Tweaks to Auckland and Waikato autumn open class programme

More than $2.5m in stakes will be on offer during a revised programme in the north this autumn.

The dates for Group and Listed races at Cambridge and Alexandra Park from March through to May have just been finalised.

"The programme has had a re-jig rather than an overhaul and we are delighted with the way things have panned out," says Auckland Trotting Club Racing Director Karen Blanchard.

"There's good continuity week in and week out and there's identical race conditions for both the pacers and the trotters."

The $60,000 Group 2 Lyell Creek Stakes at Alexandra Park goes from its originally scheduled date of April 24 to March 20 to allow the trotters a better lead-in to Cambridge's Flying Pacers and Trotters Mile night on April 2. The change also avoids congestion following Cambridge's Night of Champions on April 10.

On March 13 Alexandra Park will host the Group 3 Founders Cup (Pacers) and the Group 3 Greenlane Cup (Trotters). Both will be mobiles over 1700 metres. This ensures that only mobiles will be run leading into Flying Mile night.

Another change is to the three Group 1s - the Taylor Mile, the Roy Purdon and the Messenger, which have been re-ordered to improve their positioning.

The Taylor Mile (April 24), the Roy Purdon (May 1) and Messenger (May 8) will be mobiles held over 1609m, 2200m and 2700m in consecutive weeks.

"The Roy Purdon was a stand previously, but under the revised programme reverts to a mobile. The fact there are now all mobiles and over those distances gives the races a good flow," says Blanchard.

Previously the Messenger was held a week before the Roy Purdon.

The Messenger and the $200,000 Rowe Cup will now be held at Alexandra Park on May 8.

Going back a week is the $100,000 ANZAC Cup - from May 1 to April 24 - the same night as the Taylor Mile and a fortnight before the $200,000 Rowe Cup.

Cambridge's biggest meeting, the Night of Champions will again host the $1m The Race by betcha and the $650,000 TAB Trot on Friday, April 10.

To see the Auckland/Waikato autumn open class programme click here

This Friday also sees the official start of the Golden Gait series at Alexandra Park.

Qualifying will continue through to November with the $50,000 finals set down for December.

2026 will be the third installment of the Golden Gait.

Friday night's meeting will also host the opening Young Guns Heat for the two-year-old colts and geldings, and the latest Heats in the Metro series.