Race Day
The horse’s preparation has been finalised. You’ve talked through your horse’s race targets with the trainer. Your party is all set for an exhilarating day!
Your trainer will usually enter the horse into a race 3-6 days or so in advance, via NZTR. Races such as the Derby or Kelt Capital Stakes require entries to be made months in advance.
Final declarations to run are made 48 hours before the race. At the declaration stage the trainer will assess the race and the conditions and if all has gone according to plan the horse will be declared to run!
Once you have arrived at the races, owners badges can be collected – you will receive an email from the club before the event telling you where these can be collected from – usually the Secretary’s Office. The email will also detail the privileges the club is offering the owner on the day.
Privileges vary depending on the type of day, but below is a table of the minimum standards:
Minimum Standards
Premier Days
- free entry
- free racebook for each named owner (or syndicate member)
- free drink (provided either as part of pre-race activity or in voucher form) for each named owner or syndicate member
- subsidised refreshments for owners in either a special owners room or a lounge within the facility (not a public area)
- owners of all runners to be entertained by club after the race and winners presented with video of race, trophies etc.
Other Weekend Days
- free entry
- free racebook for each named owner (or syndicate member)
- free drink (provided either as part of pre-race activity or in voucher form) for each named owner or syndicate member
- subsidised refreshments for owners in either a special owners room or a lounge within the facility (not a public area)
- owners of first three home to be entertained by club and winners presented with video of race
Midweek Days
- free entry
- free racebook for each named owner (or syndicate member)
- free drink (provided either as part of pre-race activity or in voucher form) for each named owner or syndicate member
- winning owners be entertained by club and winners presented with video of race
Racing Club committee members are appointed to look after owners on race day, so if there is something you are not sure about, ask one of them – they usually wear badges identifying themselves and are happy to help.
Your horse is likely to arrive at the races before you, organised by the trainer.
Prior to the race, the horses will come into the parade ring where they will walk around for around 10 minutes before being mounted by the jockey and heading out onto the track.
Whether the race ends in a photo finish in the winner’s enclosure or a quiet drink after the race, you will have experienced the thrill of ownership!
Remember, racing a horse is all about having fun – so go to the races to have a good day and get involved in the atmosphere!
Racing Club Membership
All racing clubs offer membership on an annual basis.
Price of membership depends upon the location of the course and the number of meetings held there. Benefits vary from club to club, but include season admission, usually to exclusive ‘Members Only’ areas with prime viewing positions.
Membership is a great way to meet other racing people and become involved with your local club.
Prize Money
It’s fun owning your own horse, but it’s even more fulfilling when your horse is performing well and winning prize money.
The amount of prize money depends upon the class (or grade) of race, and whether it’s a premier or general meeting.
In addition to the normal prize money, horses can be registered for the New Zealand Thoroughbred bonus Scheme (TBS), which provides two bonus levels and covers horses over their 2 year old, 3 year old and 4 year old seasons. Bonuses are paid to the first three in each race.
Of course, feature races such as the Auckland Cup carry substantially higher prize money and the Kelt Capital Stakes is New Zealand’s richest race with total prize money of $2,000,000!
Things you need to know as an Owner
Okay, you now own a horse – let’s book it into the next race at Trentham! If only it was that easy.
Remember that there is quite a bit of administration attached to owning a horse – your trainer can advise you on what is required, but as an owner or syndicate manager, the majority of the responsibility lies with you.
The NZTR website contains most of the forms you will require, each showing any costs associated with the transaction.
Realistically, it will be some time before your horse makes it to the track. Before a horse can race, it must be broken in. The breaking in process takes at least 6 weeks and involves teaching the horse many skills: turning, stopping, wearing a saddle and, ultimately, having a jockey on its back. It also learns how to follow the running-rail of a racetrack, gets accustomed to the starting gates and generally learns its trade. Once your horse is broken in, it’s usually sent for a spell before being brought back in work for racing preparation.
Injuries can delay or even end your horse’s racing career. Some physical problems can be avoided by critically assessing the conformation of your horse before purchasing. Trainers and bloodstock agents can help you buy a sound horse, but, unfortunately, not all injuries can be foreseen.
Of course, you may have bought an older horse that’s already in work – if so, enjoy the experience.
Weight is another consideration when choosing a jockey. Your horse will be given a weight handicap for each race (unless running in a ‘set weights’ race where weight is based on gender or age). If it’s just beginning its racing career, the handicap will probably be small. Some jockeys are too heavy (even if it’s only by a kilogram) and cannot make the smaller weight handicaps.
It may seem obvious, but your trainer will recommend or select a jockey he or she feels will give your horse the best chance of winning. Different jockeys have different styles and some work better with certain types of horses. Finding the right match is a very important factor in your horse’s success. Conversely, if your horse has been given a larger weight handicap, your trainer may opt for an apprentice jockey. An apprentice jockey has less experience, but, because of this, the rules of racing allow apprentices to claim a reduction in the weight handicap. An apprentice can claim up to 4kg in any race where claims are allowed. As an apprentice wins more races and gains more experience, the amount he or she can claim is reduced. Claiming apprentices are popular choices for horses at the top of the weights. However, it’s a trade-off to use apprentices as they are less experienced.
At some point in your horse’s career it may be the subject of an enquiry or protest after a race. The former is where the Stipendiary Stewards (the police of racing) decide something untoward may have occurred during the race and they want to look into it: the second is where a jockey or the connections of a horse feel they did not get a fair run during the race. Depending on their decisions, the result of the race may change.
