We’re in the slot

The first slots race seen in harness racing in Australasia will put the focus on Waipā next Thursday.

The major race on next week’s card at Cambridge Raceway carries a record purse and features a field of pure class, including four Australian entrants.

Cambridge raceway manager Dave Branch is overseeing the richest harness race the country has seen. Photo: Supplied

Setting up the $900,000 invite-only race – The Race by Grins – involved the Waikato Bay of Plenty Harness Racing Club selling “slots” into the race for $75,000 for a three year term. Similar slot races have garnered huge followings in gallops and greyhound racing in Australia.

Cambridge Raceway chief Dave Branch, who has spearheaded the project, has done everything he can do for the event – the Government announcement this week that the country remains in red  means the gate takings will be limited. He just wants April 14 to be a fine day.

“We are hoping there will be 1500 general admission sales and we will have a good atmosphere. In other circumstance we would have been hoping for a crowd of 5000,” he said.

General admission tickets cost $25 and come with complimentary extras. Gates to the eight race card will open at 5pm and the big race starts at 8.55pm.

Branch is delighted with the quality of the field – probably the finest to have lined up at the raceway, and is confident the best show in Waipā next week will draw strong support from throughout the district.

The barrier draw will be made on Saturday. The full field is Krug, Stylish Memphis (Australia), Mach Dan (Aus), Pembrook Playboy,  Majestic Cruiser (Aus), Hot And Treacherous, Spankem, South Coast Arden, Self Assured and  Alta Orlando (Aus

 

For updates on the field go to therace.nz

More Recent Sports

Records tumble in powerlifting

Seventy New Zealand records and 18 world records were broken at Te Awamutu’s ASB Stadium during the Global Powerlifting Committee national championships. The August event attracted 85 competitors. Trainstation gym coach, event organiser and GPC…

Sharing the Aims spirit

Two teams from different countries have been working hard on and off the court to prepare for this year’s AIMS Games tournament. Waikato’s Cambridge Middle School (The Mighty Blues) and St Anne’s Primary School (Suva)…

Reds pipped at the post

Cambridge’s first season in the Northern League football championship finished in bitter sweet fashion on Saturday. The men were set a challenging target of beating Wanderers in Hamilton while hoping results elsewhere went their way…

Eti does the heavy lifting

To say hard work led 19-year-old heavy machinery operator Dylan Eti to his Waikato provincial rugby début would be an understatement. Dylan lives in Hamilton and works for Cambridge-based C & R Developments at the…