Frustrations brew over limited racing opportunities in deep south

Tyler and his daughter Aimee will line up 12 horses in the Riverton Racing Club’s annual New Year’s Day meeting on Sunday.

Tyler said that number could have been even more but what was a 10-race meeting 12 months ago has now been reduced to eight races on January 1, 2023.

“New Year’s Day is probably one of the biggest days of the year. You’d think they would be putting as many races on as possible because people will be sitting at home and in bars betting. That’s what I’d do if it was my business.”

Tyler said they also lost a race opportunity at the Tapanui Racing Club’s December 18 meeting at Gore. Added to the frustrations was that they would have had to wait until Gore on January 21 for the next thoroughbred meeting in Southland and Otago.

TAB NZ sets the race calendar with consideration of submissions by the various codes and clubs.

The fewer races the fewer opportunities to race for stake money, Tyler said.

“It’s not making it any easier for us.”

“There are a lot of frustrated people down here. We just want a crack. In the North Island, they’re racing week in, week out, we need the same.”

Most of the time in the lower South Island they raced for $14,000 stake money, where Tyler said in the North Island there was often better stake money on offer.

He praised Riverton Racing Club officials for putting up an extra $3000 per race to bring the stake money up to $17,000 on New Year’s Day.

“They are really doing their bit for racing down here.”

Tyler’s frustrations come at a time when TAB NZ has chosen to review its funding levels.

This month, the TAB NZ announced a reduction in distributions to Racing NZ of $15 million for the remainder of the 2022/23 season.

It followed a reduced TAB profit of $23.5m from August 2021 to July 2022.

It has meant an $8.5m reduction in distributions from TAB NZ to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing [NZTR] for the remainder of the 2022/23 season.

Harness Racing NZ has moved to reduce stakes by 10% from February 1 to cover its reduction. However,the thoroughbred code has decided to use its Sustainable Reserves Fund to underwrite stakes levels and club funding payments to allow them to remain as planned for the current season.

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing chairman Cameron George and CEO Bruce Sharrock said if there were further TAB funding reductions the NZTR board would need to review its position.

“NZTR will continue to explore every avenue to secure the revenue needed to underpin the industry going forward,” their statement says.

Tyler headed to Queensland during the winter for racing opportunities and said he was fortunate to also have dairy farming interests which meant he was not solely reliant on training horses for an income.

The good news for Tyler is he will again be able to welcome in 2023 in his own bed without the hassle of needing to cart horses around the countryside.

Tyler trains his horses at the Riverton racecourse and lives across the road from the course.

“Most of the time we are on the road doing a few miles, but we are on our home track and the horses know their way around. I love it.

“That’s why I really target this [New Year’s Day] meeting and support the club, the committee do a great job.”

Race one on Sunday is scheduled to jump at 12.25pm.