Cambridge Raceway and LOVERACING.NZ are joining forces once again to showcase the versatility of not only the thoroughbred and standardbred breeds, but also our industry participants on Friday night with the Cross Code Challenge.
The concept was first introduced by Cambridge Raceway’s chief executive Dave Branch, who alongside dual-code trainer Jo Ferguson, continues to develop the concept.
“I’ve been involved since the first year, this is our fourth I believe as we did have COVID delay one of them,” Ferguson said.
“Dave Branch, Cambridge Raceway CEO, had the original idea. I started off just doing the standardbred side of it, then we had Gina Schick with Beyond The Barriers getting the thoroughbred side underway.
“We grew on it from there, LOVERACING.NZ got involved to sponsor the thoroughbred team and we developed the Cross Code Challenge across the whole day.”
The competition kicks off with the Dunstan Battle of the Breeds, where the two teams will go head-to-head in three different sections. The thoroughbred team will feature jockey Hamish McNeill, who partners up with retired steeplechaser Password.
“There are three parts to the Battle of the Breeds, an in-hand competition, flat ridden class and a jumping class,” Ferguson said. “We’ll have the winning team overall, then LOVERACING.NZ sponsor the best-performed thoroughbred, and Harness Racing New Zealand sponsor the best-performed standardbred.”
In the following event, the two codes pair up for the Dual Sulky Challenge, an opportunity to get a glimpse of raceday driving.
“We move on to the Dual Sulky, which is when the thoroughbred participants will team up with a driver, that’s a lot of fun,” Ferguson said.
“In the past, we’ve given the horses celebrity names like Savabeel and Melody Belle, against some of the celebrity standardbreds, which decides who gets the points as there is a participant from either team in the cart.”
A must watch at the end of the evening is the Haras des Trotteurs Monte Trot, a non-tote event over 1700m worth $5,000, where the riders partner up with ridden trotters.
“We’ve had a lot of jockeys compete in this in the past as a bit of a novelty, but this year it will be a proper race,” Ferguson said. “Previously, we’ve just had two drivers and two jockeys competing, but this year we will hopefully have eight competing.
“We have Lynsey Satherley, Bailey Rogerson and Michelle Northcott, then Craig Grylls and Leah Hemi have also scouted to ride and are potentials, whether their horses start or not. There could be quite a few jockeys in the field.
“They get on and say it’s so different, but the trotters seem to go really well with jockeys on board, they are very balanced and can do the job so well.”
A former picnic jockey in Australia, Ferguson had an extensive background in the thoroughbred industry before meeting her husband Dylan while working for Graeme Rogerson, which ignited her passion for the harness world.
“I’m so passionate about both codes, so it’s very cool to see, and it goes by so fast,” she said.
“I love the fact that the public can come on-course, watch the racing, and then watch particularly the standardbreds, be riding horses as well. Obviously thoroughbreds are born to be ridden and are versatile, while there is a bit of a stigma with the standardbreds.
“Pulling off the Battle of the Breeds every year is a very proud moment for me, seeing it all come together.
“The participants always seem to really enjoy it, and we appreciate that, so we have some cool prizes from our sponsors. Dunstan is our naming sponsor and they put up some prizemoney, as well as bags of feed for everyone that takes part.”
At the end of the event, points are tallied across the three events and together, the two codes will make a donation to charity on behalf of the winning team.
What: Cross Code Challenge
Where: Cambridge Raceway
When: Friday 17 January, from 4pm
Keep an eye on LOVERACING.NZ's Facebook page for Dual Sulky team announcements and further info.