21 races confirmed for Addington

Harness racing is set to resume with a bang at Addington Raceway this week with nine races on Thursday, followed by 12 more on Friday.

The scheduling of the two meetings back-to-back was prompted by huge numbers of horses ready to race. Initially the first meeting post the COVID-19 enforced break was to be Friday at Addington but then a second meeting was added.

“It hasn’t been straight forward,” says Harness Racing New Zealand handicapper Andrew Morris, “we are mindful of having two worthwhile meetings but at the same time Friday is the feature meeting.”

Racing will start at noon on Thursday with the last race set down for 3.56 pm while Friday’s 12-race programme gets underway at 4.34 and will finish five hours later.

“We are very happy with the quality across the board,” said Morris, who says the signs are good for strong fields in the foreseeable future, “we have many more horses coming on at the trials.”

“This is a promising start.”

Harness racing’s last meeting in this country was at Wingatui in Otago on March 23.