZ after their legislative net payout from Entain or even asking for government assistance.

Project Stamina’s main purpose is, according to NZTR chief executive Matt Ballesty, to move from “reactive maintenance to long-term, future focused investment.”

What that means is maybe stop fixing tracks that don’t work or will eventually be closed and spend money on the tracks that can be fixed and make long-term financial sense.

Working out which tracks are which, overcoming parochial bias and building a cohesive and affordable plan is a mammoth undertaking.

Ballesty and HRNZ boss Brad Steele say that plan to use consultants for initial leg work but are quick to emphasise that their boards will be making the final decisions, with input from TAB NZ and the new TAB Advisory Committee, which contains some of New Zealand racing’s biggest players.

Working together makes sense for the two codes as it ensures a sharing of information and what each code hopes to achieve, especially important as they already share some venues and could end up working together on others, especially any Greenfields projects

“We have reached a critical point that calls for bold decision making,” says Ballesty.

“Project Stamina is about making the necessary decisions to ensure our infrastructure supports a thriving future for horse racing in New Zealand.

“Working alongside Harness Racing NZ and TAB NZ, we have a chance to build something enduring and unified.

HRNZ boss Steele echoed Ballesty’s sentiments and sees the potential in code collaboration.

“This is a chance to reshape our future. Collaboration is key to creating venues that serve our people and our sport for generations. It’s time to build infrastructure that matches our industry’s potential,” says Steele.

Project Stamina is supposed to have a “first draft” of what the future of New Zealand racing infrastructure may look like by January.

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