RATTO
Despite the rather unappealing title, the recently announced incentive for intermediate and lower grade horses is something many in the Industry (including yours truly) have been crying out for.
The scheme, which culminates in $30,000 races on Easter Saturday night, has been set to offer some incentive to the unsung horses that line up week after week, and provide some of the fields that attract the million-dollar turnovers and big first four jackpots.
Not only that, but HRNZ deserve credit for the way that the races are be selected. Instead of the stock standard ‘selected on ratings highest to lowest’ which can see the lowest rated ones either outclassed or on the ballot, they are picking three fields of horses (in the case of the pacers and two for the trotters), that have lined up at least three times this year, based on their performances in that time. In other words, even if you have been racing in the lower rated races, the placings achieved in those events could well earn you a chance of racing for a mouth-watering stake for possibly the only time in the lifetime of those horses.
It is certainly something different, and a well overdue move to cater for those who are never going to reach the dizzy heights of even the Country Cups, and there are plenty of them! There should be a lot of interest prior to the race-day in who can even make the fields, and what rating bands are involved. Along with the Country Cup championship Final that night, it should make for an entertaining and competitive race meeting.
Pete Cook