All-weather circuit for Nelson in June

Press, 7 February 1985, Page 30

All-weather circuit for Nelson in June

By

G. K. YULE

The Nelson Trotting Club’s summer meeting last week-end is expected to be the last run on the 1800metre grass circuit at Richmond Park.

Only a few formalities have to be completed, probably by the end of this week, and work on the construction of an allweather track will begin.

“We’ve got plans completed and arrangements are made for the earthworks, followed by the laying of the track,” said the president of the club, Mr John Trathen. The new track will be about 1400 m in circumference, with a home straight of some 250 m. Long, sweeping bends have been included.

The club has the blessing of the Racing Authority to proceed with all of the planning and the final approval is expected to be given at a meeting to be held in. Wellington morrow. '

The club is confident that the new track can be constructed for about 1100,000 and funds have been arranged to cover the costs. The funding will be boosted in June when the club will auction services to a number of stallions donated by studmasters. They include Smooth Fella, one of the most keenly-sought stallions in the country. Services to about a dozen stallions have been donated, with the number expected to swell by June. The club is looking into the prospect of arranging a $50,000 bonus payable to the owner of a horse resulting from one of the services auctioned in June should it win a race to be specified.

The new all-weather circuit will run inside the present grass track, with the home straight quite close to the public. It has not been plainsailing for the club to arrange for the installation of the new circuit as it uses the course in conjunction with the financially-

stretched Nelson Jockey Club and the Agricultural and Pastoral Association. There is strong opposition to the project from some quarters, but the stewards and committee are practically unanimous to proceed. Some of the pessimists among the opponents of the early construction of the new track feel that the club should await the outcome of the galloping club’s meeting on April 27 and 29. This club has for years struggled for survival and was helped considerably by a meeting run on the Avondale course last July. Many feel the galloping club could come to an end after its April meeting, but its supporters take a much more optimistic view of their future.

The trotting club held one of its more successful summer meetings last week-end and its officials are hoping that the galloping club succeeds and can make some worth-while financial contribution towards the upkeep of the complex.