Big race meeting confirmed for Wyndham
‘‘Greater stakes benefits owners, trainers and drivers . . . It’s a win-win for everybody.’’ Darryl Hewitson Wairio Trotting Club president
A $30,000 group III race that was in jeopardy in Southland is now back on track to be run on March 31.
An upcoming race day has been moved from Winton to Wyndham, enabling the New Zealand Kindergarten Stakes to be held in eastern Southland.
The race was in jeopardy of not being held this season when the Wyndham Harness Racing Club was only allocated one race day licence for 2020-21.
Club president Russell Ferguson is delighted Harness Racing New Zealand, the TAB and Sires’ Stakes Board approved the March 31 licence being transferred from the Wairio Trotting Club, which races at Winton, to Wyndham.
‘‘We’re really grateful to the Wairio club,’’ Ferguson said.
‘‘Some winners of the Kindergarten have gone on to be great horses.’’
The Kindergarten was an iconic race and for it not to be held this season would have been sad, Wairio club president Darryl Hewitson said.
The March 31 race day was one of two extra meetings the Wairio club was given this season. It was likely that lower-grade stakes would have been on offer that day, but now with Wyndham taking over the date and using it as its Kindergarten and Wyndham Cup meeting, higher stakes would be carded, Hewitson said.
‘‘Greater stakes benefits owners, trainers and drivers . . . It’s a win-win for everybody.’’
Ryal Bush trainer Brett Gray said the Kindergarten was a race he had wanted to win for a while.
‘‘I’ve had a few placings in it . . . It’s got a lot of history.’’
Gray hopes a 2-year-old colt in this team, You’re So Fine, will progress in the next two months to gain a start in the Kindergarten.