Carats for Classic

This season’s two year old harness racing feature on Diamonds Day at Ascot Park will carry extra incentives.

The winning owner of the $110,000 Group One Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Classic will receive a $5,000 payment (carat) if the winning horse was offered at the previous years (2023) NZB Standardbred Christchurch Yearling Sale as part of the SBSR sales draft.

An additional $5,000 payment will also be made if the winning horse is SBSR eligible and sired by a Diamond Creek Stallion.

“Whether purchased or passed in, they need to have been through the Sale ring,” said SBSR member John Stiven.

Eligible Diamond Creek Sires from the 2023 NZB Standardbred Yearling Sale are Always B Miki, Captain Crunch, Creatine, Downbytheseaside, Father Patrick and Sweet Lou.

2024 SBSR Yearlings will also be eligible for the same carats in the 2025 Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Old Classic.

Eligible Diamond Creek Sires at this month’s NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale are Always B Miki, Bettor’s Wish, Captain Crunch, Creatine, Downbytheseaside, Father Patrick and Sweet Lou.

“I’d like to think this will be ongoing, but we’ll see how it evolves. When we started this race under SBSR it was worth $12,000. In our wildest dreams we never thought it would become a Group One. It’s great having carats like this. We’ll be going forward and not backwards.”

Full details and terms and conditions of the SBSR carats are on the SBSR Facebook page.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink