Rejig for 2YO features

Two key races for the two-year-old trotters during Cup week have been re-shuffled.

It's been decided after consultation between Harness Racing New Zealand, the Sires' Stakes Board, Addington Raceway, the Ashburton Trotting Club , key sponsors and other parties that the Lone Star Sires' Stakes 2YO Trotters Championship (Grp 2) will move from Show Day (November 11) to November 25, and the 2YO Trotting Paremata Spa and Pool Fillies Classique will now be held at Ashburton on Thursday, November 10. That was originally scheduled for November 25.

The change means the top fillies will now race first and be able to back up from Ashburton to take on the colts in the Trotters Championship at Addington a fortnight later.

It also means that Show Day can accommodate another rating, rather than an age group, race.

"The change has come about to make sure Show Day (Nov 11) is the best day it can be," says Addington Raceway's Racing Industry Manager Darrin Williams, "we want the proper mix of age group features and racing for the intermediate horses as well.

"We believe 12 races is the optimum for Show Day and I think we have the right balance."

In significant changes to the North Island 2YO trot schedule, the Northern Juvenile Trotting Stakes will be run on September 15 at Alexandra Park as a precursor to the southern classics. It was originally scheduled for May. While the Cambridge 2YO Trotting Stakes will push out from its 13 October date to 28 October.