Addington will race twice a week on Fridays and Sundays under the draft calendar released for the rest of the season.
Addington harness big winner in post lockdown dates, securing Fridays and Sundays
By Barry Lichter • 21 April 2020
Addington has been the big winner in harness racing, securing the lucrative Friday spots for its meetings until the end of the season.
The draft calendar released for consultation by the Racing Industry Transition Agency today has Addington securing four Friday day meetings in June.
In July it keeps all the Friday meetings for night cards, starting at 5.30pm.
Addington will race twice a week, also getting seven Sunday slots through June and July.
Auckland and Cambridge will alternate on Thursday nights through June and then their meetings move to Wednesday night slots in July. The Thursday harness spot is taken over by Invercargill day meetings which move from Saturdays when gallops meetings resume.
Thoroughbred racing starts in the north on July 3, with racing alternating on Saturdays between Te Rapa and Pukekohe in the north, and Awapuni and Riccarton.
Friday meetings will be held at Riccarton, Wanganui, Southland and Awapuni through July.
Dates for gallops and harness meetings are:
May
June
July
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 5: Lincoln Lover
6.49pm
“You can’t fault what he’s done in his last four starts - he hasn’t missed a cheque. He’s raced at Auckland before as a two-year-old against good horses so it shouldn’t be too daunting for him. He’ll go an honest race, it’s just whether he’s good enough.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
7.57pm
Nathan Delany: “He had to trial on Tuesday after hitting the gate and breaking at Cambridge and I was happy with how he went. He ran Dear God to half a length in 2:38, and got home in 27.3. I’ll tell Harry to have one run at them and he should beat them for speed. Hopefully they run along a bit and he’ll sprint straight past them.”
Race 7: Lincoln Maree
7.57pm
“She lacks a bit of speed but she’s a rough chance.”
Race 8: Lincoln Linda
8.24pm
“It’s her first start for five months and she hasn’t trialled but she’s training well. She has plenty of ability and there’s nothing wonderful in the race. In the past she’s been her own worst enemy, a lunatic at times, but she seems more settled this time in. You could say I’m hopeful more than confident.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.24pm
“She has a bit of speed. She hasn’t been strong but seems to have developed a bit more this time in and is training quite well. I don’t think there’s much between her and Lincoln Linda.”
