Racing: Fields likely to be redrawn in Cambridge as Auckland horses stuck

Classy mare Woodcote Lass should win at Waverley. Photo / Race Images

The connections of almost half the horses entered for tomorrow's rescheduled Cambridge harness meeting will find out at noon today whether they are allowed to start.

But if you were a punter it seems long odds on they won't be.

The meeting was initially programmed for Cambridge last night but with horses and staff from the Auckland region, most importantly including Pukekohe, restricted from travelling south, the meeting was moved to a noon start tomorrow.

HRNZ will wait until noon today to make a call on whether to press on with the meeting as is or to run it with a new set of fields redrawn with Auckland horses removed.

"We are waiting as long as possible to see if there are any changes but we need to make a decision by noon Friday," says HRNZ's Darrin Williams.

"After that it becomes too hard to get fields in the paper, for bookies to frame markets and an earlier decision gives trainers clarity.

"But unless we hear alert level 3 restrictions out of the Auckland region are lifted or lifting it seems unlikely the meeting will go with its current fields."

HRNZ has already taken a new set of entries for the meeting and if the Auckland horses can't travel they are confident of having a nine-race meeting with more than 100 starters.

Meanwhile, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has programmed a new meeting at Taupo next Wednesday to provide opportunities for some of those horses affected by the cancellation of this weekend's Ruakaka meeting.

● High class mare Woodcote Lass should win at Waverley today.

The four-year-old mare took on some of racing's elite last season, including Catalyst and two Derby winners in Sherwood Forest and Quick Thinker, but away from them was able to win three of 10 starts and looks an open grade sprinter.

Although the Waverley track was rated slow last night and could deteriorate to heavy with rain in the region, Woodcote Lass (R10, No4) has won on both surfaces and has the speed to use her inside draw to pick her own path, crucial in the wet.

She looked forward when third in a recent trial and with three of the other favourites scratched, should be winning her comeback.

● John Dunn rates Classie Brigade the best of his stable's five chances in the main handicap pace at Addington tonight.

Dunn runs the southern base of his father Robert's premiership-winning stable and they have a huge numerical advantage tonight, although New Zealand Cup placegetter Classie Brigade (R6, No9) does face a 20m handicap in the small field.

"Backmarks can often be tricky when the ones off the front step and run but he is such a fast beginner I think he might be able to get past a few of them early," says Dunn.

Tonight's feature trot sees speedsters Majestic Man and Enhance Your Calm both rated $2.40 chances but Majestic Man is by far the more trustworthy and could be sent forward early to wrest control.