Club News - Kapiti

Media Release : Kapiti Coast Harness Racing Club Race Day

Thursday 4th January 2024

The Kapiti Coast Harness Racing Club holds its annual harness race meeting at the Otaki Racecourse on Thursday 4th January 2024 in conjunction with the Otaki Maori Racing Club as a dual code race meeting.

This is the fourth occasion on which this has occurred in recent years. Gates open at 10:30 a.m., and the first race is at 11:27 a.m. It is anticipated that there will be six harness races on the programme, with a potential eight galloping races to follow, so possibly a total of fourteen races on a family fun-filled day of excitement.

This will be the only harness racing to take place in the Wellington region this season - North Island grass track harness racing at its very best on a wonderful sole of grass, resulting from an extensive grass resewing programme and track drainage work undertaken by the Otaki Maori Racing Club in recent years.

The feature harness race on Thursday January 4th is the $20,000 Otaki Cup for the highest graded pacers, from a standing start over 3000 metres.

The other feature race on the harness programme is the $15,000 Wellington Trotting Cup for horses with a trotting gait, from a standing start over 3,000 metres.

Kapiti Coast Harness Racing Club President Chris Craddock will have his 5yo horse, Raging Whitebait, racing on the day. The horse is trained in Bulls by Doug Gale and is expected to give a bold showing. Doug will have a team of five horses at the race meeting.

Local Otaki harness trainer Wendy Devenport will also have horses racing on the day. Uncle Drew from Devenport’s stable is a grass track specialist, “and should give a good account of himself” the trainer stated. She added, “watch out for The Elite Athlete who could be a smoky”, and who placed third on this day at Otaki a year ago.

Local Levin harness trainer Murray Gibbs will also be represented with his racing team, with all expected to be primed for the annual local harness race meeting.

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

The meeting promises to be a family-fun, community event, with harness racing not to be missed on the Kapiti Coast. Competitive stakes will be on offer, with very competitive racing on a wonderful grass track surface.

Come early, bring a picnic basket, and enjoy a day in the sun on the grassed area on one of the most picturesque race courses in New Zealand…Otaki Racecourse.

Harness Club President Chris Craddock stated that he was "delighted that the Kapiti Coast Harness Racing Club and the Otaki Maori Racing Club were once again combining to host this dual code race meeting on the Otaki track.

The Kapiti Coast community is getting the best of both worlds with both harness and galloping races featuring on the day".

Chris Craddock
President
Kapiti Coast Harness Racing Club Inc.
027 410 2420