The Otago Racing Club will be the centre of the New Zealand turf industry when it hosts the inaugural Otago Classics Day.
A beefed-up meeting, created following New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s partnership with Entain, brings together four significant races that have had massive stakes increases.
The $200,000 group 3 White Robe Lodge weight-for-age, the $200,000 Otago Daily Times Southern Mile final, the $170,000 Dunedin Gold Cup and the $170,000 Dunedin Guineas will be joined by five other races.
Total stakes are up to $970,000 — and next year, Classics Day will officially become a million-dollar race meeting when all the major races get further boosts.
"We’re definitely excited. It’s an inaugural event and we want to do it right and then build from year to year.
"We’re looking forward to seeing the nominations come through, and the size of the fields.
"There’s so much hospitality going on that everyone should have a great day."
Anderton said Wingatui’s Winning Post lounge would be "chocker", marquees and a champagne lawn would provide plenty of space for keen punters, and a decent crowd was expected for the Black Seeds after-party.
In terms of the racing, the status of the four major races meant the fields should be top-notch.
"We’re hoping to pull some really good-quality horses down to race," Anderton said.
"We need those quality horses racing here to hold the White Robe and the Dunedin Gold Cup and these sorts of races.
"It has to be a good thing for the club."
Anderton expected Entain, which has breathed new life into the New Zealand racing industry, would be keeping a close eye on events at Wingatui.
"And there are going to be three Trackside presenters here, so we’re going to be the centre of attention. But we’re up for that."
Anderton said the ODT Southern Mile series, in its fourth year, had again been a major success.
"We’ve been having to split fields, and there’s been horses on ballots, so it just shows how much interest there is in the race.
"I’m really looking forward to the Mile final."
Timaru gelding Zadane won the final ODT Southern Mile heat at the Ashburton meeting on Sunday.
The series featured 13 races (10 heats) at seven different club meetings at five venues. There were 170 starts by 108 different horses for an average of 13 runners per race.
The field for the $200,000 final, a rating 82 1600m with a starting limit of 14, will be based on points accrued over the series.
Any tiebreaks will be decided on series wins, highest rating points or, if necessary, the discretion of senior handicapper Bruce Sherwin.
Riccarton mare Quintabelle, a winner of two heats seven days apart, leads the standings on 20 points.
