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YEAR: 1969

LIVE TELECASTS START

Live telecasts of races will be inaugurated at the NZ Metropolitan TC's day meeting on Saturday when the NZBC will film three races.

This purely experimental broadcast, which will be reviewed after the meeting will film races six, seven and eight (the National Handicap, the Canterbury Stakes and the Winter Handicap). It is expected that the film for each race will last approximately 15 minutes. As well as filming the actual race, other items of interest such as the work of a farrier, inside the bar, birdcage scenes and horses doing their preliminaries are likely to be taken.

Four future meetings at Addington and one at Auckland are programmed to be filmed live during the remainder of the season. However, a definite decision regarding this will depend on negotiations between the Trotting Conference and the NZBC which will take place after Saturday's meeting.

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M W Grainger writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 27Aug69

Betting on-course rose by $14,684 to $220,810 at the NZ Metropolitan TC's meeting at Addington on Saturday, 23 August.

This rise on-course could primarily be attributed to the quest for the jackpot which undoubtedly attracted more on-course money. A side effect of this on-course money was reflected in the off-course betting which declined by $4043 down to $231,094. Generally the attandance seemed smaller than average, although the weather at least early in the day was miserable. It brightened considerably as the day wore on and by mid-afternoon the temperature was more than a shade warmer.

Another reason which may have limited the attendance was the initial telecast of three races which were filmed live early in the afternoon. From all accounts the filming seemed to be very popular and reports that have filtered back to me have left nothing but glowing praise for the innovation.

After a brief introduction by Ron Finlay, the cameras played on horses doing their preliminaries, birdcage scenes, a comprehensive film of the race called by Freeman Holmes and flashbacks, all of which seemed to be thoroughly appreciated by fireside viewers.

Obviously the live telecast of races at Addington last Saturday was not only a unique achievement in the Dominion but a successful one at that; to dispense with such a progression would be a retrograde step. It is to be hoped and furthermore expected that future talks between the NZBC and the Trotting Conference result in am amiable arrangement of terms suitable to both.

Credit: M W Grainger writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 20Aug69



In the event that you cannot find the information you require from the contents, please contact the Racing Department at Addington Raceway.
Phone (03) 338 9094