Not surprisingly, the first Midway Handicap, which will take place at Rosehill tomorrow, has attracted a full field of runners.
Back in February, as part of their $20 million prize-money increases, Racing NSW announced the introduction of Midway races … a new race concept with prize money worth $100 000 per race.
In that announcement it was stated that a Midway race would be added to the Saturday race program from July 1 increasing the Saturday Sydney racing fare to ten races.
As stated by Racing NSW, the Midway race concept was created ‘to build the competitiveness of small to mid-sized stable and to further develop the field sizes and quality of Metropolitan racing. The races are designed as pathways from NSW Provincial and Midweek Metropolitan racing to Saturday Metropolitan racing.’
In keeping with the aim of the exercise, strict conditions apply in terms of eligibility to participate in these series of races … most notably a points scale system which is applied to trainer’s performances throughout Australia over the previous twelve months to asscertain their eligibility.
With that process obviously being completed prior to the first running of a Midway race, the following trainers were deemed ineligible to participate in Midway races at this time.
Those trainers are Bjorn Baker, James Cummings, Matthew Dunn Richard and Michael Freedman, Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes, Kris Lees, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Mark Newnham, John O’Shea, Joseph Pride, Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, Peter and Paul Snowden, John Thompson, Chris Waller and Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott … which means the Midway races will do exactly what it proposes and open the door to small to mid-sized stables to make their presence felt and further their cause.
The first Midway race, which features as race five on the Rosehill card on Saturday, looks likely to set a highly competitive tone which is sure to be carried on in the coming weeks as eligible trainers embrace a proactive concept that, once again, puts Racing NSW on the front foot.
