SUCCESSFUL LINDAUER RACEDAY
Three days after a highly successful Cup Day at Addington last Tuesday, Lindauer Race Day (Show Day) followed the same pattern with a pleasing race day on and off-course.
Crowd numbers were healthy with some 7000 race goers enjoying their sunny day at the track.
These numbers contributed to a total turnover in 2012 of $3,214,047 exceeding last year by $397,070 or 14%.
The Woodlands New Zealand Free-For-All over the mile was taken out by Gold Ace in a swift time of 1:52.6 just half a second outside the New Zealand record held jointly by Smolda and Kiwi Ingenuity and being the third fastest mile time ever recorded in this county.
The mile start of the race has certainly got harness enthusiasts talking with feedback to the club from horseman generally positive. The win in the Free-For-All took Gold Ace’s stake earnings to nearly $900,000.
Turnover figures in the New Zealand Free-For-All show some interesting reading. Total turnover on the race this year ($324,771) was very much the same as last
season ($327,959) despite the lesser field numbers of 9 in 2012 compared to 12 in 2011.
This resulted in an increased turnover on a per starter basis of a substantial 32%.
It was unfortunate that a full field did not face the starter as Pembrook Benny was a late scratching on race day morning.
The Hellers Dominion Trot was won by the mighty trotter I Can Doosit. It was a huge run by Australasia’s champion trotter who took his winning streak to 17 and stake earnings to almost $1.4 million.
The way he dominates the trotting ranks at the moment, $2 million won in stakes could well be his for the taking within the next six months, with plenty of opportunity coming up in New Zealand and across the ditch.
The inaugural PJ Jeans Show Day Futurity at a not-to-be-sneezed-at stake of $36,000
saw the talented Democracy return to the winner’s circle. This concept received a wealth of support from horseman with over 100 pacers entered back in July and should only gain further momentum next season.
Later this month on 30 November the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club will host a consolation of the Futurity with those next line horses that didn’t make the final vying for a $10,000 stake.
So a successful and a great carnival last week at harness racing’s headquarters. Bring on 2013.
CUP DAY FIGURES
These sell outs were in line with a substantial increase in pre-Cup Day General Admission tickets with this figure up 56% on 2011.
The turnovers on Cup Day also showed an increase on last year.
2012 Total turnover: $6,098,174 – 2011 Total turnover: $5,959,523. An increase of $138,651 or 2.3%.
2012: On-course turnover: $1,679,559. 2011 On-course turnover: $1,554,985. An increase of $124,574 or 8%.
Some significant increases were reported too in total turnover per starter when comparing 2011 to 2012.
2011 Turnover per starter: $37,718.
2012 Turnover per starter: $40,927, an increase of $3,209 or 8.5%.
Courtesy of Ged Mooar, Marketing & Commercial Manager,
Addington Raceway & Events Centre,
November 20, 2012