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Everyone’s a winner in harness racing’s long-awaited makeover - here’s what’s in it for you

Harness racing has received its biggest boost in years with the annnouncement today that stakes will rise by $10 million in the new season starting in August.

And in news that will be welcomed by a wide cross section of participants, it’s not just feature races that will benefit, with 75% of the money earmarked for everyday racing.

Funding for the boost, which is locked in for the next three years, will come from Harness Racing New Zealand, Entain, TAB NZ and the New Zealand Sires’ Stakes Board with a 20% increase in the number of races run.

Big winners from the hike include fillies and mares, trotting and the Sires’ Stakes programme.

A fillies and mares’ pathway, known as The Silk Road, will see 150 new races funded with more Group races and a first Group 1 Mares’ Trot. Details of the $900,000 package will be released next week but the target is for fillies and mares’ races to be 16% of total races.

Trotting breeders have reason to celebrate with trotting stakes to increase by $1 million.

As well as catering for bread and butter racing, new HRNZ Chief Executive Brad Steele says it’s important to push aspirational races like the New Zealand Cup, the purse for which will rise from $789,000 to $1 million, the first time it has been at that level since Monkey King won in 2009.

Show Day will also get a major makeover with a 3pm twilight start and $2.2 million in stakes, featuring the country’s biggest trotting race, the Dominion, up $100,000 to $400,000.

Two new slot races

As well as a $200,000 Free-For-All for pacers there will be two new slot races, each worth $500,000 for three-year-old trotters and pacers.

“We have to celebrate the emergence of slot races and the opportunities they create to promote the game,” Steele said.

“Slot races allow us to showcase the very best of a group of horses for great stakes.”

More details of the slot races will be released in August but it is believed they will be mobile 1980 metre races for 10 horses with a $30,000 entry this year.

Addington’s late season Grand Prix meeting will be expanding to two days, the $225,000 NZ Pacing Oaks and $140,000 NZ Trotting Oaks, plus four two-year-old Aces races on November 29, and the $300,000 NZ Pacing Derby and $200,000 NZ Trotting Derby and a new $200,000 race for four-year-olds on December 6.

The Look North

A big push into Auckland will be a critical part of a new strategy, called The Look North.

Entain boss Dean Shannon said it was imperative to revitalise harness racing in the North Island.

“Auckland is a key population and economic centre but it is under-represented in harness racing and wagering.”

The new Friday Night Lights concept, which starts today, will see dual harness meetings run, almost exclusively at Alexandra Park and Addington, with on-course broadcast teams at both venues.

Auckland Cup on New Year’s Eve

A key change will see the Auckland Cup and National Trot return to New Year’s Eve.

Auckland will also hold the $1million Golden Gait Series, consisting of 10 $100,000 races on December 20, runners earning their place by gathering points throughout the season.

Alexandra Park will host a regular heats and finals format with $35,000 Finals.

Cambridge which runs the two big slot races in April, will also stage a new Summer Nights Festival throughout January.

$8000 Tuesday stakes

Cambridge will hold 32 meetings on Tuesdays, with stakes of $8000, and the likelihood of ratings concessions. Programmes are expected to be published on the HRNZ website early next week.

Prizemoney for the Sires’ Stakes series will increase by $600,000, funded jointly by the NZ Sires’ Stakes Board and HRNZ.

The NZ Sires’ Stakes Two-year-old and Three-year-old Colts and Geldings and Fillies’ Finals will rise from $160,000 to $200,000 while the Nevele R Three-year-old Fillies’ Final on New Zealand Cup day will go from $140,000 to $200,000.

The stakes for the Two-year-old Trotters’ Final and Three-year-old Trotters’ Final will increase from $70,000 to $120,000 and be given Group 1 status.

Steele said the $10 million boost showed harness racing had a clear growth strategy and it was heading into the future with a lot of optimism.

“We are one year into a five-year deal with Entain. We have jointly found a way forward that benefits everyone in our sport - owners, trainers, drivers, breeders and punters.”

Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

Ray Green

Ray’s comments

Friday night at Auckland

Race 1: Debbie Lincoln
5.26pm

“She had to sit parked most of the way last time but still went well, and that’s what she does. She’s proven to be a very promising filly and, while it’s hard these days to win without a good trip, it’s an even field and she’s a good chance again.”

Race 2: Lincoln Lou
5.55pm

“He probably cost himself a win last week by going roughly, but he can do that. If he’d got Frisco Bay’s trip he would have won with his closing quarters of 56 and 27 the fastest in the race. He’s just got to do things right to be the one to beat, even from the bad draw, as it’s an easier field.”

Race 5: Frisco Bay
7.30pm

“He’s up in grade a bit but I don’t think there’s anything between them. He’s just got to get the right run and, with his speed, he’ll be right in it.”

Race 6: Kevin Kline
7.59pm

“He’s no superstar but he’s very honest and he’s always a place chance as he’s a tough bugger, he sat parked last week.”

Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.59pm

“With a similar run to last week, he’d be right in it. He clocked 55.8 and 27.7, doing his best work at the finish. He hasn’t gone a bad race since he’s come back.”

Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.59pm

“I wasn’t expecting him to do anything on debut as he’s a green, young horse. But he went very well so he’s obviously lifted his game for the occasion. And he’s trained on even better so the experience has enhanced him. From the inside he has to be a good chance.”

Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.59pm

“She’s definitely a better animal left-handed but she was passable right-handed and should go better this time. She’s got some speed.”

Race 8: Lincoln Downs
8.59pm

“She’s a nice filly but is behind the others. I don’t expect her to beat anything but she needs the experience.”

Race 8: Lincoln Linda
8.59pm

“There won’t be any shadows for her to jump this time so she has to be a serious chance. She’d been dominant at the workouts and trials before her debut but didn’t get the chance to show her true worth.”

Race 8: Lincoln Lover
8.59pm

“Fergie was quite impressed with him on debut and requested the drive again. He finished on strongly up the lane and should go well again. He just needs some luck from the outside of the gate.”

Mark Dux

Mark Dux’s comments

Saturday night at Albion Park

Race 3: Argyle
9.04pm NZ time

“I thought his last two starts have been terrific. There’s no doubt this race is tougher, and he has trickier draw, but I was talking to Angus last night and he was quite upbeat about his chances. He said the horse gave him a good feel when he sat parked two starts back and he picked him too (in the draft). But it won’t be easy. There could be a bit of pressure early. I think he’ll come out and see what unfolds and, if there is too much pressure, he’ll drive him quietly.”

Ray Green

Ray’s comments

Sunday at Manawatu

Race 1: Onyx Shard
5.29pm

“You can put a line through her last run at Cambridge when she pulled up showing signs of a respiratory infection. She had a couple of weeks off after that and, while she hasn’t trialled since, she’s been training down nicely. She’s a nice filly and from the good draw should really win.”

Race 3: Lincoln La Moose
6.19pm

“He wasn’t far away in the amateur race at Auckland last time despite jumping a shadow early and galloping. This is a decent drop in class for him and he should be very competitive.

Race Images - Harness