Racing industry hopes for $15m of govt funding

The horse racing industry is a step closer to getting Government funding for several wet weather tracks. As we reported earlier, thirty-million-dollars of contingency funding in the Provincial Growth Fund has been earmarked for coalition government projects with the racing industry set to benefit. The Minister for Racing, Winston Peters, had already signalled an all-weather track was on the cards and yesterday the Regional Economic Development Minister,Shane Jones, confirmed several would be built. The aim is to stop the industry losing millions of dollars by having to cancel meetings when tracks are too wet. The chief executive of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing is Bernard Saundry. He tells Susie Ferguson they're hoping for about $15 million.