The Central Otago Trotting Club put a promotions grant application to the Vincent Community Board at this week's community board meeting in Alexandra.
Funding was requested to provide 3000 free bottles of water to spectators and a big screen system for the event.
Board members approved funding for the screen but declined an allocation for bottled water, as it did not comply with waste management regulations.
An allocation of $4016.46 was approved for the big screen production.
Last year, the community board approved funding of the corresponding items for this year's event.
The annual race meeting was the "fifth-biggest" harness meeting in the country with a crowd of about 7000 at this year's event.
Central Otago Trotting Club president Graham Sinnamon told board members it is not "just a race meeting but a community event."
The Omakau Racecourse was one of seven tracks in the lower South Island recommended for closure in a 2018 report from Australian racing administrator John Messara.
At the meeting, Mayor Tim Cadogan said he "sympathised with the club's plight but there was no way the board could approve funding for something that was against the law".
