Another massive season of harness racing looms in the south with the dates for 2024/2025 announced recently.
The Christmas and the New Year holiday period always feature some of the best dates for patrons to get out and enjoy a day at the races. Suitable dates for Christmas functions are prevalent with the popular Group 1 Invercargill Cup meeting taking place on Friday, December 20, from 4pm. Already bookings are coming in for hospitality spaces and marquees on that date.
Should that date not suit, the Invercargill Club will also host twilight meetings on Friday, November 22, and Thursday, November 27. Other dates that fit in the pre-Christmas window include Sunday meetings at Wyndham (November 10) and Winton (November 17).
Following Christmas, December 27 sees the traditional Gore meeting followed by the Central Otago circuit at Omakau, Roxburgh and Cromwell on January 2, 4 and 6 respectively with plenty of entertainment for families at each. Following on closely is the Northern Southland Trotting Club Cup Day back in Invercargill on Thursday, January 16, from 3.30pm.
There are plenty of other exciting feature events throughout the season with the Hannon Memorial Race Day at Oamaru on Sunday, September 15, while the Tuapeka Harness Racing Club return to Invercargill on the Sunday of Labour Weekend.
This year the Riverton Trotting Club returned to Riverton Racecourse for their major meeting and this is repeated on Sunday, January 26, while the Wairio Trotting Club hold their major day on February 11 at Winton.
Gore’s annual grass track meeting follows at Gore a week later while the Northern Southland Trotting Club return to Ascot Park Raceway in Invercargill on Saturday, March 8. Wyndham’s biggest days at their home course, Young Quinn Raceway, are on Saturday, March 15, and Sunday, March 30, with Winton’s Cup Day in the middle of that on Saturday, March 22 .
Wyndham will also take two meetings to Cromwell in February again.
Diamonds Day, the culmination of many of the region’s top series, is again in April at Invercargill on Sunday, April 27.
The season begins at Winton on Thursday, August 1, and ends at the same venue on Thursday, July 17.
Anyone wishing to receive a copy of the calendar or wishing to discuss sponsorship and/or hospitality and marquee bookings can contact Southern Harness Racing’s Promotions officer Lindsay Beer on 021 351 4999 or at lindsay.beer@xtra.co.nz
