Ashburton to host "Harness 5000" in December

20 June 2025 , News

A $720,000 race day has been announced for Ashburton Raceway this December.

A total of 12 finals will be held but they will be only open to trotters and pacers whose sire stood for an advertised retail service fee of $5,000 or less in the breeding season of conception.

The "Harness 5000" finals will be for 3YO, 4YO and 5YO and older Fillies and Mares and Colts, Geldings and Entires for both gaits.

Each final will carry a stake of $60,000 and will be limited to a field size of 14 runners.

"This is a concept we are very excited about," says HRNZ's Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden, "it's a real 'grassroots' series."

If the format sounds familiar it is.

"It certainly has a Harness Jewels feel about it," says Peden, "we have taken notice of the things that worked there but adapted it significantly."

"We believe this is the perfect showcase to encourage and reward breeders and owners who have supported these stallions, while ensuring there is now a clear and meaningful pathway for stallions across the entire spectrum of service fees."

Ashburton hosted the first of the Harness Jewels meetings in 2007. It featured nine races for the 2YO,3YO and 4YOs (Pacing Fillies and Mares and Colts and Geldings, and Trotters). The last of the series was in 2021.

Like the Harness Jewels, qualifying for the Harness 5000 Finals will be done solely on stake money won, with the top 14 in each category making the Finals Day on December 21.

For this year the qualifying period will be between July 3 and December 9, 2025. To be eligible, horses must compete in at least 5 race day starts within this period.

With a commitment from Harness Racing New Zealand to run this series for at least the next 5 years, the qualifying period in 2026 will be between January 1 and November 29.

"We really think this is going to be a popular addition to the calendar, with not only stimulus within the breeding industry, but also an opportunity for an increase in domestic trading of horses" says Peden.

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