More work needed to be done before a decision could be made to proceed with a feasibility study into siting all three racing codes at Wingatui racecourse, New Zealand Racing Board chief executive Graeme Hansen said in Dunedin last night.
Mr Hansen was speaking after a meeting with Gallop South and Forbury Park Trotting Club representatives, at which the idea of a feasibility study was discussed.
Racing commitments pre-vented Otago Greyhound Racing Club representatives from attending the meeting.
They put forward their views through the Forbury Park club.
Mr Hansen described the meeting as constructive, with participants showing a willingness to think positively about the racing industry and where it might be in 20 to 25 years' time.
The racing board was keen to see more efficient use of industry assets because there was much capital involved in running any racecourse.
It would pick up the tab for feasibility studies if parties agreed that was what they wanted to explore, he said.
Mr Hansen said he had no idea how much such a study, if agreed to, might cost and how long it might take.
A decision could be made before Christmas on the study, but before that, the three codes would need to work together to define what the study should achieve.
One of the ideas which might be explored was having a double-sided grandstand on the site of the existing grandstand and building a trotting track on the adjacent car park, but Mr Hansen said there could be several options looked at.
Asked if the representatives had expressed concerns at yesterday's meeting, Mr Hansen said they were not so much concerns as questions - " clearly there are lots of questions. That's neat."
Speaking before the meeting, Forbury Park Trotting club chief executive Ian Woodhouse said the club was prepared to participate in a feasibility study.
