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

12 October 2026
Gloucester Park Review Friday 9th October 2026
Runkle Crunch Smashes Race Record New Zealand-bred pacer Runkle Crunch gave a brilliant frontrunning performance when he was rated perfectly by his trainer Aiden De Campo. De Campo smashed the race record to win the $50,000 Four-Year-Old Championship at Gloucester Park on Friday night. A well-supported...
12 October 2026
Debbie Lincoln ready to shine at Starlights
With The Starlights fast approaching, Josh Davine believes recent Albion Park winner Debbie Lincoln can aim up to a few of the features on offer, just as she did during her New Zealand campaign earlier this year. The 34-year-old Davine is well known in the harness game through his ownership interests,...
11 October 2026
GOODFORM - Stars on show for Redwood Prelude
Race 1: OVERVIEW: REGAL GALA (1) has enjoyed a terrific season having won four races. He followed a handy second in the Super Series Final with a win in the Tatlow Stakes so he will prove hard to beat. PHOENIX REX (5) produced a phenomenal performance after being severely checked on the first bend and...
11 October 2026
Len Smith new target for Captains Knock
STAR pacer Captains Knock’s quest to crack the $1 million in career earnings is on hold. A minor setback has thwarted plans for the son of Captaintreacherous to tackle next Saturday night’s Group 1 Victoria Cup. It denies the race a major player after Captains Knock posted five successive...
Click for more