And that is the whole point if you ask Otago Racing Club chairman Murray Acklin — no-one knows who is going to win.
You might say that about any race, and unlucky punters will be rolling their eyes right now. But what has made the ODT Southern Mile series so successful, Acklin argues, is the level of the horses competing was capped at either a 75 rating or a 65 rating for the 10 heats.
The rating for the final has been lifted to 82, but essentially you have very evenly matched horses competing for the $100,000 stake.
That kind of uncertainty turns out to be a recipe for success.
The series has shown impressive growth in its second year.
The average size of the field has grown from 12.9 to 14.2 — nearly 40% larger than the national average.
The stake money was up from $30,000 to $40,000 for eight of the 10 heats and from $17,000 to $25,000 for the other two heats.
The prize money for the final has increased from $60,000 to $100,000, which is a decent pot and another indication the series is performing well.
And more money is being wagered — up to 40% more.
"Owners and trainers are realising it is a series worth competing in and I can only see it getting bigger, better and brighter," Acklin said.
Restricting the series to horses who, well, possess a more modest level of ability has been a master stroke.
"Normally, high-stake races reward the better performed horses, but most owners aren’t privileged enough to have them.
"So this is rewarding owners, trainers and jockeys with stakes at a much higher level than would normally be competed for at that grade."
Understandably, the series is popular with trainers and jockeys, who get a share of the winnings.
And because there is not always a clear favourite in large fields, the odds offered to punters are more enticing.
Acklin also wanted to acknowledged the input the Otago Daily Times has had in promoting the series.
"One of the biggest problems we face in racing is a lack of public awareness through mainstream media," he said.
"The ODT has supported the Southern Mile from its inception ... and that is part of the reason why the series is so successful."
Of the 16 finalists, Ears Back and Sokanon are popular with the punters and Acklin likes the look of the Mayor of Norwood, which is trained locally, and he nominated Larpower as his roughie.
But he probably will not have any more luck than anyone else at picking a winner.
