Ambitious target date set for harness racing and remaining feature races axed
By Barry Lichter • 1 April 2020
Harness Racing New Zealand today confirmed that racing will be restricted to only five or six venues for a minimum of three months when it restarts, hopefully at the end of May or early in June.
HRNZ chairman Ken Spicer revealed its ambitious target date today, stressing it was dependent on when New Zealand moved out of its level 4 lockdown, and what the Government ruled was allowable under level 3.
Spicer also confirmed that meetings would be held with no public attending and licensees would be unable to move between regions.
Ken Spicer … trainers and drivers will not be allowed to move between regions.HRNZ’s draft plan focusses on a four month calendar from June to September but Spicer said obviously racing would not be able to resume until there was a big enough pool of fit horses.
“Once we return to racing, the initial focus will be to provide weekly racing opportunities for the majority of the horse population.”
The HRNZ board has confirmed that any feature or Group races that were due to be held from March 24 to the end of the 2019-20 season would not be run, nor will they be rescheduled. This includes the Harness Jewels.
“The exception is those races administered by the New Zealand Sires’ Stakes Board and we continue to work with them on options for rescheduling those races to the next season.
“This was a very difficult decision to make, however it is important that we give trainers and owners some certainty as they make plans for their horses.
“There will be a need to reshape racing across all codes as we develop a clearer picture of what the full impact of COVID-19 will have on the TAB and the subsequent funding to the codes.”
Spicer said “a racing ecosystem” had to be designed that reflected the likelihood that it would be some time before the Government brings New Zealand back to Alert Level 1.
HRNZ was vigorously reviewing all costs, including employee and contractor payments, he said.
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Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.40pm
“She’s going as good as she can. She’s got a bit of speed but isn’t that strong. But she should get a nice trip here and be right in the frame. She’ll win one soon.”
Race 1: Jessie Lincoln
5.40pm
“She’s a big filly who has taken time to mature but she has plenty of ability. She’s a good pacer and I expect her to improve on her resuming run and go well.”
Race 1: Lincoln Dealer
5.40pm
“He’s a bit of a handful, too keen for his own good sometimes, so I’ll be happy to see him just get round and do most things right. He’s no superstar but he’s coming to it slowly but surely. We’re throwing him in the deep end here and he has a terrible draw but we have to start somewhere.”
Race 4: Lincoln Maree
7.04pm
“She’s as tough as old boots and tries like hell and you can’t ask for much more than that. She just lacks a bit of speed but has a good attitude. She usually finds one or two better than her but will make them work for it anyway.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.56pm
“He’ll be improved for the last run, has trialled and is working well, and has a better draw (the ace) this time. You just have to be a bit wary because he’s let us down a couple of times.”
Race 3: Angelic Copy
5.56pm
“She had a tie-up issue but seems much better now. It’s her first run for a while so she’ll definitely need the run. I’m just hoping she gets around all right and pulls up OK.”
Race 3: Colonel Lincoln
5.56pm
“He’s a very capable horse, if injury prone, and he’s been back in work for three or four months. You never say never but, realistically, he’s just starting off so you can’t expect him to be at his peak.”
Race 5: Sammy Lincoln
6.55pm
“I know I said it two starts back but if there’s such a thing as a certainty, he’s it. Even from seven on the gate, everything says he’s the one to beat. If he hadn’t gone a bit goofy up the home straight last time in the Sires’ Stakes Semi at Cambridge, he’d have easily run third. This is a huge drop in class.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.58pm
“I expect he’ll be a bit sharper this time. He’s looking well and feeling good but I still think another run under his belt will be beneficial for him. He’s not one to leap out of the ground but he is capable of taking the race.”
