The first race is programmed as a reserve race at Invercargill on August 11, and will be penalty-free for the winner. The preferential-barrier-draw system will be in place, with 1-win horses drawing inside 2-win horses. The maximum claiming price tag on a horse will be $5000.
The Southland programming sub-committee, made up of trainers Geoff Knight, Murray Brown, Murray Swain and Brendon McLellan, put the idea to the clubs.
The idea has also gained approval from Harness Racing New Zealand, as the export market for lower-grade pacers to Australia has dried up since the introduction of steeper import fees.
Knight, of Roxburgh, wanted to build on the success of the winter claimers' series at Forbury Park.
''I had a thought a while ago about these cheaper-class claiming races because the other ones are working good,'' Knight said.
''With the Aussie [market] the way it is, it's very hard to sell those cheaper-type horses who aren't very competitive. They might not be competitive in a 2-win race or a 1-win race but get them all together, and they'll be very competitive.
''I've canvassed all the trainers while I've been at Forbury Park for the last wee while and everyone's very positive about it.''
While the trainers are on board, Knight said owners might have to get used to the idea.
''You could have a nice 2-win horse, and I could have an owner say to me `this is a nice horse, I want $20,000 for it,' and I'll say to him `you put it in with the $10,000 claimers against Hi Gun, Montecrengle, Mullingar Mac, Here's Shifty and Cullen's Finest and see where you end up'.''
The penalty-free conditions could see similar fields of horses taking each other on every couple of weeks, providing punters with clear form patterns to work with - and the horses avoiding smart 3yr-olds working through the grades.
''If you race anywhere else, you're going to race a grade higher next week and run into the better ones.
''No-one's going to put in a really nice horse with a $5000 price tag on it, for obvious reasons.''
The perception of claimers being tired old horses with problems is also a stigma which Knight hopes will be shed as more owners get involved.
''Everyone thinks they've got problems, and while they have - they might be knee-knockers, or rough-gaited or have joint issues - we're all still racing them week in and week out and not one of them has broken down.
''I've always been a huge fan of claiming races to get people into the industry. They get into the industry at a low level, money-wise, and have a hell of a lot of fun.''
Knight cited the example of Cullen's Finest, who wasclaimed by the Corner Shop and Monday Knight syndicates in late January for $5000, and won almost $17,000 in the months following.
Knight and his co-trainer, wife Jude, plan to have three horses in the first race on August 11.
''If we get eight or nine runners, we'll run it, and we'll run them week in week out if it's supported.''
Maiden claiming races are also in the pipeline, with a maximum claiming price of $3000.
