Harness Racing New Zealand is delighted that 2024 has finished with a flourish, with Auckland’s New Year’s Eve meeting a success both in terms of crowd numbers and turnover.
The Auckland Trotting Club’s twilight meeting was popular with racegoers and turnover was up markedly on last year with latest figures showing the 10-race programme amassing $1.4m, compared to $823K in 2023, and $1m for 10 races in 2023.
The increase is in line with a 20 per cent increase in harness racing turnovers across the board this year, compared to 12 months ago.
“The ATC and all participants should be congratulated for an excellent result,” says HRZ Chief Executive Brad Steele.
“And what a finish to the year for both Republican Party and Muscle Mountain.”
They both starred on the night with Republican Party downing Merlin in the $250,000 Trillian Trust Auckland Cup while Muscle Mountain ran away with the Group 1 Peter Breckon Memorial National Trot.
That followed earlier victories at Ascot Park’s big day before Christmas with Republican Party winning the Group 1 Ascot Park Hotel Invercargill Cup while Muscle Mountain was victorious in the Group 3 Brendan Franks Farrier David Moss Stakes.
“To see both win back to back Group races at either end of the country is a fantastic achievement,” says Steele.
HRNZ will sit down with the Auckland Trotting Club in late January to review their December racing, and see what improvements can be made for 2025.