Racing: City slickers addicted to thrill of the hunt

What's the appeal of hurtling over a farm fence at high speed with a bunch of mates with no prize at the end?

Well, clearly the answer is plenty if you consider the Pakuranga Hunt Club, which holds its annual race meeting at Ellerslie today.

History tells you hunting is the greatest antidote to big business.

You have only to go back over the high-profile Auckland captains of business, medicine and law that have been regular members of Pakuranga.

Crown Prosecutor Simon Moore is a hunt addict.

"It's unbelievable," said Moore yesterday.

"It's the most therapeutic exercise available - it's as exuberating as it is death-defying."

Moore says he missed the experience when a recent trial intruded on his availability to ride out with the Pakuranga Hunt.

"I ride at the hunt regularly once a week and sometimes twice.

"From the moment I get on my horse to when I get off it four hours later, I can't for one second think about my work."

Moore's father, surgeon Sir Patrick Eisdel Moore, and his father before him, also a surgeon, were avid members of the hunt.

So was the late Sir James Fletcher, who, it is affectionately remembered, showed more enthusiasm than style, but absolutely loved every second of his involvement.

The same enthusiasm his son Hugh now enjoys.

Moore has had courtroom battles with criminal lawyer Barry Hart - they opposed each other in the Lisa Cropp methamphetamine case - but they ride together at the Pakuranga Hunt.

The Pakuranga Hunt Club has had a long association with the Auckland Racing Club's track.

Dr McGregor Grant, an outstanding surgeon and probably the greatest racing administrator this country has known, was the deputy master of the Pakuranga HC for 45 years and president of the Auckland Racing Club for almost as long.

McGregor Grant not only hunted, he rode at Ellerslie as an amateur jockey at the same time he was applying a scalpel to Auckland's citizens.

The now-retired Ray Coles was the head clerk of the course at Ellerslie for decades and part of the backbone of the Pakuranga Hunt, as were his sons Ross and Alan.

Ross heads the Ellerslie clerk of the course brigade today as he has for years. Alan is now a well respected racing stipendiary steward.

The Pakuranga Hunt day replicates what we used to know as a raceday.

It has an enthusiasm that perhaps only Boxing Day and Derby Day can match.

As Simon Moore says: "It's the day country comes to town."

So what's it about these people in red coats, mostly on big, bold grey horses prancing about on raceday.

Is it all show?

No.

A few years ago a riderless horse came in off the track at Ellerslie after a race and bolted through the birdcage. It galloped at the tunnel under the members' grandstand through which the horses pass to get to the track.

The tunnel is narrow, heads out to the public at the back of the stand and at the time had a steel plate of a substantial size on the ground.

Today the surface is completely covered with a type of astroturf, but previously was bitumen.

Next time you're feeling a bit reckless, gallop a horse over a steel plate through a narrow passageway with unsuspecting members of the public 100m away.

With total disregard for his own safety, Ross Coles galloped at speed over the steel plate, caught the horse and avoided what could have been a tragedy.

The clerks of the course are not often required but when they are it can be to avoid something serious.

So if anything other than your money disappears suddenly at Ellerslie today, one of the boys in the red jackets will be after it.

Watch and you could catch the best show all day.