The dedication of volunteers helped solve track problems at the Omakau Racecourse and make the rescheduled race day on Friday the best it could be.
After an irrigator timer did not switch off on Monday, the Central Otago Racing Club had to cancel the race meet at Omakau on Wednesday.
On Monday night, Omakau Racecourse track manager Nikki White left the racecourse irrigators on a timer.
But, for the first time, the irrigator did not turn off, Mrs White said.
She said they could do very little to fix the problem on Tuesday, as there was "30-plus degrees heat" outside.
Wednesday’s rain, of about 4mm, helped "immensely" because it made the rest of the track even.
"My lesson’s learnt - I can’t guarantee the timer will work. I wouldn’t be able to leave [the timer] on two days before race day. I’d have to manually turn it off."
Central Otago Racing Club president Tony Lepper said Mrs White saved the day - she had been the key person fixing the issue to make sure the races would run.
"Small racing clubs rely on volunteers like her. She’s spent hundreds of hours trying to get it right."
Mr Lepper said the crowds were small, but that was to be expected with a rescheduled meet on a Friday.
"We knew it would be light on a Friday [but] it has been ticking over beautifully," Mr Lepper said.
The race day was originally part of the Interislander Summer Festival, organised by The Races Ltd.
But because of the postponement, the day could not be part of the festival.
The Interislander Summer Festival returned yesterday to Cromwell.
