The Manawatu Racing Club has lost its home track advantage on Boxing Day.
Their annual meeting has been moved to Otaki with the Awapuni course deemed to be unsafe for racing following a meeting there on Wednesday and a track inspection by the RACE group with the Racing Integrity Unit (RIU) and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR), as well as jockeys and trainers.
Expert advice was also provided by the experienced Australian track manager John Jeffs and Jim Murphy from Turftech. Jeffs has been a track manager at both Rosehill and Randwick and in Hong Kong.
Following the track inspection, RIU officials and the NZ Jockeys' Association still held concerns about racing at Awapuni on Boxing Day and the decision was made to transfer the meeting to Otaki.
"The Marton Cup meeting on January 7 won't be held at Awapuni either and there will be an announcement on that in the next couple of days," NZTR's general manager of racing and handicapping Matt Hall said.
In the meantime, NZTR will work with the Race Group on a suitable programme of work to allow racing to return to Awapuni. – NZ Racing Desk.
Their annual meeting has been moved to Otaki with the Awapuni course deemed to be unsafe for racing following a meeting there on Wednesday and a track inspection by the RACE group with the Racing Integrity Unit (RIU) and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR), as well as jockeys and trainers.
Expert advice was also provided by the experienced Australian track manager John Jeffs and Jim Murphy from Turftech. Jeffs has been a track manager at both Rosehill and Randwick and in Hong Kong.
Following the track inspection, RIU officials and the NZ Jockeys' Association still held concerns about racing at Awapuni on Boxing Day and the decision was made to transfer the meeting to Otaki.
"The Marton Cup meeting on January 7 won't be held at Awapuni either and there will be an announcement on that in the next couple of days," NZTR's general manager of racing and handicapping Matt Hall said.
In the meantime, NZTR will work with the Race Group on a suitable programme of work to allow racing to return to Awapuni. – NZ Racing Desk.