News

Sunday News, January 6, 2008

Dennis Ryan

The country's racecourses are the place to be this holiday season as New Zealanders have responded to industry initiatives and broken all sorts of attendance records.

The Signs were there in the lead up to the holiday season when a bumper crowd enticed by the Christmas at the Races promotional programme rolled up to Te Rapa on Waikato Times Gold Cup Day.

Industry heads have continued to be gobsmacked as previously unsighted crowds have put racing on their holiday entertainment schedule.

Ellerslie on Boxing Day filled up with high fashion, class gallopers and people just having fun.

Provincial venues haven't missed out either.

The SpringFresh Destiniation Summer Holiday Racing promotion saw Taupo host its biggest ever raceday crowd on December 30, Tauherenikau lived right up to its tradition on January 2, coastal centres Tauranga and Ruakaka were jam-packed last Wednesday and Thursday and, down south, Waikouaiti on New Year's Day and Central Otago's Omakau track hosted big days for gallops and harness.

In her third year as Destination Summer Holiday programme co-ordinator, Janice Hill is pinching herself at the impact her team has made.

"Even allowing that the weather has been kinder to us this year, it's been a fantastic result everywhere," said the NZ Racing Board on-course marketing and events manager.

"The various surveys we've conducted have all pointed to trends that said it would grow, but the level of that growth has suprised us. At this stage we're predicting a 50 percent increase to something like 150,000 people all up.

"Last year 80 percent of those surveyed said they would attend again. Of the adults surveyed, 98 percent had a bet, so what we're seeing now in increased attendances and betting support that."

Hill makes a valid point about the value of the $5 entry fee charged to adults (18 years and over) entering a Summer Destination course.

"I've been working on the gates to gauge the response and people realise that's very cheap entertainment for a family, especially when everything we put on for the children is free.

"The Omakau boys were saying that to go to the cricket in Dunedin the same day cost $30 for adults and $5 for children. That adds up to $70 for a family of four, so you have to like the value we're offering."

In racing's engine room industry bosses can't stop smiling. One impact of the New Zealanders have picked up the racing bug is Friday's announcement by the Auckland Racing Club that it has reset minimum stakes at $40,000 for its three-day Auckland Cup carnival in March, with a total of $2.98 million on offer. That's direct rub off from the club's big Christmas-New Year carnival and indicative of what racing's resurgence means for stakeholders.

Destination Summer Holiday Racing continues at Nelson on Friday and after another 11 fixtures will conclude at Tauherenikau on Waitangi Day. Two Ford Focus cars remain in the Summer SixPack after one was won on-course at Otaki on the weekend and if they're not claimed beforehand they'll have to be won at Tauherenikau.