Introducing the Tasman Empress Sprint Series

A major new pathway for mares — and a big boost for Nelson’s summer meeting

Harness Racing New Zealand is rolling out something genuinely new this January, and trainers with emerging mares will want this on their radar early. The Tasman Empress Sprint Series will debut at Nelson’s two-day meeting on January 9 and 11, offering two $20,000 mile heats exclusively for 4YO+ mares rated R45–60. The top five from each heat will progress to a $35,000 final at Addington on January 23, raced over 1980m.

It’s a fresh opportunity, timed perfectly for mares progressing into the early-season features at Addington on January 30 and February 13 — and one that HRNZ Head of Racing & Wagering Matt Peden says addresses several needs at once.

“The good thing about it is we’re targeting the sort of 45 to the 50 to the 60s,” Peden said. “If you look through the Oaks field on Friday night, a lot of those fillies are under 60. They’re arguably the ones that are going to be taking that step up to that elite level on the way through.”

With 3YO fillies officially becoming mares on January 1, the timing is deliberate. Of the 15 runners in this year’s Group 1 NZ Oaks, 13 would currently be eligible for the Tasman Empress heats — a serious incentive for trainers mapping out summer campaigns.

Peden says the idea was born from two clear challenges: “One of the problems we’ve had in the last two years has been horse numbers at Nelson, so part of this is utilisation. If we can attract an extra field and add another race to the programme, and then lead into a final at Addington, it helps guarantee we’ve got a full field of quality mares back at Addington too.”

Just as importantly, it fills a long-standing gap in the mares’ calendar.

“We’ve got these great fillies transitioning from 3 to 4 on January 1. Without something like this, they’ve really got nothing to springboard into those late-summer mares’ features at Addington,” he said. “This gives them a point to kick off. They get a crack at racing over a mile for really good money, a chance to get a good time on their name, and it helps them build through the early part of 2026.”

Mares may race on both days at Nelson, and HRNZ is finalising wording to ensure horses who miss out on Day 1 receive preference on Day 2. Field sizes will be capped at 12 to ensure opportunity and fairness.

Nelson’s summer conditions also create something rare in the trotting and pacing calendar — a genuine, fast mile for significant prizemoney. “We don’t often get an opportunity to race over a mile for good money of this grade,” Peden said. “It’s probably one of the fastest tracks in the country, so we might as well use it.”

Trainer response has already been encouraging, especially off the back of strong support for HRNZ’s Spring Sprint Series earlier this season. “It was really heartening to see trainers support the concept,” he added. “The wagering was outstanding, field size was wonderful, and the participation was exactly what we hoped for.”

Ultimately, the goal is simple: retain talented mares by giving them meaningful, well-timed opportunities to stay and flourish in New Zealand.

“We need to look after our industry and our breeding industry,” Peden said. “One way of doing that is retaining our better mares in the country — and the only way we can do that is by providing opportunities for them on the racetrack.”

The Tasman Empress Sprint Series does exactly that — and the message for trainers is clear:
Nelson is now the place to launch your mares this summer.

Classie Linc and Sheree Tomlinson