The Invercargill Harness Racing Club's early March race day has finally been confirmed as a grass track meeting.
All races will be run over 2050 metres on the galloping track either from the stand or mobile, so the public will be able to get close to the action.
The card includes the last Nuggets Final worth $12,000 and a heat of the Southern Country Cups series.
Records show that the last time a harness meeting was held on the grass at Ascot Park was January 1970.
The main race on that day was over a mile and 5 furlongs.Worth $1,550 it was won by Ghandi which was trained and driven by Colin Baynes.
The main staying test at the meeting was won by Moody Patch, trained by Adam Hunter and driven by Charlie Franks. The two mile trip was run in 4-29.8.
The all-weather trotting surface was first used the following year at the Invercargill Trotting Club's December meeting.
If the weather for the March 3rd meeting is looking like being wet, the club has the option of changing to the all weather surface. This decision will need to be made on the Wednesday. Distances would then be changed to 2200 metres.
Grass track meetings have been popular in centres further north – particularly in Canterbury, and the racing public certainly enjoy the chance to view the action from close quarters. With plenty of parking available close to the fence at Ascot Park this is sure to attract a good crowd. Put in the diary now.
The tentative programme is available on the HRNZ website.
Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing