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Hawke’s Bay Racecourse | New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing<\/p>\n
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR), Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) and TAB NZ have unveiled Project Stamina, an independent review recommending a significant reduction in the country’s racing venue network, with future investment focused on fewer, better-resourced facilities.<\/p>\n
The report found the industry had become \u201cover-venued and under-capitalised,\u201d with infrastructure no longer aligned to horse populations, participant numbers and wagering demand.<\/p>\n
Under the proposed One Equine View strategy, 39 venues would remain in the national network, while five, including Te Rapa and the Cambridge Synthetic track, would undergo further business case assessments.<\/p>\n
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Nineteen other venues have been recommended to exit the network, including the thoroughbred racecourses at Rotorua and Trentham.<\/p>\n
Prepared by consultancy RCP following more than 50 workshops with clubs and industry participants, the blueprint is designed to improve race-day reliability, training infrastructure and long-term sustainability by concentrating investment on key venues.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is about ensuring New Zealand racing has the infrastructure it needs to thrive for decades to come,\u201d said NZTR chairman Russell Warwick. \u201cProject Stamina provides a clear, evidence-based roadmap that puts the long-term interests of the industry first, while keeping the welfare of the horse at the centre of the network.\u201d<\/p>\n
Warwick added, \u201cDoing nothing is not an option. Our infrastructure must reflect today’s racing landscape and be capable of supporting future growth.\u201d<\/p>\n
HRNZ chairman Grant Jarrold described the report as \u201ca unified direction that links strategy, investment and implementation, giving the industry greater certainty about the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
NZTR and HRNZ emphasized that Project Stamina does not trigger immediate venue closures, with consultation to take place with affected clubs before any final decisions are made.<\/p>\n
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