Greetings to all Members of Levin Racing Club
THE FASHIONABLE FACE TO RACING
Fashion, beauty and racing have always gone well together, and Levin Racing Club is to sponsor a contestant in this years’ Miss Nature Coast beauty pageant.
All 12 contestants in the competition will be attending the Levin Ryder Stakes meeting on July 30 to promote the pageant, which will be held at Southwards Car Museum on Saturday, September 17.
Good luck to all contestants, although it would be great to see “Levin Racing Club” on the sash of the winner.
MEMBERS UPDATE
The club has accepted the resignation of committee man Lloyd Chapman and sincerely thanks him for his efforts and contribution to the club. To fill the void the committee has co-opted onboard local farmer and racing enthusiast Ian Gray.
Ian is a former committee member who currently shares in the ownership of recent maiden winner Good One Glady, a filly he part-owns and bred with former Levin Racing Club president Mark Goodwin.
Good One Glady, by Golan from the O’Reilly mare Julie O’Reilly, is trained at Awapuni by Lisa Latta although Ian pre-trained her at Levin preceding the current campaign.
Ian is also an active rider of pleasure horses and the club welcomes him onboard.
The club also welcomes its two newest members, Kevin Donavan and Robert Nicholson.
THE QUIZNIGHT – THURSDAY 21ST JULY
Due to positive feedback from the inaugural club “Quiz night” held earlier this year, the club is set to hold another quiz evening as a lead-in for the Levin Ryder Stakes meeting.
The Quiz night will be held at O’Malley’s Bar where members can test their wits as individuals or in teams while taking advantage of discounted drinks and a supper provided.
The quiz questions are made up of mostly general knowledge although there is a section of questions designated to the sport we all love – thoroughbred racing.
There will again be a host of prizes on offer and on the spot raffles. The Quiz night is set down for the evening of July 21st.
Members are invited to brings friends and can RSVP to the club secretary Anna Clisby on (06)3683068 or 0275544072, or e-mail secretary@levinracingclub.co.nz
WEBSITE
A reminder that Levin Racing Club has its own website, which can be visited at www.levinracingclub.co.nz
The website has been largely inactive in recent times, but has been recently updated and is looking great with our Levin Ryder Stakes sponsors on board. It is the desire of the current committee to have it updated regularly with meeting and promotional information and general news, alongside information from the Levin Track Trust with jumpout dates, and also a piece on the clubs’ history.
TRACK TALK
The newsletter has been provided with information coming from the coalface of the club – the caretakers hut – where the soul of our industry comes to life on each frosty morning.
Committeeman Paul Pearce is the first to open the gate each morning at 5.30am and reports that currently there are on average 40 horses in work on any given morning.
Quality track work riders were also available with Keil Collins and Danny Bruhn, among others, now regularly on deck.
And there have been some good results of late with Golden Queen (Jesse MacMillan, Aunt Daisy (Paddy and Sylvia Kay), Salemat (Norman and Jane Wood), and Istidaadsue (Grant Hodges) greating the judge in the last month.
Caught Out (Leanne Elliot), in his new role over fences, and Tare Rope Araar (Geoff Haigh) would be among those worth following.
There were jumping trials held at the track in late May – an invaluable tool for horses preparing for the upcoming hurdle and steeplechase events. Heats of four were held and they were extremely well-received.
Unfortunately the last two running of the jump outs trials were cancelled due to bad weather although this not uncommon at this time of year.
The track also has the services of those sentenced to periodic detention in replacing divest on the course proper and other jobs.
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
The club is actively seeking new members and application forms are available from the secretary and will also soon be posted on the club’s website – www.levinracingclub.co.nz.
It is this time of year that the annual club membership subscription is due, which is $45 (includes G.S.T). The subscription coincides with the new racing season commencing 1st August.
This gives members free entry to all four Levin Racing Club meeting and also reciprocal rights with the Otaki Maori Racing Club meetings.
LEVIN RYDER STAKES – SATURDAY 30TH JULY
Mark this date on your calendars for a great day of racing and book your table for a mid-winter Christmas buffet feast. This delicious buffet includes Peach & Port glazed ham off the bone, slow roasted Turkey filled with a Cranberry and Sourdough stuffing, Christmas Plum Duff and other goodies, presented by the new on course caterers, Cruel Catering. Priced at just $40.00 per head ($35.00 to current Levin Racing Club members) its value for money on a cold Saturday in July. Book now by emailing levinracingclub@xtra.co.nz or phone 06 368 3068 and leave a message.
Levin Racing Club values its members and as such there will also be a complimentary buffet breakfast available to members downstairs on race day from 9.30-10.30am, should you wish to bring other guests then they can attend the breakfast at $20.00 per head. All breakfast attendees need to have a ticket so please book as above so tickets can be sent out.
We wish to offer our gratitude to our valuable sponsors and hope that all members support our sponsors as they in turn support Levin Racing Club. Our current sponsors for the Ryder Stakes are:
- QUIN BUILDINGS DIRECT CUREL CATERING
- LEVIN CANVAS B.S. YOUNG LTD
- LEVIN TRUCK SERVICES LTD
- MEDIAWORKS RADIO-KAPITI HOROWHENUA
LEVIN TRACK TRUST
From the Chairman’s Desk – Tony Rush
“It’s all go at the track and Lifestyle Villas………..
“The Trust set up to lease and manage the training track is happy with the progress to date. Firstly, the losses have been stopped. The regular jump-outs are attracting patronage from more trainers and horses from further afield, the simplified pre-payment system has reduced debtors, and the food and free tea and coffee available is creating a happier environment.
There has been a clean-up of the grounds and some untidy shacks are coming down. Most importantly we are operating at a small surplus that will soon be ploughed back into track improvements when possible.
The credit for this turn around goes mostly to Robbie Ker as the overall manager.
More importantly the decision has been made, based upon market reaction, to establish the second Trust that will buy 2.3 hectares of land in the northeast quadrant and build a lifestyle village. After a slow start, Trackside Villas have now attracted sufficient indications of support for the Track Trust to recommend to the Levin Racing Club that it should give the green light.
As of last week, an amended plan has been given to the Council and the process of applying for Resource Consent has been started. Initial reaction from the Council is very positive.”
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JOKE OF THE WEEK…………OR MAYBE NOT
Little Larry went to the yearling sales with his father. He watched as his father moved from horse to horse, running his hands up and down the horses legs, rump and chest. After a few minutes Larry asked his father why he was doing that. His father replied “because when I am buying horses I have to make sure that they are healthy and in good shape before I buy it”. Larry, looking a bit worried, said to his father “I think the milkman wants to buy Mum.”
Have a better one?
