$1.7 million washout – NZ racing turnover hit by Timaru abandonment and Trentham postponement

The New Zealand thoroughbred industry is estimated to have lost more than $1.7 million in wagering turnover in the past week, as adverse weather plays havoc with fixtures across the country.

Projections by global wagering giant Entain, the operator of TAB NZ and betcha, attributed the shortfall to the combination of abandoned races, postponed fixtures and the movement of race meetings from weekends to weekdays.

Impacting NZ racing’s bottom line, a meeting at Timaru was cut short, while Saturday’s fixture at Trentham was transferred to Wednesday.

Seven of the 10 races programmed for Sunday’s Waimate Racing Club meeting at Phar Lap Raceway in Timaru were abandoned after jockeys raised concerns about a section of the track near the 1700-metre mark.

The decision came after only three races had been completed on the card, resulting in the loss of the majority of a meeting that was also scheduled to be broadcast into Australia on free-to-air television.

As part of a 10-week trial, Racing.com is integrating New Zealand Sunday meetings into its domestic coverage.

The trial is designed to provide additional exposure for New Zealand racing to Australian audiences and punters, making the loss of the majority of the Timaru card particularly untimely.

A replacement six-race programme for affected South Island horses has been scheduled at Riccarton on June 16.

Trackside, the Entain-owned media arm, said the move from a Sunday fixture to a Tuesday meeting would further affect turnover.

It is also unclear when Phar Lap Raceway will return to service, with barrier trials scheduled for the venue cancelled following Sunday’s abandonment.

Trackside reported that investigations into the track issue were continuing, while the length of any interruption to racing at the venue remained unknown.

At Trentham, Saturday’s Wellington Racing Club meeting was postponed until Wednesday after continuous rain left surface water on the track.

While the meeting will still be held, the shift from Saturday to a midweek setting is expected to reduce wagering activity.

“On average, a Wednesday thoroughbred meeting in New Zealand will turn over about two-thirds of what that same meeting on a Saturday would produce,” according to Trackside.

In assessing the financial hit of the disrupted week, Trackside said: “Taking into account the abandonment/postponements and the switch to weekdays, modelling by Entain …  shows an estimated shortfall of more than $1.7m in turnover across the week of New Zealand thoroughbred racing.”

It said the abandonment and postponement had also generated additional costs for trainers, jockeys, owners and industry service providers who would be required to attend the rescheduled fixtures.

Only Saturday’s meeting at Ellerslie was completed as originally programmed during the weekend.

According to Trackside, New Zealand’s current abandonment rate of six per cent remains more than double that of Australia’s major racing jurisdictions.

However, Australian racing has not been without its cancellation issues in recent weeks.

Since May 1, up to 13 meetings in NSW alone have been affected by rain, particularly in the north of the state.

But the comparison comes as New Zealand racing administrators continue to focus on improving the consistency of race-day delivery, particularly during the winter period when weather-related interruptions become more common.

Lost race meetings and abandoned races not only reduce wagering turnover but can also affect programming and opportunities for horses to compete for available prize money.

The latest disruptions occurred during a week in which broader industry finances were already under discussion including funding uncertainty across both thoroughbred and harness racing ahead of next season.