RACING - Racing revisions boon for Ruakaka

Racing trainers could be the big winners of a revamp of the New Zealand Racing calendar that has set the Whangarei Racing Club up to play hosts to a winter racing carnival next season.
An additional 244 races are now scheduled for the 2008/09 racing season nationally, which will provide increased revenue-generating opportunities for the industry, the New Zealand Racing Board says.
But the chance to host multi-day racing meets at Ruakaka, including one three-day meet in August next year, could prove to be a bounty for the Northland racing scene, says Whangarei Racing Club chairman Dean Logan.
For the past three years, the club has been steadily increasing their allocation of race meetings, growing from five in 2006 to eight this season. They will host nine race meets in the 2008/09 season with eight racing days set for a 16-week window next winter.
"We have always been pushing for something like a winter racing carnival at Ruakaka so this gives us that sort of platform to launch for.
"We have always said our track at Ruakaka is best in the winter time and pushed for two-day meetings close together so that trainers might stable up here and race at Ruakaka," Logan said.
"It looks likely that is happening now and if people start wanting to stable up here then one thing leads to another.
"If that starts to happen we might look at improving our stabling facilities up here, then you get more days and more people wanting to come up here and it all snowballs from there really.
"The whole racing scene looks like it is picking up and it is good for us that we are getting that winter-type carnival.
"It has taken a long time to get to this stage, the push has been over the last 10 years and it is only coming to fruition now.
"Financially, it will not be a huge bonus for the club but for the local industry, the local trainers and local owners, it will be."
The majority of traditional race dates for the 2008/09 season remain unchanged, including the Whangarei club's premier Stoney Bridge Triple Crown series culminating in the $60,000 Northland Breeder's Stakes on July 12.
The Kelt Capital Stakes will run in October, the inaugural running of the Platinum Paws will be on October 17, and New Zealand Cup Week is scheduled for November 8-15. In 2009, Wellington Cup Day moves forward a week to Saturday, January 24, Auckland Cup Week runs from February 28 to March 7 and the Harness Jewels returns to Ashburton in May.
There will be significant growth in the number of clubs invited to participate in the New Zealand Racing Board-led Destination Summer Holiday Racing, a summer schedule the Whangarei Club is already part of.
The thoroughbred race programme will be enhanced during the winter months with the introduction of a new jumps race programme.
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing's chief executive, Paul Bittar, said the inclusion of the Friday thoroughbred meeting this season has delivered significant benefits to the thoroughbred code.
"We are confident that the calendar template for the season ahead will provide greater opportunities for horses to race, and will therefore deliver increased returns to owners," Bittar said.