Jasmyn’s Gift a step in the right direction

The revamped Hannon Memorial Day is being held at the Oamaru Trotting Club this Sunday. The eleven-race card has attracted plenty of interest from stables all over the South Island of New Zealand. Jasmyn’s Gift Fillies & Mares Stakes is the first time trotters will contest a troting feature for black type in the south island. New Zealander's most iconic harness racing event is a pacing race called the New York Trottting Cup. It was won by a square gaiter in Monte Carlo in 1904. Since then it has been reserved for those wearing hopples.

Jasmyn’s Gift is a step in the right direction for trotting mares. The North Island has had the only group race for them for 25 years. It cost $30,000 out of an operating budget north of $40 million. Less than 2% of all trots were exclusive to the fairer sex. Only 8 troting horses have won a Group One trothling race in New Zealand in last 20 years, the last being Habibti Ivy in 2017 Anzac Cup.

Jasmyn’s Gift is one of the best betting races on the programme at Oamaru. The word trotting is almost taboo in New Zealand. There was a $50,000 mares trots scheduled for November but it was not announced until several weeks after it had been agreed to. The sport needs to focus on better utilization of its available product. It needs a better stakemoney and equal opportunity.

The administration of harness racing is slow compared to Victoria. The old thinking that trotting mares were competitive against the males is wrong. Pat Driscoll and Duncan McPherson are dedicated to growing the gait.

The introduction of world-class trotting genetics has seen an explosion of speed and improvement in the gait. Jasmyn’s Gift is a step in right direction. Heather Williams Memorial will be promoted to a Group Three and a group Two mares race to be run in Addington in November. The last time a trottting group race in New Zealand had 20 nominations was in 2000.

When trotting people race for less money, they struggle to get a fair go.