Post-Christmas party seekers looking for a day of fun were in luck yesterday — the Wingatui Boxing Day Races were there to deliver.
From teddy bear hunts and horse racing to pony rides and tetherball, the races had it all and hundreds of families came to the track to take part in the revelry, or to make a bet.
Jacqui Seque, of Dunedin, was having a "girls’ day out" with her mother, sister and niece.
She placed a bet for the afternoon race on Asathought, and was jumping in the stands when the horse came in first.
"I’ve just won, woohoo!"
Ms Seque said she was brought up with horses, so "racing was in the blood".
She was a regular at the races, and frequently came down with her family to watch the sport.
"We’re a racing family — one of our family members was a commentator," she said.
Her mother-in-law Wilma Edgar had travelled down from Picton to spend the holidays with the family.
Unlike the other women, she knew little to nothing about racing, she said.
"I don’t bet much — I don’t know enough," she said.
On the other side of the grandstand and hoping for a turn in his luck, Dunedin resident Fulton Henry was enjoying the summer heat.
He said he was having a "lazy day in the sun" with his wife and daughter after a big Christmas Day.
Mr Henry could not walk down to the track as he had broken his ankle right before Christmas — just 10 days earlier.
However, he was looking on the bright side, as his daughter Joanne Henry had made the journey across the world from Toon, Scotland to visit.
She too had placed a bet during the races and was hoping for a big win.
"We love a bit of a gamble, but we’re out enjoying the sun."
Halfway through the day’s races, the Henry family had not yet won.
"We’ve not had any luck so far, but it’s nice weather out, so here’s hoping," she said.
