Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Field Selection, Handicapping & Programming during Covid-19 Regionalisation

21 April 2020
Logo

Effective fields selected from Monday 27th April 2020

During Regionalisation it is important to ensure horses are gaining starts as often as possible. The below changes are designed to simplify our Field Selection, Handicapping and Programming.

Put simply a maximum eight (8) races will be programmed guaranteeing maximum field sizes at time of releasing fields. Also this will ensure horses are getting runs in relation to the days since their previous start irrespective of their National Rating (NR) or Dollars won in their last 5 starts ($L5).

These changes will apply to all meetings excluding Menangle Metropolitan Meetings and Heats of the Tabcorp Regional Championships. For clarity the Menangle Tuesday Meetings field selection will be included in the Protocol.

Field Selection

  • Preference will be given to horses with the most days since their previous start. (horse that hasn’t started for 14 days gets a start before a horse that started 10 days ago) Where horses are equal on amount of days since the last start, highest dollars won in their last five starts will apply, if still equal horse with the highest National Rating will apply to differentiate.
  • Standard unfulfilled engagement/late nomination principles apply.

Field Splitting

  • Maiden races will be split into fields of ten based on $L5 from highest to lowest
  • Up to NR55 will be split into fields of ten based on $L5 from highest to lowest
  • Races above NR55 will be split into fields of ten on National Ratings from the top down. Given the large gap above 55, horses in this grade would be better suited to racing their own grade were possible. This will allow for more like for like racing.

Race Selection

  • As all meetings will have a maximum 6 races programmed the races which will be split will be based on the two races programmed with highest number of nominations.

Race Programming all Regions

  • 2yo when scheduled as per established 2yo calendar with a minimum of 1 per week in a Region
  • 3yo up to 1 this season win with 1 per week in a Region
  • Maiden for horses with 0 Lifetime wins all to be 3yo and older
  • Up to NR55 3yo Concessions will apply however no Drivers Concession or Mares Concession will apply
  • Up to NR 120 for A meetings 1 per region per week. Except Metro A meetings would be up to NR90. Dual Concession claims to apply
  • Up to NR 90 for B Meetings. Except Metro B meetings would be up to 75. Dual concessions will apply.    

Shaun Snudden

Manager - Industry Development

 

Related News

17 September 2026
Gloucester Park Preview Friday 18th September 2026
Third time lucky for Young? Jocelyn Young has had two drives in the annual $50,000 Daintys Daughter Classic for three-year-old fillies for two placings, and she is poised to make it a case of third time lucky by guiding Miss Leopatra to victory in the group 3 feature at Gloucester Park on Friday night....
17 September 2026
New Era for WA Yearling Sale as Nutrien Takes the Reins
The Western Australian harness racing industry will enter a new era in 2027, with Nutrien Equine Standardbred confirmed as the operator of the WA Yearling Sale for the first time. The sale will be held on Sunday, 14 March 2027 at the Magic Millions Sales Complex in Middle Swan and is expected to feature...
17 September 2026
Hart buzzing after Mistress' return
INTER Dominion champion Captains Mistress got a big nod of approval from driver Cam Hart after her return at the Menangle trials today. The brilliant mare was given a quiet time for most of the blistering 1609m trial before Hart let her slip over the last 100m. She coasted into second spot, 16.1m behind...
17 September 2026
Eureka dream for The Last Trip 
IT was two years ago when Ben Said drove The Last Trip in trackwork for the first time and fell in love with him. Now he’s the managing owner of the buzz four-year-old pacer and dreaming of winning the world’s pacing race, the $1.5 million TAB Eureka at Menangle on November 21. Read more
14 September 2026
Double delight for Rattray
Hall of Fame reinsman Gareth Rattray moved to equal fourth on the 2026 Tasmanian Drivers title after a winning double at the Ladbrokes Racing Centre Mowbray in Launceston on Sunday afternoon. The 10-time state premiership winner started his double aboard the Michael Laugher-trained Shibasaki in the Lees...
Click for more