“We believe racing in the northern part of New Zealand can be further enhanced by the merger,” Wilcox said.
“ATR and WRC feel that the benefits achieved from the merger of Ellerslie and Counties, such as improved and more focused governance, better strategic and financial decision making and improved efficiencies in administrative functions and track expertise across several venues can be successfully extended by such a merger.”
If the amalgamation is approved, as seems likely, it should start from next season.
The potential amalgamation comes at a positive time for Auckland Thoroughbred Racing, with a raft of new sponsorships confirmed.
That will see Elsdon Park, the bloodstock business owned by Lib and Katrina Petagna, and Shaw’s take over the naming rights for two of New Zealand’s biggest races.
Shaw’s, which has previously sponsored races under the company name Shaw’s Wire Ropes, will sponsor New Zealand’s greatest sprint race the Railway for the next five years.
Shaw’s sponsored one of the more emotional races of last season, the Jimmy Schick Shaw’s Auckland Guineas, in honour of Waikato youngster Jimmy Schick, who was tragically killed in an accident last year.
“The Auckland Guineas showed us what’s possible at Ellerslie, and the Railway takes it to the next level. Five years gives us time to make this race our own,” Shaw’s director Jonny Schick said.
Shaw’s will continue to sponsor the Guineas, which will again be named the Jimmy Schick Shaw’s Guineas.
The other major sponsorship deal signed is with Elsdon Park, which will see it take over Ellerslie’s sole Group 1 2-year-old race, known in recent years as the Sistema Stakes.
The Elsdon Park Stakes will be part of New Zealand’s biggest race meeting, the Champions Day, at Ellerslie on March 6.
It will be the last leg of a triple crown of Ellerslie juvenile features sponsored by Elsdon Park, as it will also have the naming rights to the major 2-year-old races on Boxing Day and January 30, which will be the Elsdon Park Prelude (Group 3), the official lead-up to the Group 1 five weeks later.
Ellerslie also, of course, holds the country’s richest 2-year-old race, the TAB Karaka Millions for NZB sales graduates.
Elsdon Park will also continue to sponsor the Aotearoa Classic for 4-year-olds, which has quickly become one of the new highlights of Karaka Millions night, which will be January 23 next year.
“We’re very proud to deepen our partnership with ATR through the Group One 2-year-old Elsdon Park Stakes,” Lib Petagna, one of the quiet giants of New Zealand racing, said.
“Being part of the biggest day on New Zealand’s racing calendar is a real privilege and something we’re very excited about.
“For us, it’s also about celebrating the breeders behind the horses. Every great racehorse starts with a breeder’s vision and belief and we want to use these races to shine a light on the people who play such an important role in the success of our industry.”
Elsdon Park is also backing the people behind the horses, with the winning stable team of both the Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic and the Elsdon Park Stakes each to receive a $1000 Prezzy Card, as well as trophies for the breeders of the winner.
“It’s important to celebrate the dedicated stable teams that provide care for these racehorses. We hope this initiative gives those teams an opportunity to take a moment, reflect on their achievements and celebrate the success they deserve,” Petagna said.
The likely amalgamation and new sponsorships for some of Ellerslie’s greatest races come in a week of huge news out of racing headquarters, with the Karaka Millions night also to be boosted to seven races.
The former Stella Artois Final (1500m) on Boxing Day will move to the January 24 mega-meeting and be renamed the Paddington Rising Stars Championship, for the superstar racehorse who now stands at stud at Windsor Park.
But ATR has also announced the departure of one of its key staff, with long-time executive general manager of racing Craig Baker leaving to join NZTR as its new head of racing development.
“After 11 hugely rewarding years, it has been a privilege to work alongside such a great team at Auckland Racing Club and now Auckland Thoroughbred Racing,” Baker said.
“I’m looking forward to working with Mitch Lamb and the wider team at NZTR and using my experience to contribute positively to the future of thoroughbred racing.”
ATR is set to announce its new racing manager in the coming weeks.
Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.