By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk
For local trainer Brent White the Harness 5000 is literally on his back door step.
“There’ll be no float fees that day,” he says.
Based at Ashburton Raceway the father-son combo of Brent and Tim White are looking forward to December 21.
“It’s a good concept and if we can get some money going back to our owners – why not?”
Harness 5000, featuring 12 $60,000 finals, is for trotters and pacers whose sire stood for an advertised retail service fee of $5,000 or less in the breeding season of conception and to be eligible horses must compete in at least five race day starts between July 3 – December 9,2025.
All races will be over 1700 metres.
White could have as many five runners there : Randel Huston P (Peak), Major Doosie (Majestic Son), Snooowgood (Marcoola), Bettor Go Vinnie (Vincent) and Stealers Wheel (A Rocknroll Dance).
Right now Major Doosie (pictured above) is the top ranked qualifier in the 3YO Trotting Colts and Geldings category and White reckons the four race winner could be well suited to the series.
“Last year he wasn’t that far behind the good ones Tarragindi and Meant To Be,” says White, “and this is a major target for him pre Christmas.”
It’s a similar story with Snooowgood, a winner of one from seven. Her last start was a second at Oamaru last Sunday. She is 11th in the 3YO Trotting Fillies rankings.
“She is just below the top three-year-olds and this concept works for horses like her.”
“It’s more the top two inches with her,” says White, “she does have a good turn of foot.”
Randel Huston P meanwhile is tracking well for December. The six-year-old had three wins in August and has had eight overall and is third in the 5YO and older Trotting Entires and Geldings.
“Randel Huston P has always offered a bit but hasn’t delivered a lot sometimes but he has got into a nice vein of form.”
“He’s competitive, he’s got good gate speed and he has a good short course record.”
Of their other runners Better Go Vinnie is eligible in the 3YO Pacing Colts and Geldings. He’s currently fifth while Stealers Wheel (4YO Pacing Entires and Geldings) has only had one start in the qualification period and may not be able to get to the five start threshold.
Every week the Harness 5000 tracker is updated. It shows how any horses have become eligible for the series.
The “168” on the tracker signifies correlation to the maximum number of horses that can compete on the day, based on 12 races of 14 horse fields. Right now the figure is well past that at 230, an increase of 18 in the past week. It is anticipated that around 350 horses will be in the mix come December, though this figure could fluctuate. So far the biggest categories are for the 5YO and older Entires and Geldings. There are currently 490 trotters and 48 pacers.
To see the latest Harness 5000 leaderboard click here
