Racing: Avondale's hope for racing fades

Amirar beats Strapped For Cash in the Governor General's Cup. Photo / Dean Purcell

You were left wondering as you walked off Avondale racecourse late on Saturday.

Wondering if this was the last time we'd be farewelling the racetrack that has as much history as any in New Zealand. But does it have a future?

Depends on who you talk to.

The talk in the committee room on Saturday was forget the fact we've given up all our dates for the entire 2010-11 racing season, we'll probably be back in some form for 2011-12.

It's not that simple.

In fact, this is a hugely complicated equation.

There is one question that has to be answered before any of the myriad of others can even be looked at - if Avondale finds itself in a position to want to resume racing, will the NZ Racing Board reissue the club with its licences, of which all but four were officially absorbed on Friday by the others clubs in the northern region?

No one can answer that right now, but if the gun was at the head you'd probably say no before yes.

It's an open secret that the atmosphere between the AJC and the Racing Board does not bring Mary Poppins to mind.

That type of situation can change overnight, of course.

Central to much of it is whether Avondale is strategic to the needs of the industry.

Synthetic racing surfaces are only inching towards satisfactory and acceptance overseas, and grass tracks, under the New Zealand climate, have a finite suitable number of racedays in them per year.

It's been a wet winter in the north so far and tracks get chopped up.

If the track surfaces at other clubs can satisfactorily absorb those Avondale dates through the next 12 months, it would make Avondale's attempts to resurface that much more difficult.

Then, there is the AJC's finances, which led to all this.

The club has a debt of around $3.7 million. Some of the club's peripheral land is under offer, which would more than tidy up that debt.

There seems little will among the AJC committee to sell up totally, regardless of whether the club continues and, if relicensed, race at other venues.

The estimated value of the land is around $35 million.

Auckland Mayor John Banks was flitting around on Saturday. As a politician facing an election, Banks was overheard to say to the let's-not-sell brigade that he'd try to ensure the zoning of the grounds would be such that selling would be unpalatable. Perhaps, but does it need to come to that?

Bold action needs to be taken.

What about knocking down the entire public grandstand and building high-rise apartments right down to the fence line that runs alongside the home turn?

The main grandstand is more than enough to accommodate crowds that assemble for what has been in recent years essentially a Wednesday racing club.

Saturday's meeting showed what a good track Avondale has.

Despite wet weather early in the week the surface was not heavy and it raced fair and true.

The beautiful weather made the curtain fall that much sadder.

Everyone has their special Avondale moment, of which there have been many.

For this writer there was none more dramatic than the night someone - known to many - in a moment of brainlessness switched the lights off as the field went over the finish line in the last race.

Three horses crashed in total darkness and only a miracle prevented someone being killed. Lance O'Sullivan and Alwyn Tweedie were among those sprawled on the track with horses galloping over them in the dark.

If you need a definition of scary, that situation will do just nicely.

The person thought they'd flick the switch for a split second of darkness. What they didn't know was the switch had an eight to 10 second stand-down.

Seemingly nothing at Avondale has been done in halves. The committee now has to find one more rabbit at the bottom of the hat.

The final race on Saturday was sponsored by AJC president Ron Murphy. Was it significant it was won by Saved By The Bell?

We'll see.

* Lol is an abbreviation in computer/txting speech for laugh out loud.

Studmaster Rex Fell was laughing loudly after his debut juvenile Lol scored impressively on Saturday.

Lol landed a huge punt for Fell and the Murray and Bjorn Baker stable when David Walsh drove her clear from the 250m.

Connections have a big opinion of the filly, who is entitled to be smart being by General Nediym from the Zabeel mare Kazak. "She's been showing us a fair bit right from the start," said Bjorn Baker.

Although precocious enough to win as a 2-year-old, Lol gives the impression she will improve through her 3-year-old racing.

* Amirar is the latest find.

When there's rain around she will figure prominently in handicap class until weight gets the better of her as it does with many through winter.

The weight made the difference when Amirar and joint favourite Strapped For Cash came together in front with 300m left in the Rosebank Business Governor General's Cup.

It was 59kg vs 53kg and there was only ever going to be one result.

Amirar wasn't entirely happy in the sticky conditions, but neither was Strapped For Cash.