Addington will now race on every Sunday through June and July until the end of the season.
Extra harness meeting added to calendar and RITA may approve more if there’s demand
By Barry Lichter • 1 May 2020
One extra harness meeting has been added to the transitional racing calendar for the rest of the season.
Addington gets the additional date on Sunday, June 7, meaning it will race on every Sunday in June and July.
Addington racing manager Brian Rabbitt had been trying to get an extra meeting for May 23, confident through feedback that there would be sufficient numbers to race that soon.
RITA Dates Committee Chair Edward Rennell said if there was support and demand for additional races and/or meetings in the next three months, it may grant approval at short notice.
That could open the way for more racing at Alexandra Park if numbers warrant it but, despite objections from the ATC, no change has been made to harness racing in the north with the venue alternating between Auckland and Cambridge.
In confirming the calendar this afternoon, the Racing Industry Transition Agency also flagged a change to Addington’s Friday meetings on May 29 and through June, which all now be run at night. This takes into account COVID-19 restrictions and kenneling times for greyhounds which will race at Addington from mid-day.
The only other change to the calendar after consultation is the addition of eight more greyhound meetings, with racing now due to start earlier on May 5.
Harness racing resumes on Friday night, May 29 at Addington and thoroughbred racing at Riccarton on Friday, July 3.
Return to racing protocols for alert level 3 and 4 have been approved by WorkSafe NZ and the implementation will be managed directly between the racing codes and stakeholders.
HRNZ will release information on a revised programme of workouts and trials next week.
Confirmed dates for harness and gallops meetings until the end of the season:
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Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.25pm
“She won well on the first day but pulled very hard - Harry said his arms were that tired afterwards he couldn’t have lifted a 1kg dumb bell. She’s meeting a few nice ones here, up in grade, but she’s drawn better so you can’t count her out. She tries hard and really digs in.”
Race 7: Lincoln Downs
7.50pm
“She did everything right on Tuesday but she blew heavily afterwards and I think the heat got to her. She’s a place chance if she recovers OK.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.22pm
“She was jumping shadows on Tuesday and moves to the last race this time but she’s not the most genuine so I’m not holding my breath.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.28pm
“He hasn’t raced for three months but trialled really well. I pick he’s going to win one pretty quickly and, given he’s been running against the best two-year-olds in his previous preps, it should really be on Friday night. This lot of maidens aren’t in the same class and he’s as honest as they come, a tough little trier.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.09pm
“She’s really up against it from the outside of the second line, with all the favourites drawn well. She has to be the unluckest animal on the planet. With her, what can go wrong will. Even at the best of times you need a reasonable draw to figure but drawn in the bondocks here she’ll need incredible luck.”
Race 8: Sugar Ray Lincoln
9.09pm
“He had a short break while some vet work was done but is in good trim. Yes, there are a few in here that are vastly higher rated but his formline says it all - it’s not often he doesn’t get a cheque.”
Race 8: Tyson
9.09pm
“He was a bit unlucky last week that he didn’t get to them a bit sooner otherwise I think he would have won. Maurice said he thought they’d come back to him more, going 2:39 speed, but his closing sectionals were easily the best in the race.”
Race 10: Prince Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s grown into a beautiful horse, a quality looking colt, and who knows what he could be. He’ll obviously improve with the run but I still expect him to run well from his good draw. He trialled very well behind a good one.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s drawn a bit awkwardly in seven, which gives Prince Lincoln the edge, but he too was making good ground in the workout.”
