The Forbury Park Trotting Club has announced a strategic plan aimed at staging the Harness Jewels in 2017.
"The plan has been prepared on the basis of staging the Jewels in 2017 and doing those things at Forbury Park which need to be done to ensure the event and similar ones can be held at the park on a regular basis," Peter Gillespie, the president of the club, said in a preamble to the plan.
"The plan covers the racing programme, the track, racing facilities, buildings, services, marketing, promotion, administration and finances."
The vision of the plan was that at the end of the period Forbury Park is regarded as one of the top four harness racing venues in New Zealand by owners, trainers, punters, patrons and sponsors and is an iconic venue of which the City of Dunedin and local community are proud.
A draft of the plan will be presented to members of the club and other parties for discussion on May 28. The final plan will then be submitted to the board of control of the club for consideration.
Footnote: The Harness Jewels, a series for the 12 leading stake-earners each season among the 2, 3 and 4yr-old pacers and trotters over a mile, was established by the governing body, Harness Racing New Zealand, in 2007. It was first held at Ashburton and has alternated between that venue and Cambridge. The 2012 series is set down for Cambridge on June 2 with $1.2 million in stakes on offer.
• Trojan, who was injured after winning his only start in Australia, is back in work.
Trojan suffered a hairline fracture of a pedal bone after he had won at Newcastle in November as a member of the stable of Tim Butt. He is back jogging with Brian Notman at Shepparton.
Trojan, owned by John Hamilton, of Alexandra, won nine races in NZ when trained by Geoff and Judy Knight.
