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Community Relations


The Auckland Racing Club is proud to support our wider community and participate in a number of fundraising and charity initiatives.

The Ellerslie Racecourse is open to the public for exercise, dog-walking, picnics and other recreational activity and also hosts 17 free racedays per year. Besides providing the core business of thoroughbred racing, the Auckland Racing Club also aims to provide for the non-racing community. In the past year activities have included:

  • Donation of all general admission gate takings from February 10th, 2009 Twilight Summer Series Raceday to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal

  • Hosting Remuera Intermediate’s annual Cross Country event

  • Naming KidsCan StandTall Charitable Trust as the Official Charity of Auckland Cup Week 2009.  KidsCan were able to use the association with Auckland Cup Week and auxiliary events to promote awareness of the charity and raise funds 

  • Sponsoring exercise books for pupils of Ellerslie School as well as hosting their biennial visit and tour of the Auckland Racing Club facilities

  • Hosting the Radio Sport Mascot Dash for Charity Cash where some of New Zealand’s favourite mascots sprinted 100m down the Ellerslie home straight to win prizes for their charity of choice 

  • Hosting the Chill-Out Session in support of Cure Kids 

  • Supporting the Auckland Cup Week Parade of Champions in Newmarket

  • Hosting New Zealand Army Training Nights

  • Home to the weekly Ellerslie Car Fair, Golf Today public driving range and 9-hole golf course, Flip’s Top Dog training school in the Ellerslie stables and Lollipops Playland

  • Hosting Police Dog Training

The Auckland Racing Club also provides a number of racing-related opportunities for charities and the community:

  • Provided free children’s entertainment on three top-class racedays during the 2009/2010 season. These were:
    * The Mad Butcher Suburban Newspaper Community Trust Family Fun Day 
    * The New Zealand Herald Christmas Carnival - Boing Day Races
    * The New Zealand Herald Christmas Carnival - 28th December
    * The New Zealand Herald Christmas Carnival - New Year's Day Races 
    * Ellerslie Easter Carnival - Easter Saturday
    * Ellerslie Easter Carnival - Easter Monday  

  • Hosted numerous charity racedays including:
    * Rowing for Prostate Charity Raceday (2009)
    * New Zealand Rugby Foundation Charity Raceday (2009)
    * Life Education Trust Family Raceday (ongoing)
    * Mad Butcher Suburban Newspapers Community Trust Family Fun Day (ongoing)