by Duane Ranger
Harness racing sponsor – David Smith, said the sport was giving his company great mileage in the Waikato and for that reason Dunstan Feeds would again be digging deep at Cambridge Raceway again this season.
For the third year in a row the $10,000 Dunstan Nutrition Owner/Trainer title will be competed for at Cambridge Raceway.
“We started getting involved in harness racing about four years ago and the Owner/Trainer promotion has proven really popular.
“We are enjoying supporting the industry because industry participants are supporting us,” Smith said.
Smith said $10,000 worth of Dunstan product and cash would be given back to the leading Owner and Trainers over the season. First place would see the winning owners receive $4,000 cash and the winning trainer $3,000 worth of product. Trainers of the second and third horses would received $2,000 and $1,000 in product respectively.
Last season Cambridge horseman David Marshall and Sarah Lindenny won the major prize.
Each winner of a totalisator race at ‘The Raceway’ will accumulate points relevant to its starting position, and every horse that places second in a totalisator race at the raceway will receive two points. The horse with the most points after the raceways final race of the season will be deemed the winner.
“The unique factor of the series is how higher points are allocated to horses able to overcome tricky barrier draws,” said Harness Racing Waikato’s Business Development Manager, David .
Points are allocated by the following:
Mobile races: barrier 1,2,3,4 = 5 points; 5,6,9,10 = 7points; 7,8,11-16 & ur = 8points
Standing start: Ft 5pts; 10m 6pts; 20m 7pts; 30m 8 pts; 40-plus m 9pts. All increments of 5m will incur the points to the nearest lowest handicap.
Meanwhile the tenant clubs at Cambridge Raceway will reward multiple winners again this season paying an extra $1,500, and in some cases $2,500 to the winners of races.
For the fifth year running, HRW will add $1,500 to the winner’s stake for the second win by a horse the Raceway. A further $2,500 will be added to the winner’s purse in 2016-2017 for every second win thereafter.
“The intention of the scheme is to attract horses to race more often at Cambridge, and then reward the connections of multiple winners for their success and loyalty,” said Branch.
Branch, who started with HRW on August 1, said during the 2015-2016 season 37 horses won a $1,500 bonus and five more $2,500.
“The winning stake added incentive scheme proved very popular with owners last season and Harness Racing Waikato is delighted to be able to offer the incentive again this season” Branch said.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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