Sunday racing approved

Press, 4 March 1988, Page 27

Sunday racing approved

PA Auckland (Ellerslie racegoers are likely to be among the firat in New Zealand to see Sunday gallops next year. The Auckland course is the only urban track recommended for Sunday racing by a sub-commit-tee of representatives from the galloping, trotting and greyhound industries. Other courses given the go-ahead are Hawera. Tauherenikau. Motukarara and Hutt Park. Sunday racing became a certainty on Wednesday when the concept was approved in principle byInternal Affairs Minister. Michael Bassett. The move has been greeted enthusiastically by leading racing personi alitias. David Walsh and

Peter Mitchell, j [ Walsh, a leadihg jockey, said [Sunday racing was certain ■ to i be ja; crojwdpuller. It will give more sportsmen the opportunity to get to the racetrack, he said.) ; ; | I ■ . . Bonecrusher'S ) owner, Mitchell., also [ predicted bigger, attendances for Sunday racing. [ “people [ are I always looking for something "to do On a Sunday. iThis will give them another option,” he said. [ i The meetings! will be for on-course)punters only and! will tie restricted to four and a half hour programmes, starting after 1 P-mj ■ , j The. Chairman for the sub-jcqmmittee I on Sunday racing. Mr Laurie Eccles, said the Racin'g .Authority would back Sunday peet-

ings as long as they were conducted with moderation and responsibility. Mr Eccles. said it was important the licences were spread country-wide to a good mix of metropolitan and country clubs. [ “Picnic-type courses like Tauherenikau and Motukarara have a lot to recommend them as Sunday venues,” he said. The issue of Sunday racing was (first mooted three years ago. The present sub-committee had been operating for the last two years but had only now approached Government. Mr Eccles said it may be criticised for acting too slowly but racing on Sunday had been a sensitive issue. In Australia, two areas had Sunday permits. Canberra had five meetings a

year and Victoria one. Sunday racing cannot come soon enough for owners and trainers, tieir national president Raid yesterday. Peter O’Shanassy, president of the Racing Owners’ and Trainers’ Federation, was commenting on reports that Sunday racing will soon become a reality. I I “The Federation has favoured Sunday racing for some time. The main objection to it in the (past was the perception oFSunday as a day of rest, but that concept has changed dramatically, particularly with the advent of Saturday as a sixth day of normal business in much of the retail sector, j "Sunday is now much more a day of recrea-tion.'-V-Mr O’Shanassy said.