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Sports correspondent & historian with |
Headlines on thoroughbred racing websites (and the occasional newspaper) early in the week, have lauded the success of the Karaka National Yearling sales, which kicked off on Sunday.
New sales records have been broken and a top price of $1.6 million has vendors smiling all the way to the bank, says thoroughbred media commentators.
After day one of the Karaka sales, one leading industry figure says, that it's a most exciting time to be part of New Zealand racing where everyone is working together, and to see prize money go to a level where owners get a serious return.
While there has been plenty of PR spin, mostly about self-interest, there is a positive mood in the sport that hasn't been around for several decades.
The first recorded race meeting in the country dates back to 1842. The 1950’s and 1960’s were the heyday of the sport in our country. The economy was in overdrive and the nation's punters filled the racecourses to overflowing.
Fast forward to the dawn of the new millennium, where the industry was in the doldrums with many of the participants moving to Australia and further off-shore.
A good example can be gauged from personal experience.
In 2013, I took a very small share in a racehorse with some mates. We quickly went from the early dreams of owning a champion to the reality of a money-eating piece of horseflesh.
Stakes were abysmal, with a minimum of $6000, while thoroughbred trainers struggled to stay afloat.
In 2018, the Racing Minister of the day introduced an inquiry into the thoroughbred racing industry. One of the heavyweight figures of Australian racing, John Messara, crossed the ditch to review the state of the industry in the shaky Isles.
The Messara report was a blunt appraisal into the industry this side of the Tasman that needed urgent reform.
One of the major recommendations sent shockwaves through many small communities in the country. It was proposed to reduce the number of race courses from 48 to just 24.
The fabric of the country was built upon major cities, with regional and rural centres having a racecourse that provided annual entertainment for the public.
Racecourses in small communities such as Dargaville, Te Awamutu, Wairoa and Gisborne, along with Waipukurau, Waimate, Oamaru and Winton, were for the chopping block.
Another controversial recommendation in the Messara report; was that the TAB should be outsourced to an international betting agency to provide more revenue, to be turned into increased prize money.
Also widely debated was the establishment of three All-Weather (artificial surfaces) tracks to preserve grass-tracks during the winter.
While it has taken a number of years to implement many of the Messara report recommendations, it appears to have transformed the New Zealand thoroughbred racing industry.
Many of the racecourses recommended for the chop have closed, after much controversy, to now create regional centres of racing throughout the country.
Stake money has increased to a minimum stake of $18,500 with plenty of major races receiving dramatic increases.
Three all-weather tracks have been installed at Cambridge, Awapuni and Riccarton and are gaining acceptance by stakeholders.
While thoroughbred racing appears to be heading in the right direction, the stakeholders have to ensure that personal agendas don't get in the way of a unified approach to progress.
