By Michael Guerin
Auckland racing’s calm before the storm has become the storm before the bigger storm. As both Ellerslie and Alexandra Park prepare their traditional huge week between Christmas and New Years Day, the changing face of racing means the two Auckland tracks have already had thousands more than usual through their gates this month.
Ellerslie race three times in the week of Boxing Day till New Years Day, with the former attracting the bigger crowd but the latter one of the best race days of the season. Alexandra Park race this Friday but have their Auckland Cup meeting as a late afternoon fixture on December 31, with a more laid back family feel for those who don’t leave the city for the holidays. But while that means four meetings in a two kilometre radius in a week that pales compared with the six meetings the two tracks shared in the 10 days just gone. And both were prime examples of how betting turnover is only one way to judge whether a meeting is a success.
Alexandra Park raced back to back on Friday and Saturday last weekend because of the huge demand for pre-Christmas functions at the track. Friday’s premier meeting saw turnover of $1.2million and Saturday night’s meeting just $480,000 but both were seen a a huge success. “It is about catering to our customers who want to come celebrate their christmas functions with us,” says Alex Park boss Dominique Dowding. “Betting turnover is important but corporate bookings are also crucial and a very important revenue stream for the club. “But just as importantly, by having these extra meetings we are getting more people back to the races and if they have a great time we hope we will come here again.”
Alexandra Park’s dining package bookings over the last month have been enormous, with over 12,000 packages sold in the last six weeks, meaning the track has raced back to back meetings over two weekends. “That is 2000 more hospitality bookings than we had last year and I think any business would be thrilled to have a 20 per cent increase,” says Dowding. “And that is just those people who booked packages, let alone the racegoers who came along casually. So we are thrilled with the response.”
Ellerslie’s best example of the growing appetite for racing as an entertainment product was last Wednesday when over 4600 customers came through the gate for their six-horse twilight meeting. There were few equine stars on show and while the meeting did host the World Jockeys Cup prelude, the reality is the vast majority were there to enjoy a pre-Christmas party, evidenced by the fact there was still a huge crowd on track at 11pm, over three hours after the last race.
“We we thrilled with the crowd but the turnover was great too, helped by the visiting jockeys being here,” says Ellerslie chief executive Paul Wilcox. “We are in the middle of a very busy time and realise our customers come for a variety of reasons but that is all positive for the club. “And a lot of the horses we have had race here so far this month are being set for races at our carnivals over the summer and it is great they get a chance race experience here.”
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