Horse racing: Pods as the Cup show goes ahead at Trentham

The 10,000 expected crowd will be reduced to a tenth of the size under restrictions. Photo / File.

The Wellington Racing Club is thankful their Cup Day meeting at Trentham on Saturday is able to go ahead.

The 10,000 expected crowd will be reduced to a tenth of the size under Covid-19 red light restrictions, with the club utilising a pod system of no more than 100 people per pod.

Race Inc chief executive Tim Savell, who oversees the club, is philosophical about the timing of the alert level change.

"We have just to be realistic about the position the country is in and the industry needs to be safe and secure," Savell said yesterday. "You have just got to deal with what is in front of you and make it work.

"It is extremely disappointing for the thousands of people who were going to come along and have a good time.

"From a club perspective, the icing on the cake is your big day, so you are not getting the chance to have a bigger bite of the pie."

Savell said the industry has been in the same position in the past, so they know what is needed to comply with Covid-19 protocols.

"We have been through this before and we know that with our big site we can spread people out.

"We will have discreet pods with their own entrances, amenities, totes, and table service for food and drink."

While the Wellington Cup meeting will be held with limited groups spread throughout the complex, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has decided meetings at Matamata and Hawke's Bay today and tomorrow will be closed-door affairs.

The Canterbury Jockey Club has also decided to run their meeting at Riccarton on Saturday behind closed doors. A decision regarding attendance at their meetings from next month onwards will be made before the third day of the Riccarton Park summer season on Saturday, February 12.