Night trotting at Forbury in doubt

Forbury Park dominates the foreground in this 2017 aerial view of Dunedin's south coast. PHOTO:...
Forbury Park. PHOTO: GERARD O'BRIEN
The curtain may be about to come down on night trotting at Forbury Park.

A draft of the new racing calendar is set to be released in the next couple of days and it is believed Forbury Park has missed out on holding any meetings next season.

The new season starts on August 1.

The Racing Industry Transition Authority, which runs the TAB, is seeking to slash 30% of its workforce and is cutting costs to stay afloat, and it is believed to have given the thumbs down to racing at Forbury Park and also Manawatu.

The St Kilda track was set to hold 20 meetings this season but lost more than half of them when the decision was made to move meetings because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It last hosted a race meeting in early March.

Racing started at Forbury Park in 1870, harness racing followed in 1909 and lights were installed in 1960.

Forbury Park chief executive Della Henderson said last night the calendar was only a draft and up for consultation.

A meeting with Harness Racing New Zealand chief executive Peter Jensen was set for today.

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