Addington racing officials are having another crack at attracting southern horses to the country's premier track.
Following on from the South Of The Waitaki race on Show Day at Addington in November, the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Cup plans to run the Winter Warmer series - four heats and a final during July for c0-c1 pacers aged 3 or older.
The club's first attempt at a race for horses trained south of the Waitaki River in November looked like a success as it attracted 32 nominations for a $20,000 2600m mobile pace.
But by the time the fields were finalised, only 12 runners accepted for the race before two scratchings brought the field down to 10.
That prompted Tony Barron, trainer of the winner Phoenix Warrior, to question the decisions of trainers in the South.
''It's a great concept but I was absolutely gutted with the response,'' Barron said at the time.
''I hope we don't hear any whinging about Southlanders either racing Cran [Dalgety] or Mark [Purdon]. For $20,000 it's a great concept.''
This time around, Addington will host four $8000 heats - July 3, July 10, July 16 and July 24 - before a $12,000 final on July 31.
Horses must compete or have been balloted out in at least two heats to be eligible for the final, which will be run over 2600m.
The four heats will be run over 1950m, 2000m, 2600m and 1950m respectively.
The 2000m heat on July 10 will be the only standing start, with c1 horses starting off 10m, while the mobile races will all use the preferential barrier draw system to even out the difference in class between c0 and c1 pacers.
Any horse that wins two heats will be ineligible for any remaining heats.
The first three placegetters in each heat will gain automatic entry into the July 31 final.
At least three heats of the series must be run for the final to be held.
In order for a horse to be eligible, it must have been registered from April 10 onwards with a trainer based south of the Waitaki River.
