New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing chairman Guy Sargent is vowing to continue the battle to get the One Racing concept accepted, despite Harness Racing New Zealand slamming the door shut

on the idea.

The One Racing concept involves the thoroughbred, harness and greyhound codes merging with the New Zealand Racing Board, which runs the TAB, into one body. NZTR, which is pushing the proposal, says it could result in cost savings of $11.6 million a year.

The initial reaction of the harness and greyhound codes was that it was a power grab by the gallops folk and should be rejected, though they were interested in sharing management services. The Racing Board supports the proposal and NZTR's clubs backed it at its annual meeting last month.

Miffed by a lack of response to a letter it wrote in December asking questions about the One Racing proposal, HRNZ indicated today it had had enough.

At its meeting on Thursday, its executive decided to reject the One Racing proposal outright, saying it would not be involved in any further review of such a governance structure.

"The resolutions agreed to reaffirm HRNZ's belief that code governance must be retained independent of the NZRB and other codes," HRNZ general manager Edward Rennell said.

But HRNZ would support further exploration of shared administrative services with NZRB and the other codes. It suggested a committee be set up with two appointees from each body.

Sargent said today he was disappointed, but would continue to try to convince HRNZ and New Zealand Greyhound Racing of the merits of the proposal.

"Harness obviously don't want to meet with us at this stage, but that is not the end of it for us.

"We are doing what we are doing for the good of the total industry, we are not doing just for thoroughbreds. We won't give up. We will have to convince them somehow."

He said it was unfortunate that the Racing Board had not replied to the HRNZ questions earlier, which he put down to the Christmas break and the boards not meeting as often as usual in January. The replies were sent today, he said.

The committee set up to pursue the One Racing proposal will meet next week. While NZTR had suggested representation weighted in its favour for the committee, Sargent said today the representation could be reviewed.

(NZPA)