Both the Otago Racing Club and Gallop South lobbied hard following the release of the draft calendar and gained some small victories to ensure regular thoroughbred racing in the region.
Otago Racing Club chief executive Andre Klein said the club was initially disappointed with the 13 licences. However, further investigation suggested the dates were on par with similar clubs around the country.
''It's consistent with what other significant clubs around the country have got, so we haven't been poorly treated in that sense against other clubs,'' Klein said.
The club did notice a large gap in April and May and actively sought another date, which resulted in a licence for April 22, a Wednesday.
''We noticed there was a 52-day gap between April and May with no racing at Wingatui and there was a 32-day gap in the Otago-Southland region where there was only seven flat-racing opportunities, which was unacceptable.
Klein does harbour concerns about the placement of ''industry'' days near major racing dates in the lower South Island.
''With all the major race days, whether it's Melbourne Cup day [at Wingatui], the Invercargill Christmas meeting [on December 13] and Cromwell, there are now industry days in close proximity to those feature meetings. I think they can have a big effect on horse numbers at those vital race days.
''We need to funnel the horses into those major race days.''
Gallop South chief executive Malcolm Little said the clubs run under the Gallop South banner had one day fewer than last year, but the outcome was positive overall.
''We had to do a lot of work with submissions and we also got [New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing chief executive] Greg Purcell down here for a one-on-one with him and the clubs that had issues,'' Little said.
The clubs and Gallop South had looked for other options, after further dates looked set to be stripped.
''With submissions, it's all very well complaining, but you need to have some form of alternative, and we did come up with that. We thrashed it out at a meeting and we were lucky enough to get their support for a majority of them, so we'd have to be reasonably happy on the outcome.''
Among the ''wins'' for Gallop South clubs is the move back to Sunday for the Great Western meeting at Riverton, which was held yesterday.
Another date was secured for the Winton Jockey Club after the draft calendar had the club running just one meeting next season.
The other positive result from the submissions was the switch of Central Otago and Greymouth dates. The draft had Greymouth moving to January 3, two days after Waikouaiti's New Year's Day meeting and two days prior to the Central Otago Racing Club meeting which had been moved from January 3 to January 5.
''It was a no-brainer in my book, really,'' Little said.
''We did have submissions from the jockeys' association and the trainers association which did back us on that one.''
The Greymouth meeting will be on January 4 next year, but will move to January 5 from 2016, thereby easing problems for jockeys and trainers travelling to Greymouth from Omakau.
A swap was made between the Southland and Gore clubs, after Gore had lost a day and Southland had gained one.
The Forbury Park Trotting Club largely has the status quo, with 23 Forbury Park licences, along with the regular Tuapeka Harness Racing Club meeting on the Sunday of Labour Weekend.
One slight change is a Wednesday date in mid-December, but otherwise, the club is looking to build on the success of the Easter Thursday meeting this year.
''It's basically the same. We hope to have the 4- and 5yr-old championship and two sires' stakes [races] on the Thursday before Easter which worked well this year,'' Forbury Park Trotting Club acting general manager Ken Dempster said.
The Tuapeka meeting will be a stand-alone meeting this year, with the Otago Greyhound Racing Club meeting moved a week early to October 19.
