In a positive announcement for Central Districts racing Rich Hill Stud have combined with the Wellington Racing Club to sponsor the Autumn Sprint series which will be run over the next two months at a number of racecourses nationwide. The Autumn sprint series will involve 20 qualifying heats at various venues throughout the country leading into the $50,000 Rich Hill Stud Autumn Sprint final to be held at Trentham on Saturday May 28th.

‘Any initiative which helps prize-money in New Zealand racing is a positive and for Rich Hill it is also an acknowledgement of the support we get for our stallions and sales progeny from breeders and buyers throughout New Zealand’ said managing director John Thompson, ‘Our current stallion line up of Shocking, Proisir, Vadamos, Satono Aladdin and Ace High have achieved outstanding results on the race track and in the sale ring over the last few years and we expect them to build on this momentum going forward.’

The first event in the series will be held at Awapuni on Saturdays Group One Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes Day and Taranaki and Roturua will jointly host the last qualifying races on Saturday May 14th with a number of other clubs hosting races throughout April and May.

In some way this event compliments the very popular Dunstan summer series which assists in the promotion of the up-and-coming stayers.

In contrast to the Dunstan, however, the Rich Hill Stud autumn series puts the spotlight on the progressive sprinters with the emphasis on rating 65, 74 and 82 with the Rich Hill Stud Autumn Championship Final a special conditions r74 event worth $50,000 to be run at Trentham on Saturday, May 28.

Horses which start in one of the 21 qualifying race will receive points on the following basis:

15 for first, 6 for second, 3 for third and 2 for 4th with all other runners in each race receiving 1 point.

Horses are naturally not required to compete in all or any of the qualifying races but at the time of final withdrawal, if the number of horses remaining exceeds the starting limit, preference will be given to those horses who have accumulated the greatest number of points.

The qualifying races:

Saturday 2 April                Manawatu RC                   Rating 74 1200m

Thursday 7 April              Wanganui JC                     Rating 65 1200m

Friday 8 April                     Manawatu RC                   Rating 65 1100m

Saturday 9 April               Racing Rotorua                 Rating 65 1215m

Thursday 14 April            Otaki-Maori RC                 Rating 65 1200m

Saturday 16 April              Waikato RC                        Rating 74 1200m

Monday 18 April               Woodville-Pahiatua        Rating 74 1200m

Monday 18 April               Woodville-Pahiatua        Rating 65 1200m

Saturday 23 April              Auckland TR                      Rating 65 1200m

Saturday 23 April              Canterbury JC                   Open 1200m

Wednesday 27 April       Egmont RC                         Rating 65 1200m             

Saturday 30 April              Wanganui RC                    Rating 74 1100m

Saturday 30 April             Cambridge JC                    Rating 74 1200m

Friday 6 May                     Otaki- Maori RC                Rating 65 1200m

Saturday 7 May                     Canterbury JC                   Rating 74 1200m

Saturday 7 May                     Canterbury JC                   Rating 65 1200m

Thursday 12 May             Wanganui JC                     Rating 65 1200m

Friday 13 May                  Matamata RC                    Rating 74 1200m

Saturday 14 May              Rotorua RC                        Rating 65 1215m

Saturday 14 May              Taranaki RC                       Rating 74 1200m