Rebecca Adlam only started on Monday and one of the club's biggest days of the year, the Melbourne Cup meeting, is next Tuesday.
Adlam has a background in event management and has also been around horses all her life.
She was born and bred in Ashburton and her brother is Simon Adlam, a harness racing trainer.
''I remember the fun days we used to have up at the Methven races, lying on the ground and having a family picnic,'' she said.
Adlam moved to Dunedin about 15 years ago and worked at the University of Otago and also for the Otago Rugby Football Union.
She worked in events at the Dunedin Casino which she said was a lot of fun and involved plenty of time at race meetings.
Events management was her thing and the Wingatui course and buildings was a beautiful setting. The site was ideal for holding events and not just the track, which she said was in pristine condition.
''There is plenty of parking, no near neighbours so they won't get upset with the noise. The views are great and the weather can be great.''
Wingatui was a fantastic venue and the club needed to capitalise on it.
Adlam, who is in her mid-40s, replaces Hannah Catchpole, who left for a position with a yacht club in Melbourne.
''Racing is a tough, tough industry but has some very passionate people involved in it and some of the best people there are.
''I'm pretty happy just to sit back for a while and let all the pre-planned events play out ... I do not want to move it away from a racing experience. If it is not broken then why fix it?''
The course was looking good for the Melbourne Cup meeting and all the usual attractions were in place. All she was waiting for was the good weather to arrive.
