All harness racing series involving a heats and final structure run into the odd problem every now and again due entirely to the rules which are necessary for such series to function.

This years Nevele R Fillies series is a good example of the issues that can arise which tend to make the casual observer wonder what the hell is going on.

Like all of the age group series run in New Zealand, the Nevele R Fillies series has a set of rules that go with it which are black and white and leave no room for argument.

Where you finish in a heat of this series is the defining qualification of weather or not you progress to the final.

This year we have one of the season's better performed fillies in Better B Amazed only listed as a second emergency for the final on Saturday.

The winner of six from twelve lifetime with five placings to boot, Better B Amazed due to other issues was only able to contest one heat of the Nevele R series this season.

That was at Addington recently but she was unfortunate to strike a heat with all the All Stars fillies involved and after being bottled up back on the inner finished seventh in her only heat appearance.

A few fillies who have made the final have no where near as an impressive record as Better B Amazed but they did finish fifth or sixth in a qualifying heat and consequently are higher up the starting order when it comes to selection for the Nevele R Fillies Final.

Its All Over Now is a good example of such a filly.

She finished fifth in her Nevele R Fillies heat on the grass at Methven in 2:3.7 for the mile and has won a race on the grass this season but is yet to place in seven starts on grit.

People have argued to us here at Harnesslink that exceptions should be made for fillies such as Better B Amazed and that her presense would enhance the quality of the field.

However in our view everybody knows the rules and the qualifying protocol before the series starts and as much as Better B Amazed would raise the overall standard on Saturday if she was in the field, places in the final must go in the first instance to those who have qualified via the heats and within the rules.

You have to feel for the connections of Better B Amazed a bit as she seems right in the zone at the moment but she will get her chance in the New Zeakland Oaks next week and she is also qualified for the Harness Jewels on May 30th.

Harnesslink Media