Harness Racing Waikato heralds new look

A new name may be appearing on the harness racing landscape tonight but that isn't the important change being planned for the Cambridge track.

After decades as the Cambridge Trotting Club and then Cambridge-Te Awamutu, the club overseeing harness racing in Cambridge is now known as Harness Racing Waikato.

They hold their first meeting under that banner tonight but it is the guarantee of two far bigger meetings over the next three years which is providing the club with some confidence.

Harness Racing New Zealand has confirmed Cambridge as the venue for the Jewels next year and in 2016, which was never greatly in doubt given the desire for the Jewels to have a North Island-South Island balance.

HRW boss Kerry Wells says the newly named club is looking at how to best host the Jewels and, for that matter, its mainly industry-based meetings.

"The most important likely development for us is a new stabling area," says Wells.

"Knowing we have the Jewels on rotation for the next four years gives us that assuredness and I think that will help bring a new stabling block closer."

The development would seem a must as there are few less hospitable places in New Zealand racing than the Cambridge stabling area on a cold winter night.

Officials are interested in building a covered stabling area, similar to the ones now common at major Victorian tracks, without quite going to the expense of Alexandra Park's award-winning facility. "Something open plan but obviously covered is being mooted," said Wells.

While tonight's meeting will quickly fade from the memory of most punters, it will be the first step in a season-long battle for $10,000 in prizes.

The club has introduced two new awards of $5000 each for the most consistent horse over the entire season and for that horse's trainer, although that comes with a twist.

"The $5000 trainer's prize goes to the trainer of the horse on the last night of the season, which if it is a claimer could change quite a few times during the season," said Wells.

The points system for the award is also based on barrier draws or handicaps horses started from, so will have connections brushing up on the maths come next winter with the unusual situation where some will be hoping for poor draws for their horses so they can secure more points if they win.

The club will also continue its popular wins bonus, which means every second win at Cambridge secures a horse a $1000 bonus on top of the stake, with $1500 for every second win after that.