Training Complex

From the foresight shown by this small group of people the Franklin Trotting Club’s training centre on Station Road, Pukekohe, has become what is today, over 60 years later, the busiest harness racing complex in Australasia.

Club property now totals over 38 hectares and includes three training surfaces, two being metal based (all-weather), and one, sand based. As well as three separate stable complexes on land adjacent to the tracks with two of these stable complexes each having a three bedroom house.

At it’s busiest, during the mid – 1990’s the complex would have almost 300 horses being educated and prepared there. The bulk of the 80 plus trainers from the surrounding district presently use the club’s facilities with some having their own jogging tracks and only need to visit the training centre for fast work.

Access ways have been formed by the club to allow trainers from all adjacent stables complexes to travel to the centre without using the public roadways.

 

Throughout each racing season horses based at Pukekohe travel regularly to race meeting at Alexandra Park, Auckland and to Cambridge Raceway. These horses make-up a fair proportion of the race fields at both venues.

 

In addition to providing the best training facilities possible, the club conducts official qualifying and barrier trials on a regular monthly basis. Organised workouts are also staged once a month. Under cover tie-up stalls cater for 140 horses.

 

Members of the public are welcome to attend trials and workouts and view these from the trackside dining facility built by the club.

 

Early in 1998 the club reconstructed the main training track and a ‘Eurotrack’ was formed by replacing the traditional ‘hub’ or ‘running’ rail with pylons as track markers.

Remote control starting equipment for the education of young or inexperienced horses was introduced, as well as photo finish facilities for official trials meetings and ultimately full totalisator race meetings at the track.

Completing facilities provided by the club include a blacksmith shop ( now converted to a tack shop- Garrards Horse & Hound)’ public toilet block, a three level judges box, workshop and vehicle housing, while an administration block contains the club’s offices, St Johns room, Members Lounge and board room.

 

At present the barns are almost at full occupancy so should you be interested in what horse accommodation is available please contact the Franklin Trotting Club office.