Cambridge’s popular summer meeting has been evicerated by HRNZ’s decision to can its feature races.
Double whammy for Cambridge as HRNZ scrubs both feature races on Saturday night
By Barry Lichter • 4 January 2023
Cambridge has lost both its feature races on Saturday night after a decision by Harness Racing New Zealand that club CEO David Branch has called incredibly frustrating.
The Waikato-Bay Of Plenty Club was told this morning it could not run either the $25,000 Cliff Thomas Memorial or $25,000 Charlie Hunter Free-for-all because both races have too few nominations.
The pacing feature had drawn the likes of Copy That, Old Town Road and Alta Wiseguy but when nominations were extended until this morning Arna Donnelly withdrew her pair Kango and Taipo, leaving only four starters.
Only five horses entered the trotting feature, but they included last week’s Greenlane Cup winner Resolve and Phil Williamson’s southern pair Majestic Man and Love N The Port.
David Branch … “gutted.”Branch described the stripping of its two drawcard races as “gutting”.
“It’s incredibly frustrating to put it nicely and Harness Racing New Zealand needs to find a solution to this problem.
“I argued that a precedent had been set last week at Auckland when they ran the Franklin Cup with only four horses but was told that was because it was a Group race.
“I accept they weren’t going to be great betting races but we had great drawcards in Copy That, Old Town Road and Majestic Man and now we’ve lost that marketing opportunity.”
Branch said in a discussion with HRNZ handicapper Andrew Morris he suggested dropping the stakes for the two races to $15,000, a compromise he would have run past trainers of the affected horses.
“But that was shut down straight away. He said it would create a precedent.”
Branch said he anticipated trainers would have accepted the reduced stake for the trot especially, with the need for a lead-up run before the $30,000 Cambridge Flying Stakes on January 12.
Trainers like Williamson, who had brought his horses north from Oamaru for the feature races would be particularly affected by the lost opportunity.
“We’ve got no control over this, we get told what to do, but it will all backfire on us.”
Branch said he’d been unable to reach HRNZ chairman John Coulam to protest the decision and he believed CEO Gary Woodham was also on holiday.
While last week’s Lincoln Farms’ sponsored Franklin Cup would have been a loss for the industry with a stake of $50,000 and reduced betting it still proved a great showcase, and a long-term promotional tool with a big crowd and one of the most exciting finishes of the year when Copy That was nailed in the last stride by Alta Wiseguy after an engrossing mid-race chase from his back mark.
* Under HRNZ’s bulk funding scheme, the code’s governing body funds the industry’s stake money and it has ruled that fields under six generate too little income through betting.
More news in Harness
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No way to sugar coat it - it’s tricky to predict what Sugar Ray will do on Friday night
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Major Achievement
5.19pm
“It’s his first race for a while and he hasn’t been setting the world on fire at the workouts. But he’s been racing better animals and this isn’t a stellar bunch. He’s a chance if things go his way. I’ve given Mathew Salaivao the drive.”
Race 1: Commander Lincoln
5.19pm
“He’s an average horse but the last time he raced here in amateur company he all but won. He’ll need luck from the second row but, while I couldn’t label him, he’s a runner’s chance.”
Race 5: Onyx Shard
6.59pm
“She got a bit sick for a while with a virus and I had to back off her. She seems over that now but I’m picking she’ll need a race. This will be like a glorified trial for her.”
Race 8: My Copy
8.14pm
“He came to the end of it so I gave him a little freshen-up and he seems in good shape again. It will be interesting to see how he goes fresh - he may need a race but he’ll appreciate the step-down in class. I’m running him here so he doesn’t come up against any bear cats first-up.”
Race 9: Lincoln Cove
8.47pm
“Hopefully he’s getting better but you’ve just got to take him on trust. He has ability but the desire has been sadly lacking. Zac will have to sit quietly on him as he broke when given only one tap with the stick last time. The small field will suit him as he won’t be too far off them. If he doesn’t make any mistakes, he’ll give them a fright.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Leo Lincoln
6.43pm
“Maurice said he would have finished a lot closer last time than sixth (fourth or even third) had he not locked wheels at the 100. That took all his momentum away. He’s been holding his form well and he gets out well enough to use the inside draw. He’s a chance to get some of the money.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.39pm
“He did have marks on his boot after his last run and trying a spreader on him has helped. But he’s a real baby. He has real ability but he’s still developing mentally and physically and we’re still finding our way with him.”
Race 5: Lincoln Lou
7.39pm
“He’s racing well but he’ll find it tough from the outside draw.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.07pm
“I can’t see her improving enough to give the Purdon/Phelan trio a fright. She can go (fast) enough but still has a lot to learn. The main thing for her is getting round safely. She’s put two in a row now so hopefully she’ll start improving.”
Race 10: Lincoln La Moose
9.59pm
“He had an excuse last time - he got wiped out on the first corner and that was the end of his race. I like him, he’s a nice horse, just not quite as experienced as Frisco Bay.”
Race 10: Frisco Bay
9.59pm
“I lean towards Frisky as the better chance of our two. You can’t fault what he did the other night at Cambridge, and he seems to be on the improve. He’s more reliable than Lincoln La Moose.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 6: Captain Nemo
9.40pm NZ time
“I rate him a good top three chance. I’m really happy with the horse. It’s a decent drop in grade for him and I think maybe we roll the dice, go forward, and take our chances. As long as he doesn’t have to burn stupidly off the gate, if he can find the top, they’ll know he’s in the race.”
