Trainers rewarded at Autumn races

Horse trainer Stephen Ralph, pictured with Polyatomic, took the prize for top trainer over two Autumn Tauranga race meetings. PHOTO/ANDREW WARNER.

Tensions were high in the final race of the Autumn Carnival Raceday on Saturday as trainers came head to head for a share of a $6000 bonus prize.

Tauranga trainer Jim Pender said the cash bonus was a good incentive to run more horses, and had entered seven into Saturday's competition.

He said for a trainer, taking home the winning cheque of $3500 was about the equivilent of winning a $50,000 race.

"It's certainly nothing to be sneezed at," he said.

Mr Pender was a top contender for the winning prize, sitting two points behind Pukekohe trainer Stephen Ralph who led on 23 before the final run.

Despite a fifth placing with Polyatomic in race eight, Mr Ralph held his lead, taking home the top prize and leaving Mr Pender in second place with the $1500.

Mr Ralph said the wet weather had suited his horses.

He had been training them since early January and said he had waited for the Autumn competitions because they raced better on wet tracks.

Racing Tauranga put on the cash competition to try and attract more entries to the the Bayleys International Japan New Zealand Raceday on March 22, and Saturday's Carnival, with the winner judged over both weekends.

President of Racing Tauranga Roger Hills said Autumn was a tough time to get entries.
"At this time of year it is always a struggle for horse numbers with the change from summer and winter horses racing."

Despite the attraction of the cash prize, there were also a lot of scratched entries due to the severe weather leading up to the weekend.

TRAC general manager Jen Evans said the trainer competition was a highlight, coming down to the last race as the decider.

"This competition really made the day. It added a lot of excitement," she said.