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Bit Of A Yarn

Grass harness meetings in North Island?


Horace

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So now there don't appear to be any..ever? Is that it? Who decided that, sure wasn't the trainers who used to support meetings on grass tracks. I'm told-by a trainer-'that the reason is track managers at galloping tracks objected to harness meetings as their tracks were ' damaged'. Just don't believe that myself. When you've got tracks like Te Awamutu, Thames, Te Teko etc that have been given the DCM by NZ Thoroughbred Racing, why can't they be utilised for harness meetings? Same down in the CD surely...Take a track like Te Teko where I've been to once or twice. Not too far to travel to, how would a 2 day meeting spread over 3 days go there? Heaps of room for overnight stays, plenty of facilities. good tie-ups...can't see any reason why such a meeting wouldn't be supported...? Looks to me that harness racing in the North Island is on a downwards spiral, need some thinking ' outside the square' to get people interested...Just my opinion.

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  • 4 weeks later...

No one replied to this Horace,

Thinking grass track racing in North may just make a comeback ... ,

That just guess as from the very first draft initial cut to now,

eg Manawatu, think a couple mini grass Otaki, Boxseat, & now radio have all made there way back.

So going by that indication, one would think that they would be pushing for more grass racing in future in North .... ?

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1 hour ago, Karrots said:

No one replied to this Horace,

Thinking grass track racing in North may just make a comeback ... ,

That just guess as from the very first draft initial cut to now,

eg Manawatu, think a couple mini grass Otaki, Boxseat, & now radio have all made there way back.

So going by that indication, one would think that they would be pushing for more grass racing in future in North .... ?

We we do tend to go around in circles here.

As I've stated before those mini meetings at Manawatu show the horse population is still there for harness in the North Island,but the administrators need a good kick in the hole to get something done,those short circuits popular in the South, no reason why not in the north,Taranaki at Easter is a bit of a loss but no reason why no mini meetings at lots of those gallop meetings,it's not like they are bulging with numbers,if it works at new year,why not more?

It don't really matter so much about the public turning up,lots of meetings attract stuff all people,it's more about the owners and trainers.

Incidentally,the Taranaki,Hawera and Wellington cups have all been or are going to be held this season,it is true that the covid stuffed up a lot of scheduling last year.

Does anybody have any idea what the calandar for next season is shaping up as?

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On 3/20/2021 at 11:59 AM, mikeynz said:

Incidentally,the Taranaki,Hawera and Wellington cups have all been or are going to be held this season,it is true that the covid stuffed up a lot of scheduling last year.

Does anybody have any idea what the calandar for next season is shaping up as?

No idea there Mikey, but think the 2 grass track days at Hawera would be great to get back in full without a mini-meeting.

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16 hours ago, Taku Umanga said:

Apparently Hawera has been given a two day meeting 18 and 20 January 2022 (Tuesday / Thursday).

I think the most important thing is to not have a overkill of full meetings,the numbers of horses is not high,getting a good spread of race days is the key here,but I think from a harness racing perspective wouldn't it be good if they had at least one day,as in dual code or in some cases full meetings at New Plymouth,Wanganui,Trentham,and Hastings,after all it's not like the galloping codes is flush for numbers either,they had a duel code meeting at Wingatui yesty,Otago anniversary day,judging by field sizes neither would have done much on their own so it actually compliments each other.

You often think that racing on the big gallop track is a bit of a second best case scenario but in reality judging by turnovers on grass track courses are actually more popular from a betting perspective than the all weather many times,in some cases things are turning full circle,Waterlea and Gore are on grass,they seem to do ok.

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37 minutes ago, eljay said:

This in annual report of Stratford ClubMay be an image of text

Thanks for sharing Eljay,

That is sad & disappointing for them. At first I thought it read 2nd highest turnover in North Island, then re-read & saw word (Lower) North Island. 

At least they are not giving up the fight. 

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