Home News Opinion Videos Blogs Features Family Notices Classifieds Photos Events Clubs Advertising Contact
Sport Focus on the Land Entertainment
Editorials Columns Letters
News Market Place
Turf club is ready to rumble tomorrow
Wednesday, September 19, 2012 • John Jones
A TRACK the equal or better of any in the country right now is a good sign for Poverty Bay Turf Club’s two-day meeting tomorrow and Sunday.

The Makaraka track has always been regarded as the club’s great asset, offering good conditions for people wanting to give horses their start to a summer campaign.

It is in stark contrast to other North Island tracks, where persistent rain has resulted in heavy going.

Club president Alan Davidson said the soil penetrometer reading early this week classed the track as a four and by Thursday it could even be down to a good three. Other tracks were producing readings of up to a heavy 10 and 11.

Races at Wairoa and trials at Paeroa were cancelled this week.

There are early indications of strong fields for the first day, with more than 100 nominations.

Mr Davidson believes the club’s decision to provide a trainer’s bonus has been an incentive.

Any trainer with three winners on the first day will get a $10,000 bonus. If it is struck, the club will put up a $5000 bonus for Sunday.

Last year Kevin Myers managed to strike the trainers’ bonus.

About 25 jockeys have indicated an intention to ride at the Poverty Bay meeting, including last season’s premiership winner Lisa Allpress.

The programme for the day is expected to be eight races but there are strong nominations in some races and they may have to be split.

The club’s standard stakes of $8000 will apply.

Mr Davidson said it was a little disappointing that the New Zealand Racing Board had changed the dates for the club’s meeting from November to September this year.

The weather was usually warmer in November and it was during daylight saving.

The change was apparently made to avoid clashes for trainers and jockeys who wanted to take teams to the South Island.

The weather is looking promising for both days. Mr Davidson hopes the public will enter into the spirit of the occasion by making a picnic day of Sunday.

“It is a bit like the railway line — use it or lose it,” said Mr Davidson.

“But with the fields we have attracted and the work that has gone in, I am sure the people of Gisborne will make a day of it and support us. It should be a great two days.’

This was an opportunity for families to have a day out in the sun, enjoy the colours, allow the kids to run around, and the first dress rehearsal for summer to remove the cobwebs of winter, he said.
THE TRACK IS IN GREAT SHAPE: Taking penetrometer soil readings at Makaraka Racecourse has become a family affair for the Fitzgerald family. Jarrod (right) has taken over from his Olympic Games representative canoeist brother Darryl. Also a competitive canoeist, Jarrod has dreams of following his brother to Rio De Janiero. Picture by Paul Rickard
Comments
Graeme
04:37 p.m. Wednesday, Sep 19, 2012
I used to come to the Makaraka Races when they were held later in the year. We used to do the Wairoa and Gisborne circuit when I was an apprentice with Alan Kaye from Awapuni. We used to love it and went home with several winners. Alan Kaye trained several horses for the De Lautours from Wairoa in the mid '60s.
Poll

Do you agree with a bid to pull bridge jumpers away from unsafe road bridges in the city by building “bombing platforms” for youngsters in safe places along the Turanganui River?

Please read: Call for ‘bombing platforms’
Yes
No
Don't Know
Send in your
News
Letters
Columns
Events
Clubs
Classifieds
Poll suggestions
Explore The Gisborne Herald
News Editorial Features Events
Sport Letters to the Editor Family Notices Clubs
Focus on the Land Columns Classifieds Advertising
News Features Polls Photos Contact
64 Gladstone Road, PO Box 1143, Gisborne, New Zealand | Ph: +64 6 869 0600 | Fax: +64 6 869 0643 (editorial) | Fax: +64 6 869 0644 (advertising) | News Hotline: 0800 NEWSLINE (639 754) | info@gisborneherald.co.nz Copyright © The Gisborne Herald