Racing Matters

Where to now? There was an interesting edge in the air at the Forbury Park Trotting Club's special general meeting on Wednesday night when a new governance structure was offered up but turned down (well, by about 40 percent of the members present at the meeting). The disappointed shaking of heads from some members after the meeting told the story for them, while others had raised concerns some understandable about the proposed structure prior to the vote.

But at the end of it all, Forbury Park Trotting Club is a business which on racing alone, never mind rental agreements and the like provided race meetings that turned over a tick over $15,600,000 last season.

It needs to be run like a business particularly when it comes to chasing sponsorship, making the best use of the buildings, and completing remedial work that HAS to be done.

Will that be achievable under the present governance structure? Perhaps. But will this set-up produce the best result for the club, the Otago harness racing industry and the racing industry over the next 10 years? I doubt it.

There's no argument that Forbury Park is not on the same level as Addington or Alexandra Park when it comes to quality of racing, and both those venues have the advantage of not only a larger part to play in New Zealand harness racing, but larger population bases to draw on.

Addington has also by the hand of fate had some benefits arise from the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. But those two venues are ``going forward'' for a reason  they have strong leadership from boards featuring business people who have a love of harness racing.

Harness racing in New Zealand needs Forbury Park. But Forbury Park needs to support itself first and foremost.

Out of the ashes

With David Walker due to appear in front of a judicial committee relating to two rides where he bet against himself in a head-to-head bet type, I won't delve too much in to the specifics other than to say it tears at the very fabric of racing's integrity.

But if any good comes out of his two horrendous lapses in judgement, it's the impending change to the betting rules for jockeys. After resistance from industry groups, it seems New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing will finally be able to push through a law banning jockeys from betting on days that they are riding, and a total ban might not be far away.

Hopefully, the harness code comes in to line to some degree as well.

Lazy Fiver

Can I claim Pure Champion as my Lazy Fiver last week? No? Fair enough. But my Lazy Fiver was Franco Tyson who let down punters and me  yet again on Sunday. You have to respect Matt and Mandy Brown any time they line up a horse at Riccarton, and Soubrettes is worth chasing in race 7 at the Canterbury meeting tomorrow.