Horse Racing News
Teawamutu Races
Introduction
Horseracing in New Zealand stretches back to the period when the British colonialists introduced the sport to the country. Famous racecourses include the Teawamutu and the Riccarton racecourses. Horseracing in New Zealand has contributed significantly to its Gross Domestic Product. As at 2004, horse racing contributed a percentage of 1.3 percent, translating to more than 1.4 Billion New Zealand Dollars. Over 40,000 people are directly involved in the horse racing industry and many more are indirectly involved. The overall attendance of the year 2004 was more than one million people. This attendance has steadily risen over the years so further growth is expected.
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A large proportion of the funding for horse racing in New Zealand comes from betting which is a very similar model to that used in Australia. New Zealand bred horses are some of the most competitive when it comes to racing. During the 2008-2009 racing season, New Zealand bred horses won 19 out of the 22 Group 1 races. There are a number of racecourses in the country with one of the famous ones being the Teawamutu Racecourse, located at the heart of Waikato, in Teawamutu town.
Teawamutu town
The Rose Town of New Zealand (the nickname of Te Awamutu) is a town in Waikato in the North Island of New Zealand. It is common to find businesses using the symbol of the rose on local signs and billboards, not to forget the elaborate rose gardens that cover the whole town and hence the nickname. It has a population of over 40,000 people, which includes the smaller rural communities and service people. The town served as a garrison for the colonial settlers during the New Zealand land wars of the 19th century. Famous features and attractions include, the Te Awamutu rose gardens, memorial park and the Te Awamutu Racecourse.
Te Awamutu Racecourse
The Te Awamutu Racecourse is home to more than 200 horses that use the tracks and facilities daily, for training purposes. Many horse trainers throng The Te Awamutu Racecourse for it has some of the best training facilities and tracks. It is also one of the best courses to race on especially during the winter months. The Racecourse has two main tracks, a grass racing track and a sand track. The Racecourse is under the jurisdiction of Waipa Racing Club, which organizes all the races and other events at the course.
The Waipa Racing Club
Founded in 1915, the club has had numerous successful events and race meets. They also train more than 200 horses from different parts of the world. They also hold the second biggest trial days in the whole of New Zealand that involves more than 200 horses and 30 heats.
As earlier mentioned, The Waipa Racing Club is responsible for the general maintenance of the Te Awamutu Racecourse and the training of horses. Some of the most successful horses to have won in different races in New Zealand, were trained by The Waipa Racing Club and these include, Sequel, Sound The Alarm, Lady Dehere, just to mention but a few. The main race that takes place at Te Awamutu Racecourse is the Te Awamutu Wines and Spirits Cup.
Te Awamutu Wines and Spirits Cup
The Te Awamutu Wines and Spirits Cup takes place on the first Saturday of July of every year. The race covers a distance of 1600 meters and is open to thoroughbred horses aged five years old or older. The purse money as at 2008 stood at 50,000 New Zealand dollars.
The most memorable race took place in the year 2007 when Bellevue Lass, driven by Cameron Lammas, defeated the pre-race favorite Kenadaad, by the barest of margins. Bellevue Lass had to pick herself up in heavy footing after losing momentum while trying to overtake the other runners making the home turn. Having won and finished second in her two previous attempts, it was time for her to claim her title again. As she camped at the sixth position for the final 500 meters, Bellevue Lass took the final stride on the home stretch to win by the nose! It was quite a remarkable feat to achieve.
Other races at the Te Awamutu racecourse include the Christmas at the Races race with takes place on November every year. The race is more than just a meet; it is a family outing as all sorts of activities take place there in preparation for the Christmas holidays.
Betting Online
When betting on a horse, there is some information that you must take into consideration. To increase your chances of winning, you must find out about the history of the horse, jockey statistics, trainers who handled a particular horse and even the medical history of the horse. This is will give you a better idea on the best horse to place your bet.
To be able to bet online, you need to open an online bookmaker account. Opening an account may take a few minutes for you only need to provide very basic information like your personal details, credit card number and then make a deposit and you are now ready to start betting. Some online bookmakers also give punters the chance to bet free of charge, depending on the event. There are many established bookmakers online offering services on a 24-hour basis. The wonderful aspect of online betting is that you can access your account at any time of the day or night and place your bet on live events. Betting online is secure and maintaining a high level of integrity is always a priority.
The proximity of New Zealand to Australia should encourage more people to attend the Teawamutu races as they provide a completely new experience for punters and horserace lovers alike. However, inability to travel to the races should not deter you from placing your bet, as this is available online. Online betting is gaining momentum, as the new gambling trend for it is convenient and easy, for you do not have to leave your comfortable coach, to place a bet. Furthermore, the results of the races are always available online for any of the races including the Teawamutu races.
