Iron Horse Bonus Scheme back for second year

After its success last season, the Invercargill Harness Racing Club Ascot Park Iron Horse Bonus Scheme is back for 2024/25, and it gets underway in exactly a week.

As the name would indicate, the scheme is all about rewarding those pacers and trotters who front up the most at Invercargill Harness Club race meetings at Ascot Park over the course of the season.

The top 10 most raced horses that have started at an Invercargill Harness meeting, and who have won one or more races at an Invercargill Harness meeting during the next 12 months, will be eligible for the bonus. As was the case last season, the connections of the top starter will get $5,000, the remaining horses from second to 10th will get $2,500 each. The total prizemoney is $27,500.

The club will host 15 race meetings at Ascot Park during the season, starting on Thursday, August 8, 2024. The bonuses will be paid out after Ascot Park's final race of the season on 7 July 2025.

Last year's inaugural winner was Magic Sign, owned by the Setarip sydicate, and trained by Jeremy Douglas. Magic Sign started in all 13 race meetings at Ascot Park during the qualification period (September 15, 2023 - June 15 2024), winning twice. The next nine horses in the competition were Durrant, Jenny Gump, Joanie Magic, American Mac, Sherwood Maggie, Superfast, Franco Huntington, Sagwitch and Magnetic Becker.

For more information on the bonus scheme contact Invercargill Harness Racing Club President Craig Heyrick (027 633 1777), Committee Member Jason McMath (027 330 6923) or Southern Harness Racing (03) 217 9117.