Episode Details

Hastings Racecourse Reopens After 20-Month Hiatus with a Packed Spring Carnival

Hastings Racecourse is set to resume racing on May 21st, following a 20-month break, with a six-race Thursday card. The event will feature two graduation races and four maiden events, each offering $17,000 in stakes. The racecourse has been closed since September 2022 due to safety concerns, but a successful jump-outs session last week has paved the way for its reopening.

The Spring Carnival will kick off in August with a lead-up day, followed by the Sir Colin Meads Handicap on September 12th, the Guineas on September 26th, and the Livamol Classic on October 10th. The Triple Crown opener will take place at Ellerslie this year, but it will return to Hastings in 2027.

In the long term, the racecourse plans to sell its central site for housing and build a new $70 million track on Flaxmeres edge, aiming for a 2029 carnival debut. The new CEO, Darin Balcomb, sees this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to keep the regions racing spirit alive.

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