High Step trots straight into $30,000 Seddon Shields Final

The Bob Butt trained and driven High Step has sealed her place in the $30,000 Seddon Shields Trotting Championship Series Final at Addington Raceway in March next year.

The Father Patrick three-year-old qualified for the final after winning the opening heat of the Bob Rochford series, the Lobster Inn/Kaikoura Night 'n Day Handicap Trot, at Kaikoura on Monday.

She was three back the fence mid race before getting into the running line and then peeling three wide around the home turn. She charged to the line to win by a neck from the fast finishing Tu Tangata.

Tu Tangata got five Championship points for second, Masterly three points for third, Helloveamoment two points for fourth and Maui was awarded one point  for finishing fifth.

Targetting R51-70 trotters, the series around the top half of the South Island is named after Bob Rochford, who died suddenly at Westport in March this year. Bob was a well-known harness racing stalwart, a former Kaikoura Trotting Club President and Life Member.

It's the second year that the Trotting series is being run after Boyz Invasion was victorious in the inaugural series.

There will be 10 heats in all, worth between $15,000 and $20,000. The top points scorers at the end of the heats will be eligible for the $30,000 Final at Addington on March 21.  

The series now heads to Westport for their tradition Christmas meetings.

The complete schedule is :

December 26 and 28 - Westport - $15,000 & $20,000
December 30 - Reefton - $20,000
January 10 and 12 - Nelson - $15,000 and $20,000
January 17 and 19 - Marlborough - $15,000 and $20,000
March 7 - Westport - $17,500
March 9 - Reefton - $17,500

The $30,000 final : March 21 – Addington

For more information contact Erin Fox -  erinkfox24@gmail.com or Seddon Shields Chair Johnny Reedy - jrreedyjnr@gmail.com