It appears there really is no reason why Dunedin's Forbury Park Trotting Club cannot make a bid for New Zealand's richest raceday.
The club's new general manager, Paul Knowles, wants the club to be ready to bid for the $1.5 million Harness Jewels in five years.
The club would first have to "seriously consider" how to improve its ageing buildings, but the Jewels remained a realistic goal.
"I can't see a reason why we can't put in a bid for the [Harness] Jewels ..." Mr Knowles said.
"We would be an attractive proposition. We're in a major urban centre and we have a very good track. If we got our bottles in a row, I think it would be worth a go.
"A Jewels takes two years to plan, and something like that could be considered for our future, but we won't get very far if we can't attract the races and the sponsors because our buildings aren't suitable."
The Jewels is a one-day series of nine races featuring the highest stake earning age-group pacers and trotters in New Zealand.
The right to host the event alternates each year between the North and South Islands.
It is at present held in Cambridge and in Ashburton, which held the first series in 2007.
Harness Racing New Zealand communications manager, Andrew Morris, confirmed other clubs could bid for the Jewels, and that a shift could not be ruled out.
However, a South Island club would have to present a compelling case to the Harness Racing New Zealand Board to move the Jewels from Ashburton.
Forbury's bid would be strengthened if its facilities were improved, but hosting the Jewels could start to repay the club's investment.
"Getting a 5000-strong crowd over the course of an event and making Forbury Park somewhere people want to visit for a good time could increase participation and even be good for the city.
"But it needs to be able to cater for 5000 people, and cater well to them, and that's where they wouldn't want their bid to come unstuck."
Like Mr Knowles, Mr Morris acknowledged the recession meant it was difficult for clubs to find the money to make significant capital investments.
The drive to improve on-course revenue, sponsorship and corporate support meant some in the industry wanted Cambridge's Jewels sent to Auckland.
