Slot race for trotters in the works

Australasia’s first trotting slot race looks set to become reality with a NZ$655,000 harness racing feature planned for Cambridge next April.

The Cambridge club is set to run the race the same night as its NZ$1million Race by Grins slot pacing race, with the NZ TAB to be the naming rights sponsor through their partnership with Entain.

While the race will still need the official approval of Harness Racing New Zealand, initial expressions of interest suggest the 10 slots of NZ$50,000 will be filled to create the richest trotting race in Australasian history.

“We have had more than 10 parties come to us and tell us they are keen,” says Cambridge boss David Branch.

“So we are now asking for those expressions of interest to be formalised and if we get at least eight of those contracts signed in the next two weeks the race will be going ahead, with HRNZ needing to approve it of course.”

But the ultimate goal is to get 10 slots confirmed for the 2200m mobile on April 12.

Unlike the Race by Grins, which slot holders bought into for three years, the $50,000 positions for the trot race will be available annually. This gives owners of the best trotters the option to buy into the race for a specific horse.

If for some reason their horse doesn’t make it to the race, they have the option to negotiate with the connections of another horse or even on-sell their slot.

It is believed the connections of several of Australasia’s top trotters are among those to have expressed interest in purchasing a slot, including Australian-based parties.

The TAB Trot Slot race would elevate the April 12 meeting to one of the biggest in Australasian harness racing, with the Race by Grins having attracted two very strong fields including Australian-trained horses.

With Australia having a vintage crop of trotters at the highest level, headed by Just Believe, Aldebaran Zeus and Queen Elida, it wouldn’t surprise if all three were aimed at the new race, especially as it has the Rowe Cup meeting as a potential secondary target the following month.

The possibility of that trio of Australian stars against locals Muscle Mountain, Bolt For Brilliance and Oscar Bonavena alone would mean the first running could be something very special.

by Michael Guerin for Harness Racing Victoria