Racing: Rocking time at Ellerslie races

You really want Jim Collett to win a race at Ellerslie tomorrow.

The veteran 40s-something jockey will be happy to declare himself the old man of rock if he manages to get one of his mounts home first.

The Auckland Racing Club is repackaging racing for the first time with tomorrow's six-race twilight race meeting, aiming the music-orient ed programme at the younger racegoer.

Each jockey riding at the meeting has been asked to declare their favourite song, which will be played over the course speakers as their horse returns after winning.

Collett has declared for the hard rock band ACDC's Thunderstruck.

The numbers range from Barry White's mellow Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, the choice of Noel Harris, to any Metallica song for apprentice Lee Calloway.

"We're encouraging jockeys to play it up to the music when they come back in," says Auckland Racing Club publicity director Rachel Holland.

Encompassing a unique concept, jockeys will carry colours relating to their number in the racebook.

Additionally, 25 minutes or so before each race, horses in the upcoming event will go into a draw and the horse selected will be declared the Dark Horse.

On-course punters will receive an additional 10 per cent on the declared normal dividend if that horse wins.

The Auckland Racing Club has engaged high profile musician Jordan Luck and his band Luck to perform. They will play two numbers between Race 5 and 6 and will begin its gig at 7.50pm.

The first of the six races is due at 4.32pm and the last at 7.40pm.

To take the action closer to the public the ARC is erecting a set of weighing scales in the birdcage where winning jockeys will weigh in.