The penultimate heat of the Silk Road Northern Spring Series for the Fillies and Mares will be held at Alexandra Park on Friday night.
So far there have been three heats, with the first two in each automatically qualifying for the $30,000 Final on Friday, October 18. Those six are Wicked Wanda, Mhai Surfer Girl, Courtney Rose, Always B Stunning , You Little Beauty and Cyren Shard.
The series, in its first year, is all about encouraging and rewarding intermediate grade (up to R54) fillies and mares to race at Alexandra Park as part of the Look North strategy to revitalise racing in and around Auckland.
The heats so far :
Heat 1, September 13 – You Little Beauty, Cyren Shard, Kourtney Kardash
Heat 2, September 21 – Courtney Rose, Akatea, Always B Stunning
Heat 3, September 27 – Wicked Wanda, Mhai Surfer Girl, Minjee
Following the fourth heat this Friday, the final heat will be held on October 11, ahead of the final the following week.
Comprising 12 horses, the final will be penalty free for any horse winning both a heat and the final.
The meeting on October 18 will not only see the $30,000 final of the Silk Road Northern Spring Series for the Fillies and Mares but also the start of the next Northern Metro Series for the Pacers and Trotters.
There will be two $16,000 heats for both gaits on that night, before two $35,000 finals on October 25.
All horses racing in both series will be eligible for the new $1m Golden Gait series. The series on December 20 features 10 races, each worth $100,000 – with five pacing and five trotting races, all over a mile. Three-year-old and older horses have to have raced at least six times at Alexandra Park in the qualifying period (January 1 – December 6) while 2YO horses most have a minimum of four starts.
To see the fields click here