Club News : Dec 23

Kapiti Coast Harness Racing Club :

The Kapiti Coast Harness Racing Club holds its annual harness race meeting with a difference at the Otaki Maori Race course on Monday 4th January 2021.

It will be held in conjunction with the Otaki Maori Racing Club as a ‘dual Code’ race meeting, the first time this has occurred in over two decades.

Harness Club President Chris Craddock says “the Kapiti Coast community is getting the best of ‘both worlds’ with both harness and galloping races featuring on the day”.

It is anticipated that there will be a minimum of four harness races on the programme, with a potential eight galloping races to follow. Gates open 10am, first race held at 11am.

This will be the only harness racing to take place in the Wellington Region this season.

The feature harness race on Monday January 4th is the $12,000 Otaki Cup for the highest graded pacers , with a mobile start over 2700 metres with a field including the Kapiti Express, which is owned by many members and supporters of the club.

There will be plenty of free activities for the children , including a bouncy castle, face painting , a drawing competition, fun run events, treasure hunts, a lolly scramble, pony rides and much more.

Southern harness action :

There are two harness meetings in Southland after Christmas with the Gore Harness Racing Club racing on the grass from 2pm on Sunday 27 December with free kids entertainment and Punt For Gold with the opportunity to win two watches. A Punters Club will also operate and Dene Allen entertains. Admission is free.

That meeting is followed by an opportunity to relax and enjoy the last day of 2020 with a picnic at the races at the Winton Harness Racing Club meeting at Central Southland Raceway in Winton on New Year’s Eve. Again, admission is free and the first race at 1pm

The focus then moves to Central Otago with meetings at Omakau (2 January), Roxburgh (4 January) and Cromwell (6 January). The Central Otago circuit is well known for great racing, entertainment, Fashion In The Field plus plenty of free children’s entertainment and activities.

The action returns to Ascot Park Raceway in Invercargill on Wednesday 13 January with the Northern Southland Trotting Club where two flights to Stewart Island courtesy of Stewart Island Flights will be won. More midweek racing follows a week later at Central Southland Raceway in Winton.

The month ends with Cup Day in Invercargill on Saturday 30 January – always a day of quality racing and entertainment.