One of the complaints you hear most often from harness racing owners and trainers in New Zealand is the lack of opportunities for age group trotters compared to their pacing counterparts.
The situation has improved a lot in the last few years but the trotters still seem like a poor relation compared to the pacers.
Which makes this week's lack of nominations for the $20,000 Cambridge Trotting Stakes that much harder to understand.
A well established feature on the the northern trotting scene, the race only attracted three nominations and was deleted from the programme.
Prominent owner Trevor Casey cannot believe only one other stable nominated for the $20,000 three year old trot at Cambridge on Thursday.
The lack of runners denied his star filly Arya a start at a vital stage of the season and will hasten her return to Australia where she was a Breeder's Crown winner last year.
