This is the thirteenth in a major series of articles concerning racetracks of the world starting with those in New Zealand – this is the last of the NZ track articles.
SOUTHLAND –
New Zealand’s southernmost region consisting of the southwestern portion of the South Island and Stewart Island. Included in this area of 3.1 million hectares and 3,400km of coastline are Southland District, Gore District and its major centre, city of Invercargill.
During the 1860’s race meetings held at Invercargill and Balclutha catered for trotters.
Invercargill –
The Jockey Club used the Ascot Park racecourse (1800m, Racecourse Road, Myross Bush, north of Invercargill city) from the early 1860’s (first meeting took place o 10 February 1860). Trotting races were held on the Southland RC’s programmed meetings from Boxing Day (26 December) 1890 to 4 January 1950.
On Tuesday 28 December 1886 at Fortrose, 50kms from Invercargill, the first “pacing race” in the South Island was run with the winner being dual gaited Envy who also won a trotting event the same day. The Southland TC was formed on 8 February 1895 holding the first of four meetings on 24 May 1895; second in July 1896; third on 7 April 1897 when unseemly behaviour of riders and those in control led to Southland RC refusing permission for their course to be used again after the final meeting on 20 April 1898 when the club went out of existence.
The NZ Trotting Association granted a certificate of registration for the Southland TC on 4 August 1909 so that it could hold its inaugural meeting on 9 March 1910. The club was reregistered on 5 March 1913 and held non-tote meetings on the Southland RC’s Ascot Park track from 16 April 1913 until 1924. Later meetings of a Southland TC were held on 24 November 1945 (combined Southland Trotting Clubs, matinee meeting), 7 February – 12 December 1963, a meeting on 26 February 1965 was held at Gore Raceway.
The current Invercargill TC was formed at a meeting of sixty persons on 4 November 1924. Following registration and the granting of a two day permit, the club’s first meeting at Ascot Park was held on 28 April 1925 where it has continued to race apart from four meetings held at Central Southland Raceway, Winton between 4 October and 20 December 1980.
Initially use was made of the Southland RC’s nine furlong (1800m grass) track, later reduced to a seven furlong circuit. The Invercargill TC began improvements in 1962 that led to the installation of a five furlong crusher dust track, the first of its kind in Southland. The all-weather track (1029m) was first used on 16 December 1970. The Invercargill club became the first in NZ to introduce twilight racing (3.30 – 8.30pm window) in the early 1960’s. The track was fully re-surfaced in early March 2021 with 360 tonnes of product being replaced.
The club’s current feature races include Invercargill Cup, Caduceus Club – 2f, Diamond Creek 2yo Classic, Southland Oaks and Southern Supremacy – 3yo colts and geldings.
In recent years, two other trotting Clubs have made Ascot Park their headquarters for meetings :
- A) The Northern Southland TC commenced racing at the Balfour RC’s track at Cattle Flat (one mile from Balfour) starting with specific non-tote/equalisator meetings between 17 December 1960 and 11 February 1978; 27 December 1978; 10 February 1979; 13 February 1982 and so on until 11 January 1992. At Gore Raceway, a non-tote meeting was held on 16 December 1961 (grass) with the club’s inaugural on course only totalisator meeting on 11 November 1978, followed by annual meetings through until 27 September 1996 (24 September 1993 first full totalisator meeting). The club then moved its race days to Ascot Park first meeting on 8 March 1998. Feature races for the club are the Northern Southland Cup, winners have included Sly Flyin, Bondy, Stunin Cullen, three time NZ Cup winner Terror To Love (dual winner) and Southern Lights Trot.
- B) Riverton TC held non-tote/equalisator meetings at Ascot Park (1 December 1962, 5 December 1970, 6 December 1975) and since 11 November 1981, annual totalisator meetings.
Other thoroughbred clubs who incorporated trotting races into their programmes to race at Ascot Park include :
- Otautau RC : 25 May 1927, 21 May 1932, 29 May 1937, 20 April 1940
- Birchwood Hunt Club : 2 October 1929 (formed at Riverton in t autumn of 1886)
- Clifden RC : 18 February 1933, 25 January 1935
- Wairio JC : 4 May 1946, 19 November 1949
Wairio –
The Wairio Jockey Club (races held from December 1885, club formed 22 January 1892) first included trotting races on their programme when racing on Mr Ford’s paddock, Wairio between 2 March 1892 and 31 January 1894. After the move to Wairio racecourse (1 mile course; three miles from Nightcaps, in the coalfields district of Southland), trotting featured regularly on their race cards from 30 January 1895 until 14 November 1964 (exceptions being meetings of 4 May 1946 and 19 November 1949 run at Ascot Park, Invercargill).
The Wairio TC was formed in 1936, beginning initially with a non-tote licence between 5 December 1936 and 19 January 1949. Australian champion Lawn Derby made a successful attempt on the Southland mile record in 1938, pacing the distance in 2:08 3/5 on a track deadened by rain. The record stood briefly before Rocks Ahead recorded 2:06 1/5 at Winton.
The Wairio TC’s inaugural totalisator meeting was held on 9 December 1950 and they continued to race on the Wairio racecourse until their final meeting on the track was held on 10 April 1965. The Wairio TC moved to Central Southland Raceway at Winton holding their first meeting on 2 April 1966 and continuing to race on the now all-weather track for over a half century.
Wyndham –
Wyndham racecourse is home to the Wyndham RC and Wyndham TC (HRC from 1988/89 season). This picturesque racecourse is located on the banks of the Mataura River, famous for its abundance of Brown Trout. The thoroughbred track is a left handed 1600m track with a 300m straight. Races were held as early as 1877 in Halls paddock at the top of the rise going to Edendale from Wyndham. The track was shifted to a course laid out on its present site in 1879 (Mataura JC meeting). A bill was passed through Parliament on 29 November gazetting the current property of 147 acres 2 roods and 20 poles a reserve vested in the Wyndham Town Board that permitted racing on the reserve grounds.
The Wyndham RC formed in 1891 (constituted in 1880’s but no meetings until later, first held on 8 March 1886) hosted trotting races at its meetings from 1 January 1892 until 1 January 1955. The two clubs have co-existed side by side for close to a hundred years.
The Wyndham TC was formed at a meeting held on 23 May 1923. Negotiations had been held with the reserves trustees to obtain a 14 year lease (renewed for fourteen years in 1937) with the course and appointments being made available free of charge for the trotting club’s inaugural meeting. Two non-tote meetings were held in 1923 and 1924 before the inaugural totalisator meeting took place on 18 March 1925 (rental of one percent of turnover), now racing on what is known as Young Quinn Raceway named after the champion NZ pacer of the mid/late nineteen seventies. Mobile start racing was pioneered in Southland when the Wyndham TC held three mobile events at its 30 November 1968 meeting. A 1498m all-weather track was first utilised at the 26 November 1977 meeting.
Another exceptionally fast Southland track, the clubs annual feature race the Kindergarten Stakes for two year olds has been held since 1961 in late February/early March. Winners have included Lordship, Young Quinn, Master Mood, Honkin Vision, Waikiki Beach while Tribute in 2004 was the first Australasian 2yo to better 1:55.0 (1:54.9, Kindergarten Stakes).
The Young Quinn Raceway has been used by the Southland Owners, Trainers and Breeders (12 October 1981, 25 April 1985) to run some of their non-tote races at trials meetings.
After racing on Young Quinn Raceway on 14 March 2020, the Wyndham TC was initially left off the schedule for the current 2020/21 season with no race days planned for its eastern Southland base. After an approach to Harness Racing New Zealand and agreement from the Wairio TC to transfer one of their race dates to Wyndham, the time honoured Group Three Kindergarten Stakes for two year olds and Wyndham Cup were part of the club’s 31 March 2021 meeting.
Gore –
Gore racecourse is situated on 53 hectares of freehold land providing racing facilities and a training centre. Gore is the Country Music Capital of New Zealand hosting the “Gold Guitar Awards” during the week leading up to Queens Birthday weekend each year with attendance by participants from throughout Australasia. Gore is also renowned for its brown trout caught in the waters of the nearby Mataura River.
The Gore Jockey Club formed on 16 July 1889 (previously races held at property of W. Sounness/later Gore Showgrounds in 1883 and at Wantwood near Mandeville in 1888 and 1889) trotting races on its programmes at Gore racecourse (1600m grass track) from 23 January 1890 (first meeting) until 18 February 1950.
The honour of holding the first trotting only meeting in Southland fell to the Gore Park TC on 1 November 1893. The meeting consisted of saddle events with a pony flat race included. After an anniversary meeting in 1894 (14 November) the club was wound up. The Gore TC (HRC from 1991/92 season) was formed on 5 July 1900 holding its inaugural non-tote meeting on 2 May 1901. After further non-tote meetings on 21 November 1901 and in 1902, the club’s first totalisator meeting utilising the ten shilling tote was held on 21 January 1903.
An all-weather 1000m track was installed inside the Gore racecourse and used for the first time on Boxing Day (26 December) 1977. This circuit is used for all meetings except one each year, when Gore Grass Cup day is run on the 1600m grass track (since 2014), which will be the only meeting programmed at the Gore raceway from the 2020/21 season onwards.
The Roxburgh TC held its inaugural totalisator meeting on the Gore raceway on Saturday 15 April 1950. More recently other clubs have raced at Gore Raceway.
- A) Northern Southland TC, non-tote meeting (16 December 1961), inaugural on course only totalisator meeting (11 November 1978) with annual meetings through until 27 September 1996 (24 September 1993 first full totalisator meeting)
- B) Southland Trotting Club held a one off non-tote meeting on 26 February 1965
- C) Forbury Park TC raced on 13 June 2015 due to flooding at Forbury Park
- D) Tapanui RC included trotting races on its programmes at meetings of 10/11 January 1917, 14 December 1946, 18 December 1948, 10 December 1960
Balclutha –
The South Otago TC was registered with the NZ Trotting Association on 12 February 1929. Several successful non-totalisator meetings were held until the commencement of WWII but none after that time.
Riverton –
The Riverton RC has a lengthy history – racing in Riverton can be tracked back to as early as 1861 when a meeting was held on the old Flints Bush Road (20/21 January 1861). Until 1886 a number of meetings were held by the Wallace County JC. In April 1886, it was resolved to change the name to Riverton RC. In June 1898 the club leased its current property (Riverton racecourse, 1600m) for fourteen years before purchasing it for approximately 6,000 pounds in 1909. Trotting races were held at the clubs meetings between 16 May 1925 and 11 April 1950 (in later years 17 September 1993 and 26 April 2000). The Clifden JC held its 13 January 1937 meeting at Riverton which incorporated trotting races.
The Riverton TC held non-tote/equalisator meetings at Riverton from 14 January 1961 until 1 December 1973; Ascot Park, Invercargill (1 December 1962, 5 December 1970, 6 December 1975) and Central Southland Raceway, Winton (7 December 1974; 3 December 1977). The first three totalisator meetings (2 December 1978, 1 December 1979, 7 February 1981) were held at Winton however since 11 November 1981 they have raced annually at Ascot Park, Invercargill.
Winton –
The Winton JC held trotting races on their programmes as early as 10 November 1890 (reference is made to the first recorded fixture being 9 November 1875, although possibly earlier as club records were destroyed in a fire in 1880’s) with these continuing through until 29 January 1955 on the Winton racecourse (1 mile/1600m). The spring galloping meetings of 1993 (1 October) and 1994 (3 October) also included trotting races.
Whilst the Winton TC was formed in 1904, an earlier one off meeting had been held on 18 December 1895 on the Winton course. The club initially held annual non-tote meetings there between 25 May 1905 and 13 May 1914. The club was registered by the NZ Trotting Association on 3 April 1913 holding its inaugural totalisator meeting on 1 December 1915. Meetings continue over one hundred years later at Winton on what is now known as the Central Southland Raceway. The all-weather track (1500m) was first used on 13 November 1976 by the Winton club while Wairio’s first meeting on the all-weather track took place five days later (18 November 1976).
Known as one of the fastest tracks in NZ, Central Southland Raceway boasts a sub 1:52.0 mile paced by three year old filly Delightful Memphis in March 2017 (1:51.9).
The Central Southland Raceway has also been used by the Invercargill TC for four meetings between 4 October and 20 December 1980; Riverton TC (7 December 1974; 3 December 1977 – 7 February 1981); while the Southland Owners, Trainers and Breeders (17 October 1981, 18 October 1982, 24 April 1983, 25 October 1983) ran some of their non-tote races at trials meetings on this track.
Otautau –
The Otautau TC was granted a certificate by the NZ Trotting Association on 9 March 1921. The club held three meetings (first, six races) all of them non-totalisator on the Strathmore racecourse, Otautau.
Other tracks utilised in the Southland area in prior years that included trotting races on their programmes :
- Balfour racecourse (one mile from Balfour) – Cattle Flat RC, meeting of 26 June 1956 (non-tote). First thoroughbred meeting held in either 1891 or 1892, always non-tote meetings with the last held 28 December 1936. Later use as outlined above
- Balfour racecourse – Northern Southland TC, equalisator/non-tote meetings held 17 December 1960 – 11 January 1992 and currently annual December equalisator meetings
- Clifden (7m upstream from Tuatapere lower Waiau River) – Clifden RC (17 March 1920 – 22 April 1939); raced at Ascot Park (18 February 1933; 25 January 1935); raced at Riverton racecourse (13 January 1937), then ceased operation. The Clifden RC held non-tote meetings on New Year’s Day before holding its inaugural totalisator meeting on 15 March 1916. The former racecourse is now home to the Tuatapere Golf Club
- Wairuna racecourse – Clinton JC (1 January 1891 – 13 January 1893)
- Wantwood paddock (valley at foot of Hokonuis and in front of Wantwood homestead ) – Mandeville JC (17 February 1891 – 24 May 1894); Waimea Plains JC meeting of 9 January 1894
- South Lumsden racecourse, Lumsden – Lumsden JC (11 February 1892 – 7 February 1894)
- Mr Bell’s course, Mandeville – Mandeville JC, meeting of 30 May 1895
- Strathmore racecourse (developed on Mr Normans Linton Park property, Otautau) – Otautau RC meetings 23 January 1920 – 9 April 1949; note : 1870’s to 1920’s, non-totes held in paddocks on Strathmore estate. Meetings held at Ascot Park (25 May 1927, 21 May 1932, 29 May 1937, 20 April 1940)
- Tapanui racecourse – Tapanui RC (5 February 1891 – 13 December 1964); raced at Gore (10/11 January 1917, 14 December 1946, 18 December 1948, 10 December 1960). Racing first held on 31 December 1869 at Tapanui
- Mr A McFarlane’s paddock, Waikari – Waikari Hack races (17 October 1890 – 16 October 1891)
- Riversdale – Waimea Plains JC meeting of 20 December 1892 (first meeting 18 December 1890 track unknown). Waimea Plains JC had held meetings at Riversdale and Mandeville prior to ceasing to operate. A new club was formed in 1887
Peter Craig
7 April 2021
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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