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It went down to the very last race, and ultimately consistency paid dividends for Boyz Invasion (Brylin Boyz) in the Seddon Shields Summer Trotters’ Series.
The inaugural harness racing series was held over nine races around the top half of the South Island, starting at Westport on Boxing Day and going through to Reefton on March 10.
Trained by Michael House and driven by son Wilson, Boyz Invasion didn’t win a race all series but fronted up on all nine occasions. Aided hugely by five second placings, the Brylin Boyz 10-year-old accrued 36 points to claim the $10,000 first prize for his connections.
He finished six points ahead of Muscle Bank, who won on three occasions – Marlborough Jan 19 and 21, and then at Westport on March 8. His connections won $3000.
Mathematically Muscle Bank could have finished first equal if he’d won the last race and Boyz Invasion had finished sixth or worse.
Next on 23 points was the Mark Jones-trained Helloveamoment, who made seven appearances during the series and won the final race at Reefton. The Andover Hall gelding won by a head from series winner Boyz Invasion and was one of five winning drives on the day for Sam Ottley. His third placing earned connections $2000.
“The series was an unqualified success,” says Seddon Chair Ben Smith, “it was designed to promote trotting and to encourage trainers to send their horses to our meetings and it did both.”
“To have 29 horses involved over the whole series was a great result and hopefully we can keep the momentum going next year and beyond.”
“Kaikoura wasn’t included in the Trotters Series this time but our intention is for them to be included this year.”
“The total overall turnover for the Seddon Districts Group which includes Kaikoura, Westport and Reefton’s two meetings, plus Nelson and Marlborough was over $13m ($13,392,250) and the total GBM was 16.8 per cent which was outstanding,” says Smith.
