With nine races, and entertainment including the Black Seeds, the new Property Brokers Otago Classics Day promises a superb day out.
The first Property Brokers Otago Classics Day on Saturday March 1 is destined to be the biggest day on Dunedin’s racing calendar.
Alongside the top-tier racing there will be a raft of entertainment keeping the crowds happy all day and into the night.
Otago Racing Club general manager Noelle Prince says it’s been exciting to see how they can get more of Dunedin to enjoy the new race day.
‘‘It’ll definitely be our biggest day of the year,’’ she says. ‘‘The purists will come out to enjoy the day with its high stakes and the racing will be top class, so they will enjoy that. But we want to make it an event that covers a lot, so there's a lot in terms of entertainment on the day.’’
That includes the hugely popular Black Seeds from Wellington, who are headlining on the main stage at the LOVERACING.NZ after-party.
Other entertainment on the day will include Loose and Colourful, an epic line-up of DJs, and of course the Fashion on the Fields competition.
The Property Brokers Otago Classics Day will see thrilling high stakes racing action, with prize money of $1 million on offer.
The nine races include the White Robe Lodge Weight for Age over 1600m, the Positive Signs + Print Dunedin Gold Cup, the Property Brokers Dunedin Guineas, and the ODT Southern Mile Final.
‘‘It'll be incredible racing,’’ Noelle says. ‘‘We're hoping we'll attract some of the North Island jockeys and some of the other horses around, so it'll be really exciting to see how it all comes together.’’
The event has been developed due to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing overhauling the racing calendar.
That presented the Otago Racing Club with the opportunity to create a highlight event for the year, capturing the eyes of punters nationwide.
The club has grabbed that opportunity with open arms, and expanded the Property Brokers Otago Classics Day into a larger, all-day affair.
‘‘It's not just racing, it caters to all,’’ Noelle emphasises. ‘‘That's sort of how it was born; making sure we encompass that whole event experience.’’
The team at Wingatui are well versed in running large events, with the annual Melbourne Cup Day, and Cromwell Race Day each November.
The beginning of March is the perfect time for the club’s premier event with more settled weather in autumn, and with tertiary students back in the city.
Hospitality packages for the event have sold exceptionally well, but there is still space on the VAULT 21 Moët & Chandon Lawn, and in the Kirin Hyoketsu Paddock where the after-party will be hosted.
There are also transport options on offer, with bus ticket add-ons available for services from both Mosgiel and Dunedin.
The Otago Racing Club is looking forward to launching this exciting new event.
‘‘We feel like it'll be a really strong date in the Dunedin calendar,’’ Noelle says. ‘‘We haven't had stakes like this before. It'll be good to get it under way this year, and then build on it to become our main big event’’
Property Brokers Otago Classics Day: Wingatui Racecourse, Saturday March 1. Visit wingatui.co.nz for more.
