Change to Final qualifying for Seddon Shields series

HRNZ has approved a requested alteration to the Bob Rochford Memorial Seddon District Trotters Series.

Originally it was decided that trotters would only qualify for the $30,000 Final at Addington if they had competed in four of the 10 qualifying races.

The heats started at Kaikoura last November and have continued on through the top half of the South Island over the summer. There are just two heats left, at Westport and Reefton on March 7 and 9.

Now HRNZ has agreed to a change to the qualifying criteria.

Now, trotters will be eligible for the final as long as they have started a minimum of four times across the 10 Seddon Shields Districts race meetings from 4 November 4 to March 9, and that they have started in at least one of the designated qualifying races.

"This amendment will allow trotters that graduated from lower rating levels throughout the series and competed in fewer than four qualifying races to also be eligible to contest the Final on 21 March," says HRNZ Handicapper Andrew Morris.

"We have done this to ensure a viable final with an optimum field size, it's the best outcome overall."

The final will have a capacity field of 16.

Under the new criteria five trotters have now automatically qualified for the final. They are Masterly, Premium Player, Knowing Me, Regal Sierra and Helloveamoment.

Six others - Nellie Doyle, Judy J, Special Effects, Here Comes Jane, What The Bell and Sod's Law - are also eligible for the final, under the new criteria.

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