CLICK HERE TO GO BACK

OPPOSITION TO FRIDAY NIGHT TROTTING

The Canterbury Park Trotting Club struck another rich vein with its switch from Saturday night to Friday night racing at Addington last week.

On-course investments were $245,707, an increase of $72,904 over the corresponding meeting last year, and off-course investments reached $371,097, an increase of $126,588.50. Although the attendance of 10,000 was well below the New Year crowds of close to 13,000 per night, the punters were all there, and the totalisator staff never had a 'breather'. The fields generally were of excellent calibre, with an all-star line up in the Flying Mile, which was won from start to finish by Globe Bay, who had won the Wellington Cup at his last start.

However, all is not yet plain sailing for Friday night racing - in Christchurch, anyway. Christchurch retailers came out against Friday night racing, only hours before the Canterbury Park venture. A statement from Mr E J McGregor, vice-president of the Canterbury and Westland Retailers Association, said that it would be a great pity if the club used Friday nights in the future, and outlined retailers views on the matter. "Traditionally, the retailer has provided complete late-night shopping facilities on Friday nights, and it would be a great pity if Canterbury Park should continue at the expense of the services to the consumer provided by the retailer," he said.

Mr McGregor claimed that it was not really correct to say that many shops open now on Thursday nights, thus leaving the way open for Friday night trotting. "In fact, no shops at all are open in the city any night other than Friday night. By holding race meetings on the same night the trotting clubs cannot possibly believe that the total racing public would be available to attend as they would on any other night," he continued. On the other hand, the retailer would certainly lose by this split in services and interests.

Mr McGregor concluded by pointing out that the fact that Friday night trotting was successful in Sydney had no sound basis for comparison with Christchurch, as Sydney had no late shopping facilities available to the public on Friday nights. He said it was evident that the city was much quieter last Friday night than usual.
He hoped that the trotting club and his association would meet at some stage to discuss the matter.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 26Jan72