Lex Williams. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH Harness racing stalwart Lex Williams fears scheduling changes are effectively a ‘‘death knell’’ for an Otago club. The Forbury Park Trotting Club has been given just two meetings in the 2026-27 calendar. One will be at Wyndham, two hours away from Dunedin, and one at a venue to be confirmed. The club, which has been without its own ground since Forbury Park closed in 2021, has had three race dates in 2025-26, including a meeting at Gore last Sunday and the pre-Christmas dual-code meeting with the Beaumont Racing Club at Wingatui. It is the loss of the dual-code meeting, in particular, that has riled Williams and led him to predict a grim future for the 134-year-old club. ‘‘Things aren’t looking that flash,’’ he told the Otago Daily Times. ‘‘New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing are saying they don’t want us at Wingatui any more. ‘‘I’ve written to ask if it’s a one-off or if it is permanent, and I haven’t had the decency of a reply. ‘‘It’s a disaster for us. There is nowhere else for us to go. We’re two hours from virtually anywhere. ‘‘It’s probably a death knell.’’ Williams acknowledged there was an element of futility about a club trying to keep going despite not having a regular venue and at a time when the wider New Zealand racing industry was facing a litany of challenges. But he maintained Forbury Park could retain its status if it was allowed to race at Wingatui. ‘‘Wingatui is there to be used, and there is pressure for the two racing codes to get closer, so I don’t understand it. ‘‘We could offer another two race days at Wingatui and pay to hire their track, and it keeps the racing local.’’ The club had offered free buses for members to go to meetings at other tracks but the reality was most did not want to have to travel so far, Williams said. He also fired a broadside at Forbury Park’s parent organisation. Harness Racing New Zealand had ‘‘put the screws in’’ over the scheduling of race meetings. ‘‘They’ve let us down by not sticking up for us and not fighting for us.’’ HRNZ had thumbed its nose at Forbury Park by allocating the Dunedin club’s December 6 race day to Ashburton, Williams said. Forbury Park and HRNZ had to spend time around the arbitration table after the club’s venue was sold to the Dunedin City Council for $13.2 million in 2024. Williams said Forbury Park’s share was $1.5 million, which was ring-fenced by HRNZ with the interest coming back to the club, and he was anxious to see the bulk of the funds were poured back into southern harness racing if Forbury Park was eventually wound up. HRNZ said in a statement the venue for Forbury Park’s second meeting in 2026-27 was at the club’s discretion. Losing the dual-code meeting at Wingatui was ‘‘disappointing’’. The organisation was keen to maintain Forbury Park’s presence at the track but ‘‘thoroughbred requirements of that venue didn’t cater for harness racing as it did the previous year’’. The fact Forbury Park had retained two dates indicated there was still a future for the club, HRNZ said. General manager of racing Mitch Lamb said the decision to remove the dual-code meeting at Wingatui from the racing calendar was not made “unilaterally” by NZTR. “NZTR’s role is to work with clubs, Harness Racing New Zealand and the TAB NZ Dates Committee to facilitate the development of the racing calendar,” Lamb said. “In relation to the December meeting, NZTR took the view that retaining the date would impact the track renovation and maintenance period required ahead of Wingatui’s key summer race days. “That approach was supported through the calendar development process, and NZTR is currently working with Harness Racing New Zealand on alternative scheduling options.” hayden.meikle@odt.co.nz
