An important date is looming for breeders and owners with yearlings eligible for the next Sires’ Stakes Series.
December 1 is the final day for two-year-old sustaining payments for Series 40.
The series, with over $500,000 in stakes for the heats and three finals, comes at a time when there are unprecedented racing opportunities for juvenile horses.
After Harness Racing New Zealand’s change to the horses’ birthdate, and the restructuring of the racing calendar, the 2022 season is set to break a decade-long record for the most number of starts, and starters, by two-year-olds in a calendar year.
The juvenile race programme used to be a condensed four-month window in February through to late May.
Now there’s a greater emphasis on the back half of the season. This is better for the welfare of horses and has resulted in increased participation, particularly in the heats of our 2YO pacing males and trotters. The fillies’ section has been down on what we would usually expect and that could be attributed in part to exceptional talents like the unbeaten Millwood Nike.
“She is a once in a generation horse and she may have scared a few others off,” says NZ Sires’ Stakes Executive Martin Pierson.
Sires’ Stakes Series 39 has just seen two wonderful Group One Finals at Addington Raceway over Cup & Show Week with the Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes Two-Year-Old Colt & Geldings Final on Cup Day and the Dunstan Horsefeeds Sires’ Stakes Two-Year-Old Fillies Final three days later on Show day.
The final race in the Series, the Lone Star Sires’ Stakes Two-Year-Old Trotting Championship is set to run at Addington on Friday, November 25 2022.
The NZ Sires’ Stakes Board will undertake a full review of each Series so the dates & format for 2023 are “tentative” only, but in all likelihood the Finals for Series 40 will be run on a similar basis to this year.
“The Board is also looking to develop more races in 2023 at a level below the elite and this should only further encourage participants to sustain their progeny for future success,” says Pierson, “with over a half a million up for grabs it’s time to get involved.”
Remittances have been emailed/mailed but if you have not received one you are expecting, or for any further information, please contact
Martin Pierson
NZ Sires’ Stakes Executive
HRNZ Building, Level One, 17 Birmingham Drive, Christchurch 8024
PO Box 9289, Tower Junction, Christchurch 8149
TELEPHONE 03 964 1186 MOBILE 027 4711 081
Email: martin@nzsiresstakes.co.nz Website: www.nzsiresstakes.co.nz
