Awapuni Abandonment and Programming Update

Yesterday the CEO of NZTR and I met with Management and Board Representatives of RACE group to discuss the abandonment yesterday at Awapuni. What was very clear is that NZTR Management, Industry Participants and RACE Group have no confidence in the Awapuni Course proper being reliably presented in a safe raceable fashion in its current state, until we receive independent information on what remedial work is required. This information will be received in the coming week, NZTR management will also review the possibility, if any, of revisiting the start date for reconstruction of the Course proper. 

Regardless of the outcome, NZTR has determined that racing on the Awapuni Course Proper will not be possible on either, Saturday 17^th or Monday 26^th December. Once independent reports are received NZTR management will decide what is required to regain confidence in delivering a safe surface.

 The immediate decisions made were as follows:

 The 17^th December Humphries Construction Manawatu Cup Meeting scheduled for Awapuni will now be held at Trentham. The programme remains unchanged with the exception of a R75 2200m race ($35,000) being added after both the R75 and Open staying races were unable to be run last Saturday. This race will be a Dunstan Qualifier.

1. Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes will be run at Te Rapa next Saturday. The rationale applied to this decision was based on attracting a field of the quality it deserves, 7 of the 10 starters from yesterday were based from New Plymouth to Waikato and it could not be expected these fillies would again travel should the decision have been made to run the race at Trentham. This will also assist fillies heading for Pukekohe on Boxing Day as travelling back to Trentham would make it very difficult to continue on that path.
2. A R65 2100m (originally programmed for Otaki on 16 December but transferred to the abandoned meeting) will now return to Otaki. This is a Dunstan Qualifying Race and will run for its original stake of $19,000.
3. NZTR and the club will look at any options to divide races both at Otaki and Trentham depending on numbers at withdrawal time on Wednesday.
4. The Boxing Day race meeting scheduled for the Awapuni Track also will be relocated to a suitable track which is currently being investigated.
5. A suitable return to racing protocol will be developed once information is reviewed, should there be a possibility of racing returning to Awapuni in January.

 Further Decisions

1. All Raceday Club Funding for Saturday 10 December will be withheld.
2. Compensation: NZTR will pay participant’s compensation for Saturday as per the compensation policy, NZTR have requested RACE Group consider options regarding compensation.   

 Further updates will follow as independent reports are received.

Darin Balcombe
Chief Operating Officer
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing