Racing: Avondale puts on a brave face for last day of racing

Ron Murphy says the racecourse has had huge support from its users. Photo / Paul Estcourt

As the dawn breaks, they put on brave faces and strip to bare arms. They work defiantly to show that horse racing in the west might be down but, as far as they are concerned, it is certainly not out.

For them, it is upsetting and threatening to their livelihoods that today is the Avondale Racecourse's last fixture - before a self-imposed gap year.

But yesterday, trainers, jockeys and track staff toiled to get horses and facilities ready for a good day's racing.

And a lot of luck: the horseshoe-shaped winning post was turned upside down and the arms on the parade ring's pedestal clock, which has stopped working, were about to be removed.

A trainer had insisted it was bad "feng shui" to have a dead clock at a race meeting which depends, after all, on everything ticking over perfectly.

After driving a horse transporter from Waimauku stables, Avondale Jockey Club president Ron Murphy leaned on the course infield rail where galloping and jumping horses share space with football goalposts.

"The sad fact is we lose money on racedays, so stopping racing for a year we just hope we can get everything in order so we can resume racing [next] season.

"We've had huge support since the break was announced and we hope it will carry through to the powers that be that Avondale is required as a venue."

Financial trouble has hobbled the club since before it celebrated its centenary in 1990.

An unsuccessful venture into night racing and the 1987 stockmarket crash combined to saddle it with a debt of $8.5 million that was, by 2007, down to $1.6 million. Racing's governing body started to curb the club's allocation of fixtures on weekends and public holidays to mostly Wednesdays and Fridays, when people had to work.

From 22 racedays a year, the share dropped to 13 and oncourse betting revenue plunged.

Seeking more income, the club leased out the infield to Auckland City Council for sportsfield and recreational use, outside of trackwork hours.

As soon as racing finishes today, bollards will be shifted back to protect the manicured lawns from vans serving the Sunday-morning market, which draws up to 15,000 people - and rent for the club.

But the club, unlike others, has never charged for car parking and admission on raceday.

A dozen West Auckland-based trainers bring up to 80 horses to the track daily, finishing by 9.30am to allow the public to walk the track or access the sports fields.

At the 100-year-old wooden horse boxes, trainers Davina Waddell, Natalie Tanner and Lenny Winters say they feel they have grown up together at the course, starting out riding trackwork there as teenagers.

From stables at Waimauku and Kumeu, they have the choice of the west coast's 40km of flat sand or forest trails to keep the horses interested in their work.

"But this track is for educating horses," said Mr Winters. "You have to bring them here to learn about starting gates and running on a track."

Mrs Waddell has 14 horses in work. "The facilities are great, no waiting, and the track staff go out of their way to help you. Trainers have syndicates of owners who enjoy the club's welcoming atmosphere. If Avondale was not here, they would be lost to racing."

Mrs Tanner works 12 horses with a staff of three and has a runner in today's one o'clock race.

"It will be a hectic day, starting at 3.30am. We will take the horses to Muriwai Beach and work them until 11 and then I'll get changed, get on a spot of makeup and be here for the race."

Mr Winters' day job is farrier. "So I know there are hundreds of horses out west and hundreds of people who enjoy them. The passion for the horse, it's bigger than ever."

Course manager Jayesh Patel hopes that passion will result in a big crowd today. "We've shifted the rail 8m to give the best grass and are hoping the track will bring us our rewards - fast times."

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

* Racing stops for one year.

* Avondale Jockey Cub will try to raise money to resume racing, possibly by selling some land.

* That could mean land going to housing or commercial developers.Trainers, jockeys and track staff aim for great sendoff as struggling racetrack readies for gap year