Uncertainty as Auckland's only harness training track hits market again
The Franklin Park Training Centre is on the market with horse trainers concerned for their future.
Photo:
Colliers
The sale of Auckland's only harness racing training track has horse trainers worried about their future.
The 35-hectare Pukekohe site has operated for 77 years for professional horse trotting and pacing and is owned by the Auckland Trotting Club.
Club president Jamie Mackinnon said the sale was about health and safety and securing the sport's future.
In 2022 the site was sold for $100 million to Chinese-backed property investment company Mount Hope Limited.
The club planned to use funds to settle debt, have $9m for reinvestment, and would lease the site while it found a new one.
However the deal fell through, and the site is back on the market - listed with Colliers as prime land for high-density housing development.
While the club says it's committed to finding a new site, some trainers remain doubtful.
Photo:
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Paulette Scree, who has trained horses there for years, said if the track closed trainers would have to go to Cambridge or Morrinsville.
"There's about 170 horses trained on the track, it's sad for the trainers in the area, there's a lot of big trainers here," she said.
"It's all secret squirrel stuff, they don't tell us anything.
"A lot of people will either finish or go south, my horses will actually go south."
Another longtime trainer Rhys Fensom said he would be sad to see the track go.
"I've been at the track for a fair while, it's going to be sad when they do sell it, and they will sell it and that's going to be really unfortunate.
"There's not a lot that anyone can do about it anymore.
"They keep telling us they're going to rebuild another property but nobody on the track has much faith in that. It's going to be a hard place to replicate or rebuild."
But club president Jamie MacKinnon rejected claims the sale could drive people out of the industry.
He also said he was in regular communication with trainers.
"The first priority once we have a sale is to look to set up a new training centre and this will be a collaboration between industry and Auckland Trotting Club. that's the intention.
"The properties around the outside of the track were sold to investors and that was on the basis there was going to be a private plan change to rezone the land.
"It became untenable for the club to have a training complex in the middle of a residential complex, particularly from a health and safety standpoint, the animals are moving at high speed."
MacKinnon said there had been a lot of interest and he expected to have a buyer within the month.
Harness Racing NZ boss Brad Steele said he knew how important the Pukekohe track was and was committed to supporting affected trainers.
He said they were working with the Auckland Trotting Club on short and long-term solutions, including new sites.
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