Tapanui

[Ludwig]

I drove through the town once. That was enough.

Anyone got any memories, good or bad, of the old Tapanui racecourse. Any particularly good horses race there?

[mikeynz]

4 hours ago, Ludwig said:

I drove through the town once. That was enough.

Anyone got any memories, good or bad, of the old Tapanui racecourse. Any particularly good horses race there?

Never been there but I remember on the turf digest the diagram of the track, it had a very short home straight for some strange reason, someone will know.

[Doomed]

Here's a bit of info about them. The grandstand still looks in better nick than many about the place.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/118235418/gore-to-host-tapanui-racing-clubs-150th-celebrations

[Ludwig]

I see that Princess Melay won the 19

Just now, Doomed said:

Here's a bit of info about them. The grandstand still looks in better nick than many about the place.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/118235418/gore-to-host-tapanui-racing-clubs-150th-celebrations

Thanks. I see that Princess Melay won the 1970 Tapanui cup two starts after winning the NZ cup ...so the place has got something going for it.

[Doomed]

Interesting to note that two of the horses that couldn't get a start in the 65 sprint when heaps of horses were balloted and eliminated managed to win tighter class races on the card, including the Tapanui Cup. Just shows it is a very tough class in the south. Hard enough to get a start in a 65 let alone win one.

[Doomed]

I think the old track was the Moonee Valley of the South with a very short home straight, but a decent enough circumference.

[Freda]

Barrie and Nicky Blatch train from the old track - or they did.  If they have  moved, I'm not aware of it.

[Ludwig]

13 hours ago, Freda said:

Barrie and Nicky Blatch train from the old track - or they did.  If they have  moved, I'm not aware of it.

It appears that they are the driving force behind the club, both holding committee positions. And it's good to see that the course is still being used locally by other groups.

As a sidenote, I see that Chris Waller had a starter in the 1997 Tapanui Cup. Tapanui and Winx, an interesting progression.

[Mustang Kenny]

I remember being in Tapanui visiting my Grandmother - 1972 I think when an unknown horse named Show Gate won her first race.  Commentator said this is a filly with a pretty bright future ... understatement of the century 🙂 

 

[mikeynz]

13 minutes ago, Mustang Kenny said:

I remember being in Tapanui visiting my Grandmother - 1972 I think when an unknown horse named Show Gate won her first race.  Commentator said this is a filly with a pretty bright future ... understatement of the century 🙂 

 

Commentator would have been Bill Cherry?

Edited December 20, 2021 by mikeynz

[Dark Beau]

6 hours ago, Mustang Kenny said:

I remember being in Tapanui visiting my Grandmother - 1972 I think when an unknown horse named Show Gate won her first race.  Commentator said this is a filly with a pretty bright future ... understatement of the century 🙂 

 

I always thought that Show Gate won her first start at Oamaru. 

[Freda]

55 minutes ago, Dark Beau said:

I always thought that Show Gate won her first start at Oamaru. 

Pretty sure you're right...I was at Oamaru that day.