Pres The Belle is unlikely to join Otago’s Harness Jewels contingent, despite cementing a qualifying spot when she won at Gore on Saturday.
The Darryn Simpson-trained trotter secured the 12th and last qualifying place in next month’s 4yr-old trotters final with a dominant front-running win.
She joins 3yr-old Majestic Man and 2yr-old Oscar Bonavena as the Otago-based qualifiers for next month’s premier harness race day.
The Mosgiel trotter is unlikely to join her provincial team-mates on the trek to Cambridge as Simpson is taking a patient approach with his mare.
"It is unlikely at this stage," he said.
"What she has done this season has been a bit of a bonus, really.
"We have always thought that she is going to be a bit better with a bit of time. She is still a wee bit on the weak side. We think she is going to be really nice horse next year."
Pres The Belle will get her opportunity at feature race success during the New Zealand Cup carnival.
"She will probably have one more start down here and then [we will] give her a spell.
"We will bring her up in plenty of time for the New Zealand Cup carnival and then head up north come Christmas time."
After Pres The Belle’s commanding victory the next two races on the Gore card provided contrasting Harness Jewels qualification fortunes.
Lauren Pearson’s Rise Above This sneaked into the 2yr-old fillies final, despite being unplaced behind impressive winner Alfie Romeo.
In the next race, Especial loomed up to win with such ease her connections would have been thinking of the Jewels.
But the Tony Stratford-trained mare galloped with 50m to go.
Especial, who is trained on the Gore track, shied at the camera and camera operators stationed near the winning post, driver Dexter Dunn said.
"Sometimes with horses that are trained on the track, they are so used to everything that’s around that if you put something new there they will notice it," he said.
Maidonthebeach sprinted through to win the race in a chaotic finish, which cemented her Harness Jewels ranking.
Despite her easily qualifying for the 4yr-old mares final, trainer Hamish Hunter will not be taking her to Cambridge.
Five Southland horses hold top-12 qualifying spots after the completion of the Harness Jewels qualifying period.
They include Rise Above This and 2yr-old trotters Get Lucky and Full Noise.
Smokey Mac and War Machine qualified for the 4yr-old trotters’ final.
Horses outside of the top 12 in their divisions could still makes the Harness Jewels if other runners withdraw from the series.
Betterthanbrie is the southern horse most likely to move in to a Jewels field.
She needs two withdrawals to make the 3yr-old fillies final.
Withdrawals are to be finalised on Friday.
