Kaikoura transfers iconic race meeting

Covid restrictions have prompted Kaikoura’s big race meeting to be transferred to Addington.

The two-day meeting at the scenic South Bay Racecourse was set down for Kaikoura on Sunday October 31 and Monday November 1.

But the Kaikoura Trotting Club committee has decided it will be transferred to Addington this year.

“It is one of the biggest decisions in our history,” says Kaikoura Trotting Club President Ben Smith, “we have been racing on the all-weather track there for 68 years and have never had to consider such a situation”

“But we have to be pragmatic.”

Smith says the lack of any detail from the Government about Alert Levels in the lead up to the November meeting meant they had little choice.

“The committee is just a small group of volunteers and we looked at every option but we had too many questions about running the meeting at Kaikoura at Level Two so the decision was made to go to Addington.”

They will race on Monday, November 1, featuring a 13-race programme, just eight days before the New Zealand Cup.

“Whilst disappointed for the Kaikoura track specialists we are enthusiastic about what horses will turn up for both the $50,000 Alabar Kaikoura Cup and the $30,000 Majestic Son South Bay Trotters Cup given the meeting will be two days before the New Zealand Cup trial, also at Addington, so hopefully some of those Cup horses will look at racing at our meeting instead.”

“We know a lot of people are going to be saddened by what’s happened, but we are obviously going to do everything we can to make it a hugely successful day.”