South Of The Waitaki keeps it’s Show Day slot

The Macca Lodge sponsored South of the Waitaki has been confirmed for Show Day in November.

With two new $500,000 three year old slot races programmed for that day the race could have been in danger of being shifted. But with the Dominion Handicap moving to Cup Day and thirteen races expected to be programmed on Show Day, the South Of The Waitaki remains in place.

This year will be it’s tenth anniversary and the nineth year that Macca Lodge has sponsored the feature.

The first edition was won by Phoenix Warrior trained by Tony Barron. The largest field of fourteen was carded in 2016. In the last two years there have been just ten runners.

“It’s very important the southerners support this race,” HRNZ spokesperson John Mooney said.

With the increase in stakes over Cup and Show Day and strong stakes on offer at Ashburton on Thursday, Mooney says there are plenty of incentives for heading north to the country’s biggest harness racing carnival.

“With a $17,000 thirteen race programme for maidens and up to R50 horses at Ashburton on Thursday there’s another reason to bring horses north.”

The tentative programmes for Cup Week are expected to be released by HRNZ tomorrow.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink