Canterbury Jockey Club will provide a full refund to racegoers who purchased an entry ticket to New Zealand Cup Day following the postponement of racing after a horse slipped on the track during the third race.
However the Club is appealing to all racegoers to consider not claiming a refund to help the Club out of a challenging financial situation resulting from the postponement.
Chair of the Canterbury Jockey Club, Dianne Logie says that the postponement of last weekend’s racing was the first time this has happened in the 159-year history of Cup Day.
“The decision to stop racing was not made lightly, but the health and safety of our jockeys and horses always come first. The New Zealand Cup is a major event on the racing calendar and one that we are very proud to run. We are devastated and sorry that we had to postpone racing at the weekend.”
The Club’s chief executive Tim Mills says that they are working with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing on a review of events leading to the postponement and will share the findings and implement any recommendations.
“Preparation for this New Zealand Cup was no different to what we have done in the past. All industry protocols and standards including having two horses work over the track on the morning of the races were followed,” says Tim Mills. “There was no indication of any issues that could result in racing being discontinued with the track.”
“We followed the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing protocol of daily penetrometer readings, to determine the state of the track. We did this daily for the week leading up to and including race day and again, nothing out of the ordinary was evident including any obvious human error.”
Two-thirds of the Canterbury Jockey Club’s racing sales come from New Zealand Cup Day and the club spent close to half a million dollars setting up for the day. “That money is not recoverable, as insurance for events like Cup Day is prohibitively expensive. No major racing track in New Zealand appears to have insurance covering a postponement like this,” says Tim Mills.
“Like most racing clubs we have had a rough few years due to Covid restrictions with restricted revenue from racegoers. We are very grateful to supporters who have said they had a great day and won’t be seeking a refund. While we are happy to provide a full refund, this will be a huge financial hit for the club.
“Income from New Zealand Cup Day 2022 had already been earmarked to go towards replacement of the Grand National stand. Every person not seeking a refund this year is supporting future New Zealand Cup Days, and we thank them for that.
“If you still had a great day out and are comfortable not getting a refund, we would appreciate that very much. However, if you would like a refund, please log into your Moshtix account, and there will be a “request a refund” button.” People have 21 days to claim a refund.
“We look forward to welcoming racegoers to New Zealand Cup Day next year,” says Tim Mills.
For further information:
Tim Mills |Chief Executive | Canterbury Jockey Club| 0274 300 208