Alexandra Park has been allocated only five meetings until the end of the season in the draft calendar.
Auckland does the leg work to prove horse numbers warrant more racing at the Park
By Barry Lichter • 22 April 2020
The Auckland Trotting Club has produced evidence it can race every week at Alexandra Park, after canvassing most trainers in the north.
The club was disappointed at being allocated only five dates through June and July in the draft calendar released yesterday for the remainder of the season.
Instead of racing most Friday nights, Auckland is set to only alternate weekly with Cambridge on not so lucrative Thursday and Wednesday nights.
ATC vice president Jamie MacKinnon says the calendar places trainers and owners in the north at a clear disadvantage when the numbers support more regular racing.
Jamie MacKinnon … leg work revealed an ample supply of horses in the north.MacKinnon called 28 trainers in the Auckland region to discover how many horses each would have ready to race come June, July and August if training is allowed, as anticipated, once the country moves to alert level 3 on Monday night.
He discovered 97 horses would be fit enough to race in June, enough he says for at least a seven or eight-race card at Alexandra Park every week.
“And in July there’ll be another 75 ready so we’ll be in clover.”
The trainers named a further 48 horses whom they expect to be ready by August and another 11 in September.
“And those figures don’t include 68 new qualifiers. There’ll be one ready in May, 34 in June-July, 21 in July-August and 12 in August-September.”
MacKinnon says he has the details of all horses’ ratings so competitive cards can be assembled.
“Clearly the people who have drawn up this calendar haven’t had information like this. We don’t know who they consulted. I wonder if they even know what the numbers are in Waikato?”
Edward Rennell, chairman of RITA’s dates committee.MacKinnon pointed to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s release yesterday which stated it had contacted 55 trainers nationwide before framing its new season calendar.
MacKinnon says he has no doubt now that, boosted by horses travelling from Waikato, Auckland would be able to regularly programme attractive betting fields.
He favoured mile racing in the early stages which would enable horses to back up more easily.
ATC president Rod Croon would be presenting Auckland’s case to the chairman of RITA’s dates committee Edward Rennell to try to get the draft dates amended, he said.
The closing date for consultation is April 28 and Rennell, formerly CEO at Harness Racing New Zealand for nearly 22 years, said he expected the calendar to be finalised by May 4.
Northern trainers, with the horse numbers they can supply, are:
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Our runners this week
Sunday at Manawatu
What’s Up The Hill, Onyx Shard, Kevin Kline (scratched), Leo Lincoln.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Race 4: Leo Lincoln
5.44pm
“Fergie’s drive on Sunday was perfect, you couldn’t ask for better, and he said the horse was doing his best work in the last 50 metres. Maybe with another 100 metres he might have got there. His gate speed is only OK so I can see him getting crossed here.”
Race 5: Kevin Kline
6.19pm
“Fergie said he did it easily on the first day, and the horse only did what he had to. He’s been racing much nicer horses at Auckland so it was good to get the win, hopefully it will boost his confidence. I’ll leave the tactics up to Fergie but I imagine he’ll probably do the same thing again, loop the field and outstay them.”
Race 6: Onyx Shard
6.54pm
“I was hoping she’d drop down a grade. She’s had some tough trips recently, having to do a lot of work, and it didn’t help being three wide for the last lap on the first day. Also they only walked and sprinted home. She could be better coming with one run at them.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Lincoln Lover
5.33pm
“He had no chance last start when trapped three wide all the way. That won’t happen this time from the inside draw so that gives him a chance to get some of it.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.33pm
“He’s shown no gate speed so the wide draw doesn’t matter. He’s coming along all right but will need lots of luck against the hot pots.”
Race 5: Debbie Lincoln
6.54pm
“She seems to have overcome her tying-up issue, her bloods are good, and she’s training well again. She could possibly be underdone and the seven draw makes it very hard.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lou
7.20pm
Scratched. Sold to Western Australia.
