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Auckland’s move to the government’s COVID-19 Orange traffic light setting means spectators can enjoy a big day out at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
Auckland hasn't held any racedays since the Delta lockdown began in August, save an Auckland-only meeting at Pukekohe in November.
But the lifting of travel restrictions on December 15 means the course will host its usual Zabeel Classic raceday on Boxing Day, though the fact Auckland will remain under the Red setting until December 31 means spectator numbers will be extremely limited.
But with the movement to Orange on December 31, racing will go ahead as normal on New Year's Day for anyone who has been double vaccinated.
"It will be one of the first big events in Auckland after moving to Orange," Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) chief executive Paul Wilcox said.
"Hopefully we get a fine day and it will be a great day out."
The Government places a 100-person limit on attendees under the Red setting, but the size of the Ellerslie facilities means about 900 people can attend, in addition to everyone who is working there on the day.
Owners and sponsors will be top of the priority list, followed by ATR members.
"We will know exactly who is going to be on course, and then there will be enough information sent out to people with tickets to ensure that they know what the rules are and abide by them," Wilcox said.
"Normally Boxing Day gets crowds around the 15,000 mark – the biggest for racing in Auckland in the calendar year, so being limited to 900 isn't ideal but it will still be great to be back racing at Ellerslie."
Come New Year's Day, however, and the only difference to a normal raceday will be that the club will be ensuring would-be spectators have a vaccine pass.
"It adds another complexity to running an event but we have all the appropriate scanners for that. If that's what it means to be able to hold a less restrictive meeting then we're all for it," Wilcox said.
"It's a great day of racing. We will be ready and waiting for people to come out and enjoy themselves.
New Year's Day has attracted between 5000 and 6000 people to Ellerslie in recent years and Wilcox is hoping similar crowds will make it this season.
Ellerslie has been used in recent times for jumpouts, and trainers based in the Auckland and Pukekohe regions have been looking forward with relish to the chance to race in their home region again.
Even with that, Wilcox said the local trainers had done remarkably well with results while being unable to attend races themselves, their triumphs including the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) for Demonetization and the Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1400m) for Showoroses.
"For what the Auckland trainers have been through, I'd say they have been very happy with the way their horses have performed, not taking away from the fact that we want them back on their home tracks," he said.
Wilcox said the ground staff have remained busy during lockdown and have appreciated the extra time to ensure the racing surface is at its best.
However, it will only be having a brief return as the course is closing down for an estimated 18 months on March 14 for the laying of the new Strathayr racing surface, commissioned as part of the creation of Auckland Thoroughbred Racing through the combining of the Auckland and Counties Racing clubs.
Wilcox hopes the refurbished track will get a chance to host a six-race meeting in October 2023, with Melbourne Cup day the next month the first major day for the new course – though the first priority is to make sure the track is ready.
"We hope it will be 18 months, but we are very firm in our commitment that we will not rush back," he said.
"We will have the appropriate industry bodies and people making sure that they walk on this project with us so that they can give the final seal of approval so we don't have a situation where we come back too soon."
