Oaks and Supremacy goes back to heats

For the first time since 2010 the Southern Supremacy Stakes and Southern Oaks will be run in heats.

This is due to the fact that it’s felt a heats-based harness racing Series gives the valuable sponsors Nevele R, Macca Lodge and Alabar more exposure during the season.

Southland Oaks winner Bettor Talk Art

The Oaks this season will also have a name change. Having been the Southland Oaks since it’s inception in 1983 the race now becomes the Southern Oaks, reflecting the expansion of Southern Harness into the North Otago region.

The first heat will be run at the Roxburgh meeting on Tuesday 4^th January with further heats to be held at Winton, Oamaru, Invercargill, Wyndham and Wairio. All heats will be worth $15,000.

The Southern Oaks Final will be run on Diamonds Day, Saturday 30^th April 2022 at Ascot Park for a stake of $50,000. This will be the fortieth running of the three-year-old Fillies feature.

The Supremacy has been raced since 1984, and next April the $50,000 feature sponsored by Alabar will be run for the 39th time.

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The first heat for the 2022 Supremacy will be run at Omakau on Sunday 2^nd January with further heats at Invercargill, Oamaru, Riverton, Northern Southland, and Winton.

All horses in both Series will need to start in at least two heats to be eligible for the finals.

Heats will be run using the preferential draw system based on stakes won, and all winners will automatically qualify for the final, providing they’ve started in two heats.

A points system will be used to determine the rest of the field.

The last three heats of each Series will be programmed as open races and both finals will be raced over 2700 metres from behind the mobile, and will carry Group Two status.

The Southern Country Cups Series started at Oamaru on the 17^th October with the Robert and Jenna Dunn trained Jimmy Arma winning. The Tuapeka Cup won by Paddyproudfoot was the second heat, whilst unfortunately the third heat at Winton didn’t get off the ground.

The Series will be run over thirteen qualifying races with points allocated from first through to fourth.

Most of the Provincial Cups are included in the Series with the $30,000 final run on Diamonds Day.

Horses only need to start once in the series to be eligible for the final. The next heat will be the Wairio Cup on Saturday 18^th December at Winton.

The Southern Belle Speed Series will start later in the season with the first of four heats being run at Winton on the 3^rd February over 1609 metres.

The heats will each be worth $12,000 with the final held at Winton on 9^th April, carrying a stake of $25,000.

The Series is for four year old and older mares up to a rating of R70, as at 1^st January 2022.

by Bruce Stewart