Racing: Anger as race day canned

Taranaki conditioner Allan Sharrock. Photo / Trish Dunell

A leading central districts trainer has added his voice to growing concern at the state of New Zealand racing.

Taranaki conditioner Allan Sharrock spoke out after another abandonment, the Woodville Cup meeting yesterday, due to a slippery surface.

"I had seven horses go there and now they've had to turn around and come home and all at the owners' cost," Sharrock said.

"I'm livid - trying to run race meetings on unirrigated tracks with rain forecast is a joke.

"These tracks have got to go. We need four super tracks in the country and then trainers make the decision whether to go to the designated areas to train. Without pain, we won't get change."

Sharrock said he would be prepared to move if, and when, a centralised policy was put in place.

"It's my choice then whether I go to Hamilton, stay in the central districts, or go to Melbourne or Sydney or whatever.

"I'm bitterly disappointed. It's just hopeless at the moment and things have to change."

Fellow trainer Tony Pike, of Cambridge, has also been outspoken about the number of abandoned meetings.

While the weather could play havoc at times, "the circumstances around some of the abandonments are ridiculous and we just can't carry on like this," he said.

"The livelihoods of so many people are being put in serious jeopardy and I just don't know how much more we can take."

- NZ Racing Desk