http://www.harness.org.au/media-room...?news_id=35477
http://www.harnesslink.com/Australia...ctoria-in-2018
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I know Ray Chaplin of Equine Excellence has been pushing for a return of the Trotters Inter too.
Although the link mentions Melbourne will align a feature trotting event with the Inter in 2018, it would be good if they could have a Trotters Inter running along with the pacers by 2021
My excitement turns to disappointment of the Interdom returning to Victoria. Why mess with the format?! Because of cost? 3 heats & a final, the reason why the Interdom was/is such a mighty race. Im sure it'll still be a success but as a harness lover & a massive fan of the Interdom, the traditional format is what has made legends of our sport. Anyway, thats my whinge.. Onto finding a winner at Shepparton tonight...
What makes you think there will not be 3 heats & a final Stephen?
David Martin mentioned that there would be non-Melton heats prior to the final on Dec 15
http://www.harnesslink.com/Australia...ctoria-in-2018
confirmed on radio this morning. 2 non Melton heats with a Melton final..
"HRV boss David Martin confirms to us on @RSN927 there will be two rounds of Interdom heats in Victoria next year and BOTH will be held away from Melton. Great chance for two other clubs"
Thanks Stephen. I wonder why they are doing themselves out of money by shortening the event
This is great news. Remember the huge crowds at Victorian Interdom finals?
Perfect opportunity for 2 country clubs and the local tourism organizations ( like Events Bendigo) to draw crowds to showcase what really is the keynote harness racing event in the Southern hemisphere.
Seeing the final is at Melton which has a sprint lane, then, for consistency, the tracks without sprint lanes need not apply ! ( There is one that starts with B and ends in t)
Central Victorian venues seem obvious, but Cranbourne with the huge population and live-wire organization might be a chance.
Shepparton and Ballarat, two of the fairest tracks and crowds close to the action.
I cannot have Ballarat either Noel. You either have a sprint lane for the series or you don't
I hope you all had an afternoon kip so that you can stay up past midnight tonight
That would mean Ballarat shouldn't run Breeders Crown or Super Sires heats??
True
We used to run 3 sets of heats and final. Then we had heats on the first two nights with the final on the third night.
I hear that these are again the options for the NZ series but I have heard nothing to suggest one over the other. Suffice to say it will be a multi rounds of heats and a Grand Final as it was a few decades ago.
Many of our best races as a spectacle are the Trotters and NZ wants to showcase them in the Inters again. We hope that Victoria and NSW will come to the party as they along with NZ host the Interdoms for at least the next 9 years possibly longer.
People would have to agree Victoria hasn't neglected the trotters with the introduction of the Great Southern Star filling the void. Victoria has stepped up to the plate.
However, I couldn't imagine Victoria now being able to run both. The Star is dropped when Vic host the I D Trotters Championship?
HRA - Michael Taranto Elected HRA Chair
http://www.harness.org.au/media-room...?news_id=35731
Could very well mean a trotters championship next year.
Although a national telecaster, wouldn't be a given 7mate/seven west media would show the I D in an eastern state? The viewing numbers and courting the seven execs will be important no doubt.
Word has it three rounds of heats next year, two regional, one at Melton. Would be bigger gross crowd numbers with two regional heats rather than all at Melton? A rhetorical question?
Agreed Wayne, if profit was the aim, the whole series at Melton would be the go
It has now been decided that there will be 3 rounds of heats in Vic in 2018
http://www.harnesslink.com/Australia...ounds-of-Heats
Fantastic decision and well done to the powers that be, listened to the harness racing community & made the right decision. Bring on 2018!
Thanks Pogga. Most likely the first night will be at Melton, then 2 nights of non-Melton heats, followed by the final at Melton. All Vic clubs have been invited to respond to an Expression of Interest by Jan 12, so that we can select the two clubs who will host the non-Melton heats. We are also still considering what we will do for the Trotters.
Our challenge is to make this ID18 a great event! All ideas welcome.
Some of my fondest memories came from the Interdom in Melbourne, how exciting to have it back David! Well done on bringing it back to us & I for one will be doing all I can to make it a great experience!
1992 Westburn Grant, what a champion & then the homegrown (sort of if we count John Justice as a Vic now ;) ) win of Shakamaker in 2000, that nearly brought the stands down! Trackside in 2008 (even though not the traditional format) I'll never forget Blackie pouring on the pressure and being a mile too good.
Gets the hair standing on the back of the neck just thinking about it & no doubt the successful country tracks having heats run will promote this sport to within an inch of it's life as well.
Fingers crossed, I'll have one of my own fit enough to contest the series, Tact Tate, which would tick off an item from my bucket list!
Cocky Raider ....I was there.....can't remember which one though he was wearing the stars and stripes colours as he's just been sold to the US. So it must have been the Inter Dom consolation.
He came from last down the outside fence. As a spectator , you could just about reach out and touch him.
Yep, wore the stars and stripes during the Inter for his US owners but remained in the McWilliam stable. From memory, he was stuck 3 back the rails, and the number of horses that won on the Melbourne Showgrounds that won from there could be counted on one hand (Paleface Adios being one of them).
Pretty sure he never won a race in the USA, a tragedy because he was a great little horse.
I always thought he won just the one race in the US, but just bumped into this article on the Harnessbred site,
http://www.harnessbred.com/story-no-14-cocky-raider/
Thanks for that story Danno. How good was that Australia Day Cup? What a great field and how good was little Cocky charging home? A young B. Hancock driving Teeny Rena - she was his meal ticket back then and the family she founded kept him well fed. Lucky Creed had won 24 straight, equaled 8 years later by Maoris Idol and only bettered by San Simeon. Harold Park had three major cups back in that era; Australia Day, Lord Mayors and Spring Cups. All pretty well went by the wayside with the establishment of the Grand Circuit leaving the Miracle Mile as Harold Park's premier event. How about the crowd - brings a tear to the eye of people that remember the era and would make modern administrators howl with despair!
http://www.milduraindependent.com/in...series-in-2018
Admire the enthusiasm but one feels this will be like passing the clocktower in the Melbourne Cup (a big field but only a couple of winning chances)
Victorian Clubs have until COB on Jan 12 to make their submissions for hosting the 2 nights of non-Melton ID heats. Who do you think should nominate and why?
Well I can't see how Ballarat could have heats without a sprint lane, and Cranbourne is a nightmare to get to so I say anywhere but those two clubs.
I bet it will be Bendigo and Ballarat !
I'm in support of a Shepparton bid, one of the fairest racing circuits. The club is proven in hosting a main attraction, who can forget Courage Under Fire coming to the Goulburn Valley.
Covers the northern and eastern parts of the State, reaching into the north central and central. Draws on the populous to the south and north along the Hume Freeway including those from the southern Riverina of NSW who are attracted to the Albury meetings.
An easy drive from Melbourne along multilane freeways. If you do need a little break, the banks of the Nagambie Lakes with the statue of Black Caviar looking over mum, dad and the kids to get everyone geed up.
I could go on 'smiles' but a bid, submission content, would be dependant on whether you are hosting the midweek heat or Friday/Saturday evening round? Therefore the attractions of the area to entice newcomers might be strategically different. Irrespective of which night, if one of the aims was to re-energise the grassroots, the breeding component of the sport, where is the biggest nursery in the State?
Did someone just mention guided stud tours of the Goulburn Valley which would be pre yearling sales?
Re: Ballarat - it may be so obvious I can't see but why can't Ballarat, without a sprint lane, host a round? If it's about newcomers not being able to comprehend/accept - aren't we lacking variety? Although not primarily known as a punting sport, (the advertising?) AFL is played on grounds with their idiosyncrasies.
Would people suggest Ballarat shouldn't host the Breeders Crown or Sires heats or semis as they are promotional year in year out?
IMO, you can still host the Interdom on tracks with sprint lanes BUT take them out for the Interdom! WA removed the sprint lane for the Bunbury heats, no reason why they can't be removed in Vic. I don't want to make it a 'sprint lane' thread but get rid of the friggen things, especially for the Interdom!
I think Shepparton deserves one just for the weight of numbers they have supporting each race meet & the club no matter the time of year.. Ballarat the other, host the best cup night (just my opinion of course ;)) and deserve the right to host a heat night. Guaranteed bumper crowds!
If Melton is our new headquarters why wouldn't all heats and finals be held there. That should give the best attendance and turnover. It should have the best facilities, oh wait, it doesn't have a covered grandstand and the parade ring is hidden and it's a traffic nightmare to get to !
Commercial recommendations will go to the next Board meeting which I believe is next week
Cheers All
Thanks Carol
So....what are our informed guesses for the 2 country Interdom venues ??
I'm hoping Bendigo, as the COGB, Events Bendigo and Bendigo Tourism have been able to promote and stage great events (like the Marilyn Monroe exhibition at the Art Galley) that have drawn, and accomodate in a range of Airbnbs, Hotels and Motels huge crowds from across the Australia, as well as International visitors, and the public transport is well oiled, particularly VLine. The racetrack is the best in the country, possibly better than Melton.
But I wonder if Ballarat would install a sprint lane to get the event? And based on attendance and betting turnover, Ballarat Cup night was a cracker.
I guess Shepparton as it's the center of the breeding industry and has a large number of trainers based around the area. Yhey may be limited by the accomodation on offer.
Can't see any others outside these three.