Following consultation with Harness Industry Forum members and the Office of Racing Integrity, Tasracing has approved changes to the conditions for trials at Sunday race meetings.
A summary of the changes is:
- All horses are eligible to trial at Sunday twilight race meetings.
- A maximum of two mobile start trials will be scheduled. Depending on the mixture of acceptors, one trial maybe for unraced horses and the other for horses that have raced.
- The trials will be scheduled 50 minutes and 30 minutes before the first race.
- Field maximums will be eight at Devonport and nine at Hobart and Launceston.
The amended conditions are:
CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE CONDUCT OF A QUALIFYING TRIAL ON RACE DAYS
- A maximum of two mobile start qualifying trials may be scheduled at Sunday race meetings at Hobart, Launceston or Devonport.
- The maximum number of starters in the trials will be nine at Hobart and Launceston and eight at Devonport.
- The trials will be cancelled if race day stalls are not available (after racehorse allocations have been completed).
- Preference in field selection for the trials will be:
- Unqualified 2YO’s, followed by unqualified 3YO’s and, finally, unqualified C0 horses.
- Horses that need to requalify after an unsatisfactory performance or being relegated to ODM or RODM status. First preference to 2YO’s, then 3YO’s, then C0 horses, then C1 horses, then C2 horses etc.
- Horses that have qualified to race. First preference to 2YO’s, then 3YO’s, then C0 horses, then C1 horses, then C2 horses etc.
- Horses that trial at a Sunday race meeting will not be permitted to trial the day before (Saturday) or the day after (Monday).
- The trials will be scheduled 50 minutes and 30 minutes before the first race.
- Horses must be at the trial venue no later than 30 minutes before the start time for the trial.
- Horse must be on the track ten minutes before the start time for the trial.
- In the event of wet weather, the trials may be cancelled.
- Officials required for the trials are two track staff, mobile driver, starter, steward, ambulance or equivalent medical services, race caller, side on video camera, judge, timekeeper and two clerks of the course.
- Acceptances for the trials at Sunday race meetings will close at noon on Thursdays. No extensions will be applicable.
- A minimum of three acceptors are required for the trials to proceed.
- The trial fee will be $15 payable to the race club prior to trialling.
The new conditions for trials at race meetings commence at Hobart on 8 January 2017. Trials will also be scheduled at the Launceston meeting on Friday night 13 January. Trials will not be scheduled at Burnie on Sunday twilight 15 January.
Kevin Neilson
Code Development Manager Harness
62 129 316 or 0418 309 538 or k.neilson@tasracing.com.au