Thoroughbred Racing NT, which funds the two local race meetings a year, announced this week that the August meeting would be cancelled.

President of the Tennant Turf Club, Mick Adams, said the event was a highlight of the sporting and social calendar and had always been well supported.

“More and more is being taken away from Tennant Creek,” he said.

“It’s all about Darwin and the rest of the Territory doesn’t seem to matter.

“The Berrimah Line has got us again and we don’t get a say in it.”

Adams said the decision would mean only one race meeting each year would be held in Tennant Creek.

“We always get a good turnout, the community loves the day out.

“There’s nothing quite like the atmosphere of country racing.

“It’s great fun for the whole family and an opportunity for all our serious punters to see real track action.

“But the powers-that-be have decided the money should be poured into Darwin which has 39 race meetings this year as well as two in Adelaide River.

“We had already started preparing for the August race meeting and I can tell you, none of us are happy about this at all.”

Thoroughbred Racing NT CEO, Des Friedrich, said tough times called for tough measures.

“Darwin and Alice Springs have also lost one race meeting each although an extra meeting has been scheduled for Adelaide River,” he said.

“We preempted an increase in funding from the NT Government and raised the stakes and when the money didn’t come through we had to do some number crunching to make the figures balance.

“Aside from that, Tennant Creek really doesn’t warrant two race meetings a year.

“Katherine and Pine Creek only hold one race meeting each year, but they make them worthwhile.

“Tennant Creek could put some effort into making the one race meeting bigger and brighter by having a race day ball for example.

“And we’d be prepared to inject more money into making it special, to give them a bigger bang for their buck.”

Friedrich said Thoroughbred Racing NT injected around $60,000 into each race meeting held in Tennant Creek including prize money, jockey fees, unplaced subsidies and travel allowances while the meetings only attracted crowds of around 350.

“The bottom line is that the Tennant Turf Club is struggling, the industry is struggling and we need to act responsibly,” he said.

Adams described Friedrich’s comments as lame excuses.

“Thoroughbred Racing NT is funded to provide a balanced race program throughout the Territory and they’ve failed to do that,” he said.