December 20, 2024 • 7 mins
After a four-year hiatus the Christmas Carnival returns to Ellerslie Racecourse this summer, the Boxing Day and New Year's Day races. Major highlights on the racing calendar, and one of the country's richest annual sporting events.
SkyCity is the naming rights sponsor for both Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
CEO of Auckland Thoroughbred Racing Paul Wilcox said the two events are very significant in the racing community in New Zealand.
He joins Jason Pine to talk about the exciting times ahead for racing.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk ZB For a four.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Year hiatus, the Christmas Carnival returns to Allesleie Race Course
this summer. The Boxing Day and New Year's Day races,
major highlights on the racing calendar and one of the
country's richest annual sporting events. Paul Wilcox is CEO of
Auckland Thoroughbred Racing. It joins us now on Weekend Sport.
Thanks for your time, Paul. How exciting is it, first
(00:35):
of all to have the Christmas Carnival back after a
four year gap.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Oh look where we're delighted. It's been, as you pointed out,
a long time between drinks. So to have SkyCity as
our naming rights sponsor for both Boxing Day and Newsday,
we couldn't be more excited to finally be back at
Elsie and give it a good nudge.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
How significant are these two days to the racing community,
not just in Auckland, Paul, but you know the New
Zealand racing community.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Look very good, point Piney. Very important in the fact
that on sky City Boxing Day racing we've got the
group one being the Cambridge Studs a Bell Classic and
then moving into New Year's Day, we've got the important
lead up races to a lot of future campaigns with
the sky City Clip Stakes, a ritual mile and a
(01:25):
great man who won't be forgotten, the Sir Patrick Hogan Steak.
So from an industry perspective, you know a lot of
these horses, this is either the start of their campaign
for further riches or either the finisher, as is the
case with the Group one Cambridge Studs a Bill Classic,
so extremely important, plenty of money on offer for connection.
(01:49):
So yeah, we just hope the sun is shining and
we have a good go at it.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
I'm sure you well, I know a lot of Aucklanders
they spend Christmas Day doing the Christmas Day stuff, but
really it's just the it's sort of Boxing Day eve
Christmas Day for many people. How much of a tradition
had it become and how much you're looking forward to
reinfigurating that Boxing Day tradition.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yeah, I think a really good important point you raise there.
It was a tradition of a lot of people. You know,
they have Christmas Day with their family and even if
they've had the older family argument, they've ventured out on
boxing data to come and just soak it all up
and be able to relax in a really nice friendly
(02:30):
environment in the infield and with no pressures of time constraints,
have a good day and relax and watch some really
good quality racing. Look, we were aware or cognizant of
the fact that we haven't done it for four years,
so we want auckland Is to go, hey, heck, I
haven't been there for a time and come on back.
(02:53):
But to your other question, we usually turn around twenty
twenty five thousand people over those two days. So look,
as long as the sun is shining, we want to
give that a good nudge and get to those numbers
and if not beyond. So really hoping that the big
boy upstairs and a Scenters listening. All I ask for
(03:14):
Christmas is a nice, funny boxing day and follow that
through into Christmas into New Year's Day as well.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
You talked about, you know, relaxing on the infield, but
it seems to me as though you cater for all
sorts of people. You know, there's the general admission obviously
the paddock, but then for those who like to you know,
get the glad rags on and push the boat out
a little bit on Boxing Day you've got them covered
as well.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Yeah, one hundred percent. And there look, you know there's
there's more than more than just racing. Obviously, that's the
reason for our being is racing. But we've got fashions
in the field for both the men and the ladies.
The crowd favorite as we've just talked about, the infield
is back and that's a very relaxed environment for and
a low cost way for families to enjoy themselves. But
(03:59):
a new one we've got coming back in association with
the Grand Tour, which is which has been going great
great guns around the country already is the Paddock and
that's where we go for the young ones, pinty, the
under thirties, and they've got an all day DJ and
lots going on there in the Barrett Lawn, so plenty
on off. There's lots to choose from. Whether you want
(04:22):
to just come and watch racing, that's sorted. If you
want to have a bit more of a high energy day,
that's sorted. Or if you just want to relax with
friends and family, we've got that sorted as well. So
multitude of different environments or precincts for people to be
able to enjoy them their way and how they want
to enjoy the day.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
So twenty to twenty twenty to twenty five thousand guests
coming along, I guess you need quite a few staff, security, hospitality, management,
that sort of thing. So what would you have three
or four hundred on the day.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Oh, you're a good man, you're just about bang on.
We'll split it down the middle. So look, normally we
have day and day out. We've got twenty two full
time staff here working between Allesley and Pococo. But as
you I went out on that day, three hundred and
fifty staff come on board. So so again it's not
just you know again people sort of think, oh, it's
just racing, but it's you know, it's a lot of
(05:16):
income for a lot of people, and we're happy to
support them. And what is normally a day where everyone's relaxing,
we've got a lot of people here working to make
it more endurable. So yeah, three hundred and fifty on
over the both of those days, So three hundred and
fifty each. It's a fair whack of the old wages
(05:36):
bill that comes out the following day.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
And let me tell you no. I know you're focused
on Boxing Day and New Year's Day, but can I
just ask you about March the eighth and and Champions
Day with the three and a half million in steaks
on the first ever slot race to hit New Zealand.
You're well and truly and you're planning for that.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Ah yeah, absolutely, and look you're you're raising good points here. Pointys.
We quickly go out of Boxing Day and Newsday straight
into the Kracker Millions, which has turned in too be
the not to mis event, but Champions Day hot on
the heels of that, and that's going to be an
(06:14):
exciting day as well, with as you point out, the
n Zibekiwi which is the inaugural running of the n
Zbkiwi with three point five million dollars in stakes, but
remissing me not to mention the other stakes at following behind,
she's going to be over ten million in stakes for
the one day, something we can't wait for. But get
(06:35):
these two races out do the Cracker Millions as well,
which again has got some huge steaks money up for
the Connections to have a lock at. But Champions Day
we're excited, we can't wait. But look that seems a
long way away. When you've got this Boxing Day on
the back doorstep.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Let me tell you I can imagine exciting times ahead. Mate. Look,
I wish you all the best for Boxing Day, for
New Year's Day and for a huge twenty twenty five
as well. Auckland Racing dot co dot nz has all
of the information about these race days and everything else
everybody wants to know. We'll keep an eye on the
forecast for you. Paul. Thanks for joining us across New
Zealand on zed B today.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Good Man Piney and all the best to you as well.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
All the best to you, Paul. That is Paul at Wilcox,
CEO of Auckland Thoroughbred Racing. The Boxing Day and New
Year's Day races are back on the racing calendar, having
been missing for the last four years.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk ZB For a four.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Year hiatus, the Christmas Carnival returns to Allesleie Race Course
this summer. The Boxing Day and New Year's Day races,
major highlights on the racing calendar and one of the
country's richest annual sporting events. Paul Wilcox is CEO of
Auckland Thoroughbred Racing. It joins us now on Weekend Sport.
Thanks for your time, Paul. How exciting is it, first
(00:35):
of all to have the Christmas Carnival back after a
four year gap.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Oh look where we're delighted. It's been, as you pointed out,
a long time between drinks. So to have SkyCity as
our naming rights sponsor for both Boxing Day and Newsday,
we couldn't be more excited to finally be back at
Elsie and give it a good nudge.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
How significant are these two days to the racing community,
not just in Auckland, Paul, but you know the New
Zealand racing community.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Look very good, point Piney. Very important in the fact
that on sky City Boxing Day racing we've got the
group one being the Cambridge Studs a Bell Classic and
then moving into New Year's Day, we've got the important
lead up races to a lot of future campaigns with
the sky City Clip Stakes, a ritual mile and a
(01:25):
great man who won't be forgotten, the Sir Patrick Hogan Steak.
So from an industry perspective, you know a lot of
these horses, this is either the start of their campaign
for further riches or either the finisher, as is the
case with the Group one Cambridge Studs a Bill Classic,
so extremely important, plenty of money on offer for connection.
(01:49):
So yeah, we just hope the sun is shining and
we have a good go at it.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
I'm sure you well, I know a lot of Aucklanders
they spend Christmas Day doing the Christmas Day stuff, but
really it's just the it's sort of Boxing Day eve
Christmas Day for many people. How much of a tradition
had it become and how much you're looking forward to
reinfigurating that Boxing Day tradition.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yeah, I think a really good important point you raise there.
It was a tradition of a lot of people. You know,
they have Christmas Day with their family and even if
they've had the older family argument, they've ventured out on
boxing data to come and just soak it all up
and be able to relax in a really nice friendly
(02:30):
environment in the infield and with no pressures of time constraints,
have a good day and relax and watch some really
good quality racing. Look, we were aware or cognizant of
the fact that we haven't done it for four years,
so we want auckland Is to go, hey, heck, I
haven't been there for a time and come on back.
(02:53):
But to your other question, we usually turn around twenty
twenty five thousand people over those two days. So look,
as long as the sun is shining, we want to
give that a good nudge and get to those numbers
and if not beyond. So really hoping that the big
boy upstairs and a Scenters listening. All I ask for
(03:14):
Christmas is a nice, funny boxing day and follow that
through into Christmas into New Year's Day as well.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
You talked about, you know, relaxing on the infield, but
it seems to me as though you cater for all
sorts of people. You know, there's the general admission obviously
the paddock, but then for those who like to you know,
get the glad rags on and push the boat out
a little bit on Boxing Day you've got them covered
as well.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Yeah, one hundred percent. And there look, you know there's
there's more than more than just racing. Obviously, that's the
reason for our being is racing. But we've got fashions
in the field for both the men and the ladies.
The crowd favorite as we've just talked about, the infield
is back and that's a very relaxed environment for and
a low cost way for families to enjoy themselves. But
(03:59):
a new one we've got coming back in association with
the Grand Tour, which is which has been going great
great guns around the country already is the Paddock and
that's where we go for the young ones, pinty, the
under thirties, and they've got an all day DJ and
lots going on there in the Barrett Lawn, so plenty
on off. There's lots to choose from. Whether you want
(04:22):
to just come and watch racing, that's sorted. If you
want to have a bit more of a high energy day,
that's sorted. Or if you just want to relax with
friends and family, we've got that sorted as well. So
multitude of different environments or precincts for people to be
able to enjoy them their way and how they want
to enjoy the day.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
So twenty to twenty twenty to twenty five thousand guests
coming along, I guess you need quite a few staff, security, hospitality, management,
that sort of thing. So what would you have three
or four hundred on the day.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Oh, you're a good man, you're just about bang on.
We'll split it down the middle. So look, normally we
have day and day out. We've got twenty two full
time staff here working between Allesley and Pococo. But as
you I went out on that day, three hundred and
fifty staff come on board. So so again it's not
just you know again people sort of think, oh, it's
just racing, but it's you know, it's a lot of
(05:16):
income for a lot of people, and we're happy to
support them. And what is normally a day where everyone's relaxing,
we've got a lot of people here working to make
it more endurable. So yeah, three hundred and fifty on
over the both of those days, So three hundred and
fifty each. It's a fair whack of the old wages
(05:36):
bill that comes out the following day.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
And let me tell you no. I know you're focused
on Boxing Day and New Year's Day, but can I
just ask you about March the eighth and and Champions
Day with the three and a half million in steaks
on the first ever slot race to hit New Zealand.
You're well and truly and you're planning for that.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Ah yeah, absolutely, and look you're you're raising good points here. Pointys.
We quickly go out of Boxing Day and Newsday straight
into the Kracker Millions, which has turned in too be
the not to mis event, but Champions Day hot on
the heels of that, and that's going to be an
(06:14):
exciting day as well, with as you point out, the
n Zibekiwi which is the inaugural running of the n
Zbkiwi with three point five million dollars in stakes, but
remissing me not to mention the other stakes at following behind,
she's going to be over ten million in stakes for
the one day, something we can't wait for. But get
(06:35):
these two races out do the Cracker Millions as well,
which again has got some huge steaks money up for
the Connections to have a lock at. But Champions Day
we're excited, we can't wait. But look that seems a
long way away. When you've got this Boxing Day on
the back doorstep.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Let me tell you I can imagine exciting times ahead. Mate. Look,
I wish you all the best for Boxing Day, for
New Year's Day and for a huge twenty twenty five
as well. Auckland Racing dot co dot nz has all
of the information about these race days and everything else
everybody wants to know. We'll keep an eye on the
forecast for you. Paul. Thanks for joining us across New
Zealand on zed B today.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Good Man Piney and all the best to you as well.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
All the best to you, Paul. That is Paul at Wilcox,
CEO of Auckland Thoroughbred Racing. The Boxing Day and New
Year's Day races are back on the racing calendar, having
been missing for the last four years.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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