Racehorses in the Southern Hemisphere celebrate their birthdays on 1 August annually.
A wide awake observer drew the Sporting Post’s attention to what appeared to be interesting anomalies in the birth dates of two 2yo’s in the first race at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Monday.
In the Fillies Maiden Juvenile Plate, the duo had birthdates prior to 1 August 2019.
Woodland Retreat reflected a birth date of 25 July 2019, while Power Of Eight’s birth date is 30 July 2019.
So if we count the 1 August ‘clicks’ as birthdays, does that make them 3yo’s rather than 2yo’s?
Hazel Kayiya (photo: supplied)
We asked the racing regulator for clarity and National Horseracing Authority Stud Book Manager Hazel Kayiya responded promptly, informing us that the mares were covered at the beginning of the breeding season and the foals were aged as per Rule 37.
Woodland Retreat’s dam Flander’s Fields was covered on 5 September 2018, therefore her date of birth of 25 July 2019 was accepted.
Power Of Eight’s dam Awesome Beauty reflected a covering date of 1 September 2018 and therefore her date of birth of 30 July 2019 was accepted.
For the record, the rule states:
37.1 The age of a foal shall be determined as follows:
37.1.1 If the foal is born between 1 July and 31 December, and
37.1.1.1 its dam was covered on or after 1 September (of the previous year), it shall take its age from 1 August of the calendar year of its birth.
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