This is the ninth in a major series of articles concerning racetracks of the world starting with those in New Zealand.
NORTH CANTERBURY –
Rangiora –
Prior to the formation of the Rangiora TC, trotting races were included on the race cards of the North Canterbury JC racing at Rangiora Raceway situated on the banks of the Ashley River from 23 October 1890 – 24 October 1955; one off at Motukarara racecourse on 26 October 1942). A public meeting held on 28 August 1946 agreed to the formation of the Rangiora TC (HRC from 1987/88 season). Matinee meetings were initially held until 1949 and then in conjunction with the Cheviot TC in partnership a totalisator permit was obtained from 1950 to 1965. The Amberley TC after centralisation was forced upon it has held annual race meetings at Rangiora ever since 6 February 1974.
The North Canterbury JC (race dates now conducted as a “ward” of Canterbury JC) allowed the trotting club to use its freehold property for racing, later selling a half share in the land and buildings to the Rangiora TC without requiring any cash payment. The clubs installed a new 8½ furlong grass track in 1960 (1764m) with an all-weather track constructed by the trotting club and first used at its meeting on 15 December 1990 (1206m). A combination of
grass and all-weather track usage is now employed each season.
The Rangiora TC/HRC has raced at the Rangiora Raceway since 1946 with meetings held at New Brighton (18 March 1961) and Addington (19 April 1983 plus a number of night meetings over the past couple of decades). The club’s major race each season is the Group Three Rangiora Classic which was first run in 2004.
In addition to meetings of the Amberley, Cheviot and Banks Peninsula club’s mentioned below held at Rangiora Raceway, other clubs to hold meetings on the Rangiora Raceway course were :
- Brackenfield Hunt – 25 June 1921
- Christchurch Hunt – 2 July 1921
- Amberley/Hororata RC’s combined meetings – 23 October 1944, 22 October 1945
- NZ Metropolitan TC – 23 March 2011 (earthquake damage occurring to Addington track)
Cheviot –
The Cheviot TC (HRC since 1987/88 season) held its inaugural meeting on 5 February 1927 taking over from the Cheviot Racing Club that had been in existence since its formation in 1894. Earlier races had been held on the Cheviot Domain course on Boxing Day 1890 and 1893 which included trotting events. Until 1926, the Cheviot RC had held meetings comprising both galloping and trotting races on the property owned by the Cheviot Domain Board (5/8ths mile track) used in association with the Agricultural and Pastoral Society until the outbreak of WWII in 1940 (Domain used by Army) – last meeting held on 18 March 1939. The 1923 meeting was held at the Canterbury JC’s Riccarton racecourse in Christchurch.
After holding a meeting on the North Canterbury JC’s course at Rangiora on 16 March 1940, a recess occurred during the war with meetings recommencing at Rangiora in 1946. The Cheviot TC was to remain at Rangiora until its final meeting on this course on 9 March 2003 although racing at New Brighton racecourse on 18 March 1961, Addington Raceway on 19 March 1983 and at Rangiora on 6 March 2011 (owing to Christchurch earthquakes). From the 7 March 2004 meeting, Cheviot, have conducted their annual meeting on a Sunday afternoon at Addington Raceway.
In 1946 an option was exercised for the purchase of a 100acre site at Spotswood, six miles from Cheviot. Significantly by 1960 when the Cheviot club had been unable to fully develop the Spotswood site due to building restrictions, apart from several seasons (1950 – 1965) when they combined with the Rangiora TC, Cheviot utilised an annual permit to continue racing at Rangiora. The land purchased at Spotswood (1200m grass track) had non-tote meetings from 1964 and matinee meetings from 19 October 1974 to 16 October 1982.
The Cheviot club introduced its feature event the Group Three Leonard Memorial for 2yo fillies at its 1968 meeting, now having passed its fiftieth anniversary.
Amberley –
Prior to the establishment of the Amberley TC, trotting races were included in the Amberley flat races at Amberley racecourse on 18 May 1892; Amberley RC meetings at the Brackenfield racecourse, Oxford on 25 September 1916, at Amberley racecourse between 12 September 1918 until 13 May 1967 with occasional meetings held at Riccarton racecourse (28 April 1923, 8 May 1926, 2 May 1931 [combined meeting of Amberley/Hororata RC’s], 9 May 1940). The Amberley RC was formed in 1881.
The Amberley TC formed from a public meeting held at Waipara in April 1958 with its first committee consisting of many Amberley Racing Club members. The Racing Club’s track at Racecourse Road, Broomfield just north of Amberley was utilised free of charge until the new club was financially stable. The Amberley TC held it first non-tote equalisator meeting on 13 August 1958 and continued at Amberley until 9 September 1972 (22 April 1967 raced at Rangiora racecourse). In 1973 the NZ Racing Authority directed that Amberley racecourse be closed with both racing and trotting being centralised to Rangiora Raceway.
The change in venues meant no meeting was held in 1973 with equalisator meetings commencing in 1974 at Rangiora Raceway (6 February and 14 September 1974). The Amberley club received its first on course totalisator licence for its meeting held on 24 January 1981. Not until the annual meeting of 23 January 1994 was the first full totalisator meeting of the club held at Rangiora Raceway where annual summer meetings continue today.
Other tracks utilised in the North Canterbury area in earlier years that included trotting races on their programmes :
- Mr A MacFarlane’s paddock, Achray, 7km from Culverden – Rotherham Hack races (26 December 1891 – 26 December 1893)
- Culverden – Amuri Turf Club (17 March 1897 – 17 March 1900)
- Jollies Pass (north of Hanmer) – Hanmer Plains meetings, 14 April 1893 and 13 April 1894
- Recreation reserve, Mandeville near railway station – Ohoka & Eyreton JC (9 October 1890 – 16 October 1910)
- Oxford racecourse – Oxford District races (10 September 1892); Oxford JC (19 March 1901 – 17 March 1903)
and in the general Canterbury area :
- Springfield – Kowai Pass JC (10 May 1894)
- Springston RC (author unable to confirm location) , meetings 28 May 1891 and 12 April 1892
BANKS PENINSULA –
The Waihora Domain Reserve racetrack at Motukarara (1811m grass) first hosted a galloping meeting in 1884 under the auspices of the Banks Peninsula Racing Club (BPRC) which was a merger of several local racing clubs including the Peninsula Racing Club, Peninsula Jockey Club and the Akaroa Racing Club (raced at other sites including Little River and Birdlings Flat). Prior to the formation of the Banks Peninsula TC (BPTC), harness racing events were included in the races programmed by the BPRC i.e. 4 March 1922 – 2 March 1957 at Motukarara (4 March 1944 Riccarton); Banks Peninsula RC and Brackenfield Hunt at Riccarton (20 June 1925); North Canterbury JC (26 October 1942). Motukarara Raceway is at present jointly run by the Banks Peninsula Trotting and Racing Clubs (one meeting per year).
The BPTC was formed in November 1950 with matinee meetings held annually until 1956. The first totalisator licence was granted in July 1956 with the inaugural meeting conducted on the Motukarara racecourse on 22 December 1956, racing continuously on the course ever since with the exception at Rangiora Raceway on 11 October 1969. Additional permits (now six) have been obtained over the years; the club being one of the first to receive an on course only permit when Sunday racing was introduced; since 1977 the club’s meetings held between Christmas and New Year receives large crowds of holiday makers enjoying the picnic atmosphere.
Trials (Peninsula/Canterbury OTB) and work outs are important aspects of harness racing at Motukarara which required an all-weather track being constructed inside the grass track in 1975, initially used as a training track, before being upgraded in 1992 for trials and work outs. In 1965 the (DG Jones) Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup, the club’s feature race was first run for top class trotters – held late September/early October – winners over the years have included When, Stylish Major, Johnny Gee, Edis Nova, Nigel Craig, Alias Armbro, About Now (twice), Sir Castleton, Sundon, Call Me Now, Eastburn Grant, Lyell Creek (twice), Springbank Richard (twice), Vulcan, I Can Doosit, Habibi Inta.
The Akaroa Racing Club/Little River Racing Club held trotting races on their annual programmes as far back as 6 March 1894 – 7 March 1911 (Little River); 5 March 1912 – 6 March 1920 (Waihora Domain); 5 March 1921 (Riccarton).
The Akaroa Trotting Club first raced at Little River between 20 May 1892 and 20 March 1893. The current club commenced racing at Motukarara racecourse with equalisator meetings on 6 January 1968 (25 April 1970 Addington) which continued until the inaugural non-tote meeting on 7 January 1978, on course only meetings from 24 October 1978 and totalisator meetings from 18 April 1994. Their annual meeting is now held in December at Motukarara racecourse.
Other tracks utilised in the Banks Peninsula area in these early years that included trotting races on their programmes :
- Duvachelles Bay, Akaroa – Duvachelles Bay Annual meeting, Boxing Day 26 December 1890 to 26 December 1892
- Teddington racecourse (3m from Governors Bay, 13m from Lyttelton) – Lyttelton & Port Victoria (20 March 1891 – 25 April 1893); Port Victoria annual meeting 13 April 1894
- Little River – Peninsula RC (26 March 1891 – 7 March 1892)
- Leeston – Ellesmere JC (9 April 1891 – 20 April 1893); Ellesmere Trotting Club (1 June 1895)
- Le Bons Bay – Annual meeting (1 January 1892)
Peter Craig
3 March 2021
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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