In the March 2015 edition of HARNESSED (NZ), the article “The Age of Enlightenment” primarily looked at the development of night trotting over the years in New Zealand.
Briefly reviewing the situation in New Zealand then looking in some depth at the evolution of night trotting in Australia which has a longer history than New Zealand‘s venues under lights..
By comparison, Batavia Downs in Western New York State, the oldest lighted track in North America, held its first night trotting meeting in 1940.
New Zealand :
New Zealand has only boasted eight night trotting venues from north to south, this includes the three tracks now closed (Claudelands, Hutt Park, Victoria Park). It is fifty years since Cambridge Raceway became the last of eight NZ tracks to erect lights. Hawera HRC had earlier held the first harness race under lights in NZ at an equalisator meeting at the Hawera Showgrounds on 24 November 1958.
The eight NZ tracks to have raced under lights are :
Alexandra Park, Auckland :
The first NZ track switching on lights was Alexandra Park, Auckland on New Years Eve, Wednesday 31 December 1958. A record crowd of 30,000 was in attendance with £138,795 handled on course.
Claudelands Showgrounds, Hamilton (closed) :
Opening night under lights was held on Saturday 4 March 1961 before a crowd of 10,590. The track hosted its final meeting on 2 January 1997. Claudelands Arena became a venue for concerts, live entertainment, international sporting events, large banquets and conferences.
Cambridge Raceway :
The last of eight tracks to switch to night trotting, opening night under lights took place on Tuesday 5 January 1965. Became the first NZ track to use LED lighting technology on 3 December 2015. The 63,000 lumen lights provide better lighting and will be cheaper to operate than the old metal halide lights.
Manawatu Raceway , Palmerston North :
The Manawatu club moved to new premises (previously having used Awapuni racecourse), installing both lights and a 4½ furlong crushed limestone all weather track. Its first meeting (equalisator) was conducted on Wednesday 17 November 1962. The inaugural totalisator meeting was held on Saturday 20 November 1962 before a crowd of 4,000.
Hutt Park, Wellington (closed) :
Opening night for both night racing and the new 4½ furlong all weather oval took place on Saturday 27 February 1960 before an estimated crowd of 16,500. The final meeting held at Hutt Park was on Sunday 3 February 2002.
It was then transformed into a major sports park for football and touch rugby. A sports administration hub (the Pelorus Sports House) housing regional and national sporting bodies and an indoor sports facility with 10 indoor netball/football and cricket courts, a children’s indoor play space and a café.
Addington Raceway, Christchurch :
A trial night meeting held in October 1963 was attended by a crowd of approximately 5,000. The opening two nights under lights were the third (Wednesday 20 November 1963) and fourth (Saturday 23 November 1963) days of the 1963 NZ Cup carnival. The original lights were upgraded in 1970’s and completely replaced in 1995 at a cost of $1.4m.
Victoria Park, Greymouth (closed) :
The opening night under lights was Thursday 24 October 1963, a crowd of 5,000 attended and on the second night (Saturday 26 October 1963), 6,000 were in attendance. The last meeting held at Victoria Park was on Sunday 15 March 2009.
Forbury Park, Dunedin :
The club held the first South Island night meeting on Thursday 26 January 1961. The crowd invested £77,123½ on course with off course investments reaching £122,373. A major lighting upgrade, took place in 1990 at a cost of $¼m, providing a ten fold improvement in illumination.
Australia :
Major tracks such as Gloucester Park (Perth), Wayville Showgrounds (Adelaide), Melbourne Showgrounds and Harold Park (Sydney) had all installed lights by the late 1940’s.
Queensland – it was the National Association Sports Ground (Exhibition Grounds) in Brisbane that can lay claim to being the first Australian track to race under lights (also first horse races in the world under lights). The first night meeting was held on Wednesday 24 July 1889 run under the auspices of the Norman Driving Park and Pony Racing Company. The meeting consisted of four pony races staged on a track illuminated by 60,000 candlepower Brockie-Pell electric light. The following meeting saw a twelve race programme including two trotting races – Norman Open Handicap Trotting Race (16 starters, won by Little Jess) and First Norman Handicap Trotting Race (10 starters, won by Snip).
Another instance of trotting under lights came at Woolloongabba (known today as the premier Brisbane cricket ground, Gabba) on Saturday 27 September 1902 with a series of pony races. The lack of horses meant it was not successful, and although tried again in 1908, the same result ensued.
New South Wales – Lillie Bridge Athletic Ground (later called Forest Lodge, then Epping and finally Harold Park) held its first meeting under lights on Thursday 6 February 1890. Encircling a rugby ground, its 2 furlongs and 20 yds (419m) track was small.
The first race being a pony trot for horses 12.2 hands and under consisting of two heats and a final raced three times around (approx 6 furlongs or 1260m) for a final stake of ten sovereigns. The heat winners were respectively :
- Heat one : Fairplay (9st), ridden by owner F. Alexander
- Heat two : Ivo Bligh (7st 7lbs), ridden by Hill jnr for owner F.Hill
As can be seen, all horses were ridden (no sulkies) and handicaps at the initial meeting were declared by weight, time handicaps being used at later meetings. In the final run off between the heat winners, the weight advantage of Ivo Bligh proved decisive in his winning the first trotting event ever held under lights in Australia.
The small track at Lillie Bridge meant most trotting events were for ponies with few top horses competing. The quality of lighting was average, with night trotting considered a failure by owners and trainers who saw it as a waste of funds. The experiment of trotting under lights was abandoned after several meetings. However, lights were ultimately to take trotting/harness racing to great heights in later times.
A further attempt at night trotting in Sydney took place at Ascot racecourse, on Wednesday 14 December 1927 under the auspices of the Sydney Night Trots Ltd. A five shilling admission fee meant only a moderate crowd attended. A few meetings at night were held in the Northern Coalfields area after tentative State Government approval – Newcastle on the speedway track at the back of Broadmeadow racecourse (September 1927); Maitland, a few meetings commencing 22 October 1927; Cessnock on the Sports Ground on 3 December 1927. All these attempts fell by the wayside in due course.
The failures in both Sydney and Brisbane resulted in the majority being unable to see any merit in running night racing.
WACA – trotting was conducted at the Western Australian Cricket Association’s grounds from 28 June 1913 until 28 January 1928. The course was lit for the first “electric light” meeting on Saturday 24 January 1914 with an estimated crowd of 2,000 in attendance. This meeting featured five races with winners over 1m in Battler (2:44.1MR, driven by Alfred Fox winning the first event), Majestic (2:48MR), The Easter Gift (3:30MR); 1½m Ringleader (3:57 overall time), Greylad (4:13 overall time). Proving popular another meeting under lights was held a week later.
Brennan/Gloucester Park – known affectionately as the “ribbon of light”, Brennan Park, was opened and held its first night meeting on Thursday December 26, 1929.
The first race was won by Alwren (dr. F. Mackander). It was thanks primarily to James Brennan that this magnificent trotting course was available for patron’s enjoyment. Saturday night trotting under lights was to attract larger crowds than Saturday afternoon thoroughbred meetings. A name change to Gloucester Park in November 1935 by John Stratton honoured the Duke of Gloucester’s marriage and his visit to the trots in Perth on 6 October 1934.
Adelaide pre Wayville – the earliest recorded day meeting was held at Alberton Oval, near Port Adelaide on Saturday 27 December 1919. Official night trotting under huge arc lamps commenced at Jubilee Oval on Saturday 6 November 1920 where a crowd estimated at 7,000 attended (South Australian TC). The winner of the first of six races, a maiden handicap trot was Johnny. Due to the success of night trotting, within two years four clubs had been formed in opposition to each other. The second club was the Port Adelaide TC (Alberton Oval); in 1922 the third club was the Adelaide TC which also raced at Jubilee Oval. An absurd situation developed whereby the Adelaide TC raced on Saturday nights, the South Australian TC on Friday nights – both at Jubilee Oval while the Port Adelaide club (Alberton Oval) raced in opposition to the Adelaide TC on a Saturday night.
When the Port Adelaide club folded, a fourth club, Southern TC was formed and raced at Prospect Oval on Wednesday evenings. The Adelaide TC then transferred its meetings to Thebarton Oval. In time yet another club was formed called the South Australian Owners Trotting club (affiliated to South Australian Trotting Association), their first meeting held at Prospect Oval on Wednesday 23 January 1924. All these clubs raced on sports grounds not dedicated to trotting use, thus suffering from limited size of the tracks.
The Wayville Showgrounds track (550m) which became the base for city night trotting in Adelaide for nearly fifty years opened for business on 23 October 1925 (last meeting 7 April 1973). The feature event for £100 was won by Lustre driven by Fred Kersley snr.
Tasmania – Northall Park, Hobart (1920 – 1941), venue for the Southern Tasmanian TC first raced under lights on Thursday 24 March 1938, the first race being won by Sula Pic (dr. Tommy Elliott). Other winners included Van Derby, Dimple Derby (winner 1938 Northall Night Trotting Cup, only time run), Our Globe – quite an impressive line up on one night’s card.
Melbourne Showgrounds – Opening night in Melbourne on the new Showgrounds track on 15 November 1947 had over 20,000 patrons on course. Winners on the seven race card were : Whyalla (1¾m, 4:12.2/MR 2:24.0), the first winner under lights together with Prancing Nell, Blue Glide, Bright Spring, Amorous (NSW Sapling, SA Derby, SA Easter Gift, Hunter Cup), Charming Mission and Silver Peak (NSW Derby, Hunter Cup, ID Consolation). While the major Melbourne metropolitan track transferred to the dual code course at Moonee Valley in 1976 (to Melton in 2010), the last regular Saturday night meeting at the Showgrounds was held on 20 December 1980; final TAB meeting at the Showgrounds was held on 22 September 1998 (Royal Show).
Harold Park – The final day meeting prior to night trotting was held at Harold Park on Saturday 18 December 1948. Amazingly after having been the second locality to hold a night trotting meeting (Lillie Bridge), Harold Park did not hold its first night trotting meeting until 1 October 1949 with 15,000 in attendance (postponed from Saturday 24 September due to rain). Interesting to note that attendances averaged 17,500 for the next ten years with 1959/60 averaging 18,900 over 40 meetings.
The first winner at night at Harold Park was Altivolo (Spring Hcp) in the hands of S. McMillan (3/1), mile rate of 2:11 3/5. Other winners on the inaugural nights card were Head Man, Oro Bay (NSW Sapling, Derby heat), Machine Wood, Jack Hope (ID Pacing heat, Harold Park), Moro Robert and Spruso King.
By 1978, 28 of 45 affiliated clubs in NSW were racing under lights.
Selected Australian tracks to race under lights by state :
Western Australia –
- Kalgoorlie – 1st country track in WA to install lights, the first meeting under lights held 2 September 1915
- Manjimup – Kanny Park 2nd WA country track under lights 21 November 1935
- Harvey – Recreation Oval, 3rd WA country track under lights
- Collie – Wallsend Paceway, 4th WA country track under lights 1936
- Bunbury – Donaldson Park, 5th WA country track under lights 1936
- Bridgetown – Showgrounds, 6th WA country track under lights 1936
- Katanning – Showgrounds (1930 – 1988), under lights from early 1940’s
- York – York Paceway (opened 1922), under lights from 1948
South Australia –
- Globe Derby – opened on 24 June 1969 (day meetings), operating under lights from 14 April 1973
Queensland –
- Albion Park – opened under lights on 7 September 1968
Victoria –
- Mildura – Showgrounds from 30 April 1949 (2 furs 140 yds; 600m), raced under lights initially as Sunraysia TC. Mildura HRC since 1979 now on 810m track
- Ararat – Alexandra Park (1921 – 1968, 660 yds), raced under lights from 1950. Now located at Russell White Raceway
- Warragul – Logan Park (opened 21 February 1948, 666m), night trotting from 1950 until 6 October 1987 when reverted to day meetings from 22 December 1988
- Shepparton – Showgrounds (opened 27 December 1949), under lights from Wednesday 26 December 1951
- Moonee Valley – raced under lights for complete period harness racing track used at this venue (1976 – 2010)
- Melton – TABCorp Park opened under lights 2009
New South Wales –
- Newcastle – Broadmeadow Showgrounds under lights 16 December 1949 until 20 August 1988 when new track International Paceway opened 21 October 1989
- Bathurst – Showgrounds track opened in 1953 for night trotting until final meeting 21 September 2014. New track Bathurst Paceway opened 19 October 2014
- Bulli – Slacky Flat, operated 1946 until 2012, now racing at Menangle. Night trotting from 1953
- Parkes – under lights from New Years night of 1953 (31/12/1952)
- Leeton – opened in 1917, with lights from 1953 on ½ mile track (804m)
- Nowra – operated 1951 – 1993 (1961 – 1975 Shoalhaven Showgrounds; 1975 – 1993 Nowra Paceway), under lights from 1953
- Young – Showgrounds under lights from 1954 (tenth country NSW track under lights)
- Gosford – thirteenth NSW club to race under lights from 14 October 1954
- Bega – night trotting at Golden Rail Paceway from 9 November 1956 until closure 20 December 1969
- Dubbo – opened 2 August 1958 with night trots from 1961
- Penrith – opened under lights on 16 April 1964 before crowd of 7,000
- Bankstown opened under lights on 15 March 1965
- Hawkesbury – under lights from 6 November 1966
- Parramatta – Westmead Showgrounds (closed 22 October 1973) opened under lights on 23 February 1966
- Menangle – TABCorp Park, rebuilt 2008 opening under lights
Tasmania –
- Devonport – Showgrounds, under lights since 6 November 1954
- Launceston – Tasman Park opened under lights in 1987
- Hobart – Tattersalls Park opened under lights in 2004
- Burnie – Wilvenhue Showgrounds, racing since 1918 with recent installation of lighting – 16 May 2014 first night meeting
Summary –
What has changed over the past 100+ years since the advent of night trotting? In Australia, crowds at inaugural night trotting evenings in all states and subsequent meetings were of a level club officials would love to have on course today. Night trotting meetings in earlier days were one of few major entertainment options available unlike now when they are but one of many. The situation is no different in New Zealand.
However, night trotting remains an adrenalin charged option for the true fan.
Peter Craig
31 August 2016
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
