Harness racing
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WAGGA trainer Paul Kahlefeldt will line up more than half the field in the Pet Rock @ Yirribee Three Year Old Pace at Wagga, but it isn't exactly by choice.
Kahlefeldt has five horses engaged in the race, but doesn't have many options to separate his runners.
Of the five, only Lettuceplayginger has had a race this season, with the conditioner believing she's the only one strong enough to race against the older horses.
"We've just been crying out for three year old races and nominating all season but there hasn't been one that has stood up," Kahlefeldt said.
"So they've been trialling and waiting to have that crack at them.
"We want to give them all a run and back them up at Griffith on Tuesday if they all pull up ok."
It will be a nightmare for callers with two horses names with the 'lettuce' moniker and the other three with 'Redbank'.
Kahlefeldt will have to find plenty of different colours to distinguish between his runners.
Lettuceplayginger, Redbank Under Fire and Lettuceventilate will start from the front line with Redbank Harry and Redbank Inferno off the second row.
Drawn barrier two Kahlefeldt named last start winner Lettuceplayginger his best chance.
"Lettuceplayginger has been racing against the older horses and it was always going to be nice to get her back into her own age group," he said.
"It's the first chance we've as the others are all not as strong as her so it's pointless racing them against the older horses at this stage."
Kahlefeldt has eight horses running on the eight-race program but is only involved in three races.
Lookbutdonttouch and On Command are also racing against each other in the Modern Art @ Empire Competitive Stakes.
The lack of options for trainers under NSW's new handicapping system has left Kahlefeldt frustrated.
"It's out of my hands and it all comes down to the handicapper as once you nominate you've got no control," he said.
"Except the three-year-olds, the others were put in the C0 and better and you are at the mercy of the handicappers."
The experienced trainer said the system was a disgrace and holds fears of the future of the industry with the current system.
"There is no other racing game, that I know of, where you can't have a choice as a trainer or a owner for where you want your horse to race," Kahlefeldt said.
"They are saying you have to race there against those horses even though you are handicapped out of it they just keep putting you in races you can't possibly win."