It appears there really is no reason why Dunedin's Forbury
Park Trotting Club cannot make a bid for New Zealand's
richest raceday.
The club's new general manager, Paul Knowles, wants the club
to be ready to bid for the $1.5 million Harness Jewels in
five years.
The club would first have to "seriously consider" how to
improve its ageing buildings, but the Jewels remained a
realistic goal.
"I can't see a reason why we can't put in a bid for the
[Harness] Jewels ..." Mr Knowles said.
"We would be an attractive proposition. We're in a major
urban centre and we have a very good track. If we got our
bottles in a row, I think it would be worth a go.
"A Jewels takes two years to plan, and something like that
could be considered for our future, but we won't get very far
if we can't attract the races and the sponsors because our
buildings aren't suitable."
The Jewels is a one-day series of nine races featuring the
highest stake earning age-group pacers and trotters in New
Zealand.
The right to host the event alternates each year between the
North and South Islands.
It is at present held in Cambridge and in Ashburton, which
held the first series in 2007.
Harness Racing New Zealand communications manager, Andrew
Morris, confirmed other clubs could bid for the Jewels, and
that a shift could not be ruled out.
However, a South Island club would have to present a
compelling case to the Harness Racing New Zealand Board to
move the Jewels from Ashburton.
Forbury's bid would be strengthened if its facilities were
improved, but hosting the Jewels could start to repay the
club's investment.
"Getting a 5000-strong crowd over the course of an event and
making Forbury Park somewhere people want to visit for a good
time could increase participation and even be good for the
city.
"But it needs to be able to cater for 5000 people, and cater
well to them, and that's where they wouldn't want their bid
to come unstuck."
Like Mr Knowles, Mr Morris acknowledged the recession meant
it was difficult for clubs to find the money to make
significant capital investments.
The drive to improve on-course revenue, sponsorship and
corporate support meant some in the industry wanted
Cambridge's Jewels sent to Auckland.
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