By MICHAEL GUERIN
The man trying to save the Cambridge harness meeting on Thursday night says the shortage of horses is no reason to panic.
Dwindling horse numbers have been a key concern for northern harness racing bosses in recent years, but Cambridge secretary Kerry Wells says that is not the reason the meeting is under threat.
"Sure we could always do with more owners and therefore more horses in the industry, but I think the problem with this week's meeting is just seasonal," said Wells.
The Cambridge club has held open nominations for Thursday's meeting to 9 am today after nominations yesterday were barely enough for seven races.
"I would say we are 50-50 to hold a meeting on Thursday night," said Wells.
"I think with a bit of working around the horses we have we could get enough for eight races, which will be enough for the meeting to proceed."
The problem has arisen with Cambridge racing on Thursday and Alexandra Park on Friday, which is not unusual.
But at this time of year, with many horses spelling and the occasional lucky trainer able to take a holiday the pool of available horses has dried up.
"It is just one of those things. Two weeks ago when we had back- to-back meetings with Alexandra Park, we received 260 nominations between the two meetings.
"All I really need is to pick up another six or eight horses and we will be able to card a meeting.
"I know of 10 or 12 horses who are just a week away from being ready to race again but their trainers said it was too soon while a couple of hobby trainers with a horse or two take an opportunity at this time of year to have break themselves.
"Just a few numbers like that can make the difference."
Alexandra Park officials have held open nominations for their meeting on Friday night until noon today even though they already have enough horses for 10 races.
"Obviously we want to help Cambridge as much as we can but we also have to be available to trainers should Cambridge decide not to race," said ATC racing boss Robert Death.
While any meeting being under threat of abandonment is unfortunate, this week is especially bad timing as Cambridge was to host the first two legs of the New Zealand junior driving championships, with the final two legs on Friday.
"We are really committed to holding those two junior driver's races because they deserve our support," said Wells.
"Some of these youngsters are coming a long way and may never get another chance to drive at Cambridge or Alexandra Park."
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While the Auckland and Cambridge clubs are firmly behind the junior drivers championships some northern trainers don't seem as keen.
Nominations for the heats have been light, as is the norm with junior drivers' races.
"I can't understand what trainers are thinking, being reluctant to start a horse in one of these races," said Death. "These races are for class one horses, carry $8000 stakes and are penalty-free."
Not only should that make the races appeal to trainers and owners but this year's championships contain one of the strongest fields assembled, with more than half the junior drivers involved talented enough to regularly secure drives in open races.
They may be juniors but between them this year's finalists have driven in the New Zealand and Auckland Cups, Interdominion Trotting Final, New Zealand Derby, Rowe Cup and Dominion Handicap.
With that experience they should be skilled enough to handle a class one race at Cambridge.
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One race which won't be going ahead at Alexandra Park regardless of what happens about Cambridge is the tighter class pace.
The ATC carded a class three and faster mobile and got nine nominations but the race fell apart when trainers realised it meant taking on Agua Caliente.
"That was pretty much the end of that," said Death.
The dropping of the race continues a frustrating time for the connections of the winter star.
He showed his customary blistering speed to win at the Alexandra Park workouts last Saturday but is a fit horse with nowhere to race.
A long-awaited Australian campaign was investigated by his connections but they could not get a direct flight to Brisbane for the winter carnival and have canned the idea.
Agua Caliente is now likely to stay in the north until New Zealand Cup time.
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It is undoubtedly the best $180 investment of somebody's life.
That was all it cost for an Auckland punter to take home over $125,000 from last Friday night's Pick Six at Alexandra Park.
The pool had jackpotted from the previous week and the successful punter placed the $180 bet on a phone account on Friday night.
Only one unit remained going into the last leg, on debutante Clutch Cargo, but a perfect Richard Brosnan drive got the favourite home for a first division return of $124,897.45.
Racing: Cambridge short on entries as winter starts to bite
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