Richmond park in the race for new dates
Harness Racing New Zealand executive Matthew Peden enjoying his time at the Nelson trots last month. <em>Photo: Stephen Stuart.</em>
The Nelson Harness Racing Club is hoping to secure two of the nine new dates being allocated to South Island clubs for next season.
NHRC was a notable name missing from the first draft of the 2025/26 dates calendar, released last week.
Clubs still have until 7 March to make their submissions and NHRC president Kristie Hill confirms the Richmond Park-based club is in talks with the code’s governing body.
Harness Racing New Zealand head of racing and wagering, Matthew Peden, says it is still possible Nelson could make the final list of 300 proposed meetings between 1 August and 31 July.
Matthew was impressed with the country club when he took in its two-day January meeting, and having one of his own horses win there might help the cause, too.
NHRC is pushing to get back the two winter dates it lost during the pandemic and were never returned. It used to race Friday and Sunday in June but Matthew said last month, if the dates were to return, a Tuesday and Thursday in May is more likely.