The eagerly anticipated $90,000 Hydroflow NZ Country Championship Final is just over a week away, and it’s now known who is eligible and who is not.
A capacity field of 16 will start in the Listed race at Addington on Friday May 12 after a qualifying series that featured 41 races, starting way back with the Kurow Cup last August. The final race was the Waimakariri Businesses Rangiora Winter Cup on Sunday.
Points are accrued throughout the series but to eligible horses must have had a minimum of three qualifying starts.
The final will be being held over 3200m, for the R50 – R120 pacers (Front: R50 to R69. 10m: R70 to R79. 20m: R80 to R89. 30m: R90 to R99. 40m: R100 to R120).
This is just the second running of the Country Championship Final, after The Falcon won the inaugural event last year.
The field for this month’s final is expected to be confirmed next Tuesday afternoon (May 9).
The top qualifier is the Greg and Nina Hope-trained Homebush Lad. He has 46 points after a campaign that’s included three wins since November.
He’s followed by the Robert and Jenna Dunn-trained Sam’s Town, who’s got 38 points on the back of three consecutive victories in the Marlborough, Amberley and Ashburton Cups.
Among those not eligible for the Cup is Rangiora Winter Cup winner Here’s Herbie because he hasn’t had sufficient starts.
To see the list of who tops the points table click here
