Sunday twilight to kick off at Manawatu

The first of Manawatu's new look Sunday meetings will be held this weekend.

Three twilight Sunday meetings have been scheduled between now and the end of their season in May. They are on February 23, March 30 and April 6.

Each of the Sunday meetings is teamed up with a Tuesday meeting two days later, while the club has a series of Tuesday-Thursday meetings as well.

"We have had successful Sunday afternoon meetings before. They are good family days," says Manawatu Harness Racing Club President Dan Lynch, "and these meetings are going to have a later start time so in some ways it is an experiment."

"We are doing some radio ads and promoting the meeting on social media to increase local awareness," says Lynch.

Harness Racing New Zealand and Entain were behind the new initiative, as it aims to increase wagering opportunities on traditionally one of its biggest days of the week.  All the Manawatu Sunday meetings will follow other domestic harness meeting earlier in the day.

Lynch is confident trainers will support the new meetings.

"There has been some good feedback from trainers because Monday is usually a quiet day as opposed to having a Thursday meeting and then drivers and trainers having to get ready for Cambridge or Auckland the next day."

"It's great too that a trainer like Michael House has a permanent team of around 12 based up here these days because of the regular racing."

The Sunday meetings will normally start around 4-5pm with around eight races a meeting. This Sunday stakes will range from $10,000 to $13,500, with Thursday stakes going up to $15,000.

"In some ways we are walking into the unknown but hopeful it will be successful."