Harness racing in Australia

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Harness Racing at the 2007 Interdominion Championships held at Globe Derby Park in South Australia in January 2007

Harness racing in Australia is administered by Harness Racing Australia (HRA) (formerly known as the Australian Harness Racing Council), with each State’s Principal Racing Authority agreeing to abide by, and to enforce the Australian Harness Racing Rules & Regulations.

Public interest in Harness racing is not especially high in Australia as it takes a back seat to thoroughbred racing. Its main attraction is the night meetings, when thoroughbred racing aren't run. Major metropolitan meetings occur on Friday and Saturday nights right around the country.

Interest in races such as the Miracle Mile, A G Hunter Cup, Victoria Cup and the Inter Dominion is quite healthy though.

[edit] History

Races in Australia are run for both pacers and trotters. Races generally vary from 1609 metres (1 mile) to 2600 metres, although some races are run over longer distances, such as the A G Hunter Cup, but the effort required for such a race doesn't allow weekly racing.

Races can start one of two ways, either from behind a mobile barrier, giving a moving start or behind tapes, giving a standing start.

The mobile barrier is usually a car or ute that has a cabin for the starter and two large arms each side that allow the barrier to cover the entire track, in some cases the mobile can be 10 horses wide. This is the most common start for harness racing in Australia. Both pacers and trotters races are conducted from mobile barriers. The mobile barrier concept was introduced in New South Wales by William (Bill) George Smith, a Sydney Motor Body Builder who had a passion for harness racing. Bill Smith wanted to increase the popularity of harness racing by making the starts more exciting for the viewing public. The concept worked beyond his expectations and mobile barrier starting spread across Australia and to other countries.

Modern Starting gates used in Australia now include Auto start. This innovation allows the starter to concentrate on the actual horses positioning during the "score up".

The modern Starting gates use only a driver for steering the vehicle and a starter in the rear to observe the race and call a false start if required. The start speed, acceleration, score up distance and gate closing are all controlled via a computer system, which takes control of the vehicle and provides a printout at the end of the scoreup.

The most widely used starting gate in Australia today is the AVA Integrity Mobile barrier http://www.avaintegrity.com

A standing start occurs when horses stand flat footed behind an elastic tape that is connected across the track. Usually there are multiple tapes across the track at 10 or 5 metre intervals, this allows handicappers to handicap horses. This may be done on wins in certain classes or on a discretionary basis. Both pacers and trotters races are conducted from standing starts.

[edit] Tracks

The tracks in Australia are typically smaller than that in North America, ranging from 700 metres up to a larger size of 1000 metres. The differing track sizes does not allow a generic distance for races as in America, although all times are converted into a mile-rate, to allow comparison of times across different tracks.

Many industry people are seeking a larger track to be built, yet some industry commentators are against the idea of a 1400 metre to 1600 metre track.

[edit] EI Outbreak

Equine influenza was initially discovered in a metropolitan Sydney horse complex in late August 2007, and since spread to many areas of New South Wales and Queensland, mainly through the pleasure horse industry. This immediately stopped racing nation wide, but soon racing in those states without EI cases resumed. The entire racing industry has been put under great pressure because of a lack of racing, both standardbred and thoroughbred. It has caused some states to decrease stakemoney in response to a lack of betting turnover.

[edit] State by State Synopsis of Harness Racing in Australia

[edit] Victoria

Harness racing in Victoria is controlled by Harness Racing Victoria (HRV). The state's metropolitan track is Moonee Valley. Victorian harness racing meetings are usually held seven days a week, with major provincial tracks including Cranbourne, Bendigo, Ballarat, Kilmore, Shepparton and Mildura.

Harness Racing Victoria are currently in the beginning stages of building a new complex at Melton, which will incorporate a 1000 metre track as well as a host of amenities such as restaurants, gaming machines, motel accommodation and conference facilities. The new Melton track is being ear-marked as a replacement of the current metropolitan track at Moonee Valley.^[1] The comprehensive website associated with the new Melton Harness Racing Complex can be found here.

Victoria is currently considered to be in a healthy state shown through stake increases.

[edit] New South Wales

Harness racing in New South Wales is controlled by Greyhound and Harness Racing Regulatory Authority (GHRRA). New South Wales' premier track and metropolitan headquarters is Harold Park, located at Glebe in Sydney. Other TAB tracks in the state include Newcastle, Penrith, Bankstown, Bathurst, Bulli, Dubbo, Parkes, Tamworth, Wagga and Young.

New South Wales has suffered greatly due to a television dispute, and added to this problem has been the outbreak of equine influenza in both New South Wales and Queensland.

[edit] Western Australia

Racing and Wagering Western Australia (RWWA) are the controllers of harness racing in Western Australia. Gloucester Park in Perth is the headquarters of harness racing in Western Australia. TAB-covered tracks are also located at Pinjarra and Northam.

Harness racing in Western Australia is widely considered to be financially strong.

[edit] Queensland

Queensland Harness Racing (QHR) control harness racing in Queensland. The state's major metropolitan track is Albion Park in Brisbane. TAB-covered tracks are also located at Gold Coast and Redcliffe.

Queensland horses dominated many feature races around the country in 2006/2007, including the Be Good Johnny winning the Miracle Mile, Blacks A Fake winning the Victoria Cup, the Inter Dominion and the M H Treuer Memorial.

Queensland's harness racing is seen to be in a strong position, although along with New South Wales has been crippled by the EI outbreak since August 2007.

[edit] South Australia

Harness racing in South Australia is controlled by Harness Racing South Australia (HRSA). The state's premier track is Globe Derby Park in Adelaide. TAB-covered tracks are also located at Gawler and Port Pirie.

Currently Harness Racing South Australia is not in a strong financial position.

[edit] Tasmania

Harness Racing Tasmania (HRT) is the controlling body of harness racing in Tasmania. The state's major tracks are located at Hobart and Launceston, with major meetings held in the Sunday twilight timeslot.

Although Tasmania only race 2 to 3 times per week the races are at a similar level of stake money to mainland states.

[edit] Inter Dominion Championships

For more details on this topic, see Inter Dominion.

The Inter Dominion is a harness racing competition held between horses from Australia and New Zealand. The series has been contested since 1936 and alternates between Australia and New Zealand.

[edit] References