In late August, Australian racing administrator John Messara delivered a damning report into the state of racing, saying the industry had to undergo massive change to survive.
Among his recommendations was the outsourcing of the TAB’s commercial activities to an international operator, reducing the number of thoroughbred racetracks from 48 to 28 and constructing three all-weather tracks — at Cambridge, Awapuni and Riccarton.
Seven tracks in the South were ear-marked for closure: Timaru, Kurow, Oamaru, Waimate, Omakau, Winton and Gore.
Southern racing clubs have all put in submissions along with Gallop South and, not surprisingly, there appears to be little support for the changes.
Oamaru Jockey Club president John Foley said his club was against the changes and questioned where meetings would be held in winter if bad weather intervened. Oamaru had helped out other clubs in the winter when their tracks had not been suitable for racing on.
He questioned how accurate financial projections put forward in the Messara report were. Foley said 37% of all those who went to race meetings were South Islanders yet the South Island courses were the hardest hit in the report.
There was also the question of how money from the Government’s provincial growth fund could be spent on an all-weather track in a city like Christchurch.
A meeting took place in Oamaru on October 4 to discuss the report, attended by representatives of all racing clubs in the South Island.
Central Otago Racing Club president Tony Lepper said he had put in a submission on the day submissions opened.
The club desperately wanted to keep its date of January 3, which was well supported. He said if the authorities tried to take the assets of the racing club, that would led to protests in the streets.
He has spoken to more than half a dozen MPs and many were sympathetic to the club’s plight.
Otago Racing Club president Stephen Grant said the racing was needed in the South to keep trainers and jockeys in the area. If all racing went to Christchurch and its all-weather track, trainers would move away from the South.
A Department of Internal Affairs spokeswoman said yesterday a little over 900 submissions had been received. Information on what would happen next would be released next week.
• The Otago Racing Club has appointed Rebecca Adlam as its new general manager. Adlam, who has worked for the Otago Rugby Football Union, and Dunedin Casino, takes over from Hannah Catchpole, who moved to a job in Melbourne. Adlam starts on October 29.
