Is there an outside chance of racing returning to Avondale?
Wednesday, 15 July 2026
The bets were on for the final meet of the season at Avondale Racecourse, but it’s any punter’s guess as to whether racing will return to the historic grounds next year.
According to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR), the entity that allocates race dates, Wednesday was Avondale’s final event after 135 years of the gallops.
NZTR, a TAB advisory group and Racing Minister Winston Peters have been pushing for consolidation of the industry, and Avondale has been widely viewed as up for the knackers.
A submission made by NZTR on Plan Change 120 called for the grounds to be rezoned for apartments.
But, Avondale Jockey Club president Andrew Skinner remains defiant, telling The Post he’s “never seen the carpark so full” as on Wednesday.
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“People have turned up thinking it's the last race day here - but it’s the last race day for the 25/26 season,” he said. “We’re looking forward to serving the industry for the next season. Our doors will be open.”
Skinner wouldn’t elaborate further on how that might happen, but the Sunday Star-Times has reported that the club is working with the TAB on a potential turnaround plan.
“This is one of the best track surfaces north of Taupo. The industry needs a strategic direction, and we’re waiting for that. We want to participate in that journey,” Skinner said on Wednesday.
“As soon as you sell an asset, you've got nothing. The money’s only temporary. Without punters, foals, and tracks, what have you got?”
Despite midweek fixtures typically seeing lower turnouts, Avondale’s “final” race day saw punters turn out in droves for $17,000 race stakes.
“It’s always been a great track,” said Terry Quinn of Ōrākei. “Look, for male racegoers, it's good. We like horse racing. It's not so good for ladies in fur coats who want to drink champagne. That's Ellerslie's territory, right?
“This is a functional racecourse with ordinary people. It’s had some great glory days because it’s a fair track. It’s a good straight and everybody gets their chance in the races here.
“The true racing people come here and you mix with them - the good luck stories, the hard luck stories and all of that.”
Stephen and Claire Cochrane caught the train from Clarks Beach to see off Avondale. They haven’t attended in around 20 years, but Cochrane used to own a horse in the 1980s.
“They used to call it ‘the punters’ grave’ here at Avondale because when it was wet it was a very clay sort of a track,” said Stephen Cochrane.
“The outsiders seemed to achieve quite well because when the track is like that, once you get into the bog, even for the best racehorse around it's into the stamina side of things, right?”
Nobody told Brian Smith it was potentially Avondale’s last race day - he came along to see the amateur race and was both amazed by the turnout and disappointed by the news.
“I used to be an amateur rider myself,” he said. “I remember these stands used to be absolutely chocka.”
But a payout of $33,000 for picking the first four was enough to draw Smith into having a flutter. “That would be a good day’s wage.”
Waitākere councillor Ken Turner also showed up for the festivities, telling The Post it was clear that riders and the public wanted to retain the space.
“The industry’s got structural problems. Stripping the money out of this asset and taking it away from Auckland isn’t going to fix them.”
Turner said he had tried to tell the racing minister. “I said to Peters, this is going to be a bun fight.
“When the public find out that the people who set the race dates are the ones who robbed the money, people aren't going to be very happy.
“And how saleable is it really? We got enough apartments around Auckland right now that aren't selling anymore.”