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

14 January 2026
GOODFORM – Bronte looks for winners at Bendigo
Bronte Nieuwenburg has done the form for Bendigo this evening. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ANALYSIS AT THETROTS.COM.AU
14 January 2026
Arcee primed for return to winner's circle
As strange as it sounds, top trotter Arcee Phoenix will attempt to break a six-month drought from the winners' circle this weekend. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY AT THETROTS.COM.AU
14 January 2026
Call for Nominations - 2025 Joseph Coulter Media Awards
This is a call for nominations for the Joseph Coulter Media Awards for the 2025 season. Entries submitted must have been published during the 2025 Season - 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025. For more information on the criteria of each award head to HRA Coulter Awards Criteria Please find listed below...
14 January 2026
Grimson plots Victorian raid
JASON Grimson is heading to Victoria, but just a bit later than he first expected. Grimson will work through a busy night at Menangle on Saturday before finalising his Victorian raiders. “I’ll go to Ballarat with Swayzee and one of my mares,” he told SENTrack radio. “I did nominate...
13 January 2026
Wharton: Bargain buy paves the way for Melton winner
Elvira Bromac, a Badlands Hanover mare bought from the Trading Ring for a paltry $2,200 about 15 years ago, is proving a worthwhile investment for a group of mates from Melbourne’s western suburbs. CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY AT THETROTS.COM.AU
Click for more