Horse racing: Mastermind behind Ellerslie transformation not playing ‘I told you so’ card

The new track at Ellerslie Racecourse.

The man who helped transform Ellerslie into a world-class racetrack says he is more nervous about tomorrow’s reopening than any other stage of the $55 million project.

Auckland Thoroughbred Racing chief executive Paul Wilcox has overseen the installation of a StrathAyr track at the Auckland racecourse, the spiritual home of New Zealand racing.

StrathAyr tracks have enormously superior drainage to anything seen in New Zealand racing before and theoretically should see Ellerslie always providing footing classed as “good” rather than “slow” or “heavy”.

That should increase punter confidence and make for better racing and the relaunch has been one of the most anticipated in the history of New Zealand racing.

Now it is here, with what was supposed to be a soft opening or test run at tomorrow’s twilight meeting, Wilcox says he just wants it to be over.

“We were kind of hoping to have a nice quiet, almost undercover relaunch but that isn’t going to happen,” Wilcox told the Herald.

“Not because we don’t have total faith in the track. Jason [Fulford, track manager] has that well under control, the nerves are more us reopening as a race club for crowds again.

“We were keen to make that not a big thing but the interest in Sunday has been huge and I think we will get a big crowd in.”

However many turn up on Sunday will be nothing compared with TAB Karaka Millions night on January 27, when Ellerslie will not only host New Zealand’s richest-ever race meeting but stage its official opening.

“We were hoping to cap that night at 9000 people but it is creeping up toward 10,000, more likely 10,500 people,” says Wilcox.

“It will be an amazing night and even having horses back here racing on Sunday will be amazing but we can feel the anticipation too.

“There has been this really pent-up feeling in the racing industry with so many people wanting to get back racing here and now it is here we just want it to go well, which I am confident it will.”

There were plenty of doubters during the depths of last year’s winter, when Ellerslie looked like a soaked quarry, that tomorrow’s meeting would even be possible this early.

Wilcox isn’t playing the “I told you so” card and never has, being mindful to temper expectations through the installation process and sticking to the mantra that Ellerslie wouldn’t be racing until every safety box had been ticked.

Track gallops, jumpouts and then trials have all drawn high praise from jockeys and finally the time has come.

So massive is the reopening for the racing industry that it almost overshadows today’s huge Trentham meeting which hosts two Group 1 races.

The $500,000 Cambridge Stud Levin Classic brings together an even, high-class field over 1600m with the fillies Quintessa, Mary Shan and even Impendabelle favoured over the boys.

The $450,000 Berkett Telegraph is one of New Zealand’s great sprint races but minus Railway winner Waitak so the winner should come from his stablemate Dragon Leap, Bonny Lass or Shamus.