The Vicbred Super series continues at Shepparton and with tonights heats being for the 4yo's we get to see plenty of established stars
Tune in early as Tee Cee Bee Macray is in the 2nd at 5.30
http://www.harness.org.au/fields.cfm...&fromstate=vic
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The Vicbred Super series continues at Shepparton and with tonights heats being for the 4yo's we get to see plenty of established stars
Tune in early as Tee Cee Bee Macray is in the 2nd at 5.30
http://www.harness.org.au/fields.cfm...&fromstate=vic
I'm looking forward to the Menin Gate , Ideal For Real clash at 7:00
The running of the heats of the divisions of the Vicbred Super Series all on the one night certainly is a big positive,
Think there were something like 70 different trainers with entrants in th e 2yo heats at Bendigo last Saturday night...and the crowd and atmosphere are accordingly boosted. It was a great night...topped off by the local Tenno Dance leading all the way in the 45th running of the Bendigo Trotters' Cup.
and
Noel, Yes it is fine to hold the heats in one location but hold them in a more central location (ie Ballarat). It is a long way from Terang to Shepparton.
My old fave Mr Wickham, or should I say Gavin Lang, upstaged TCB but Greg Sugars drive was one he would rather forget unless he was content to finish 2nd - very deserving of the QDT at the minimum. I do hope HRV have the same level of wagering monitoring that the gallops have
http://www.harness.org.au/meeting-re...ic#SPC17061607
I'm not putting a knock on the new format and good luck to clubs like Bendigo but would there not have been a similar number of trainers represented, possibly more, with the old format Noel i.e. with heats distributed around the state? For example, in the case of the 4yo heats this year a number of eligible/paid up 4yo's weren't entered due to every likelihood of running into Menin Gate Ideal For Real TCBM and MW etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by Adaptor
'Fortune favours the brave', more so, 'discretion is the better part of valour'...chivalrous(?) considering futurity payment's foregone. With the new format to be sure of maintaining eligibility for the Vicbred Super Series Silver and more particularly Bronze Paces, contesting a heat is the priority preference.
Was there any comment, on the night Noel, in regards to horses being knocked out of the series due to interference with no second chances now?
There's also been a number of horses SD1T, SD10D due to non competiveness. Quite possibly connections had considered the Silver/Bronze Pace eligibility conditions.
It does sound like I'm knocking the new format but it's more a case of "all that glitters is not gold". Sure, a good night for clubs that get to host heats, overall betting turn over comparisons will be interesting but so will analysis of crowd attendances when the decrease in numbers lost for those clubs that previously hosted are accounted for. Has there been better exposure of the product by centralising?
Showcasing the best horses, rejigging racing product is the go but I'd also be cautious of elitism sneaking into our programming on the whole.
Maybe in accepting the new Heats format we should embrace, take advantage of, the opportunity for odds on favourites to get rolled Kev? I didn't notice any betting fluctuations that alluded to anything. Maybe TCB shouldn't have opened so short in the first place. The QDT, the odds on formality rather than suspicion of anything untoward...the lesser of two evils, to QDT or not...better to keep on side with some punters but risk the connotations, the negative image. TCB was driven similarly to recent tactics and C Alford on the 2nd favourite in the chair and your old mate MW :) not a cad...nice trifecta, $53 for risking $6!Quote:
Originally Posted by Messenger
Hadn't you previously kicked Greg off MW Kev? Poor Greg lol. One thing's for sure, Greg know's MW's ability and TCB was going to be up against it considering how most heats are run, and with the way the barrier draw panned out.
An intriguing question, let's say connections of both horses allow Greg to choose which horse to drive in the heat only (and he gets a hall pass ;)). Might he have chosen MW?
Week in week out the Western District guys and girls don't get it too bad Terry. Shepparton to Melton's farther than Shepp to Moonee Valley.Quote:
Originally Posted by Frosty
Not sure how Western Victoria gets it any better Wayne. We are always travelling and that is the cost that is killing us. Even with the old format we have had to travel to Mildura, Kilmore and Yarra Glen to contest heats in recent years (and now Shepparton - 5 hours travel). All we ask is that heats be held at a more central location (Ballarat or Bendigo) so it is fairer for all participants. It has been a long time since Sires heats have been held at Horsham and we understand why. And for the record Hamilton, Horsham and Terang are further from Melton than Shepparton is. As a result of all the travel (and stronger opposition) we are positioning ourselves with some of our foals to race in the Southern Cross series in SA. The Horsham Club will again be taking the issue up with HRV.
We'll take as many heats of the Vicbred at Bendigo as HRV will give us.
That was the whole idea of the Breeder's Crown ......in Central Victoria.
Not sure of Terry's distance point as the Terang Team ( Craven and Lee) were in Sydney at the weekend. Shep's closer than Sydney.
Point taken with travelling distances Terry but I'd hate to see regional centres, such as Shepparton lose hosting rights to Vicbred heats. Mentioning Mildura, might the north western region harbour thoughts of hosting heats at Swan Hill/Nyah? Of course, a long way from Terang. Under the old format was your need to travel to Mildura elective?
Similarly, as an example, if I had a competitive horse under this format I wouldn't hesitate in supporting the south western region in travelling to a heat. How do you see the allocation of heats being made in the future Terry? Are they likely to be rotated through some venues not used this year, for example Geelong and Cranbourne? I guess thoughts might change depending on whether you have a 2, 3 or 4yo in any given year and where the penny drops as to heat venue. Maybe the stake money distribution for Super Sires heats needs to fall in line with the new tiered system where competitors would be eligible for a minimum $200 which would help offset travel costs?
Noel, I also noticed some Victorian trained, I would imagine Vicbred eligible, 2yo's purchased out of the Melbourne APG sales choosing to bypass the Vicbred and run in the NSW Breeders Challenge. Have no idea if this is due to Terry's SA Southern Cross scenario re strength of competition but it wouldn't be a travelling/distance thing. The NSW heats are more widely distributed geographically.
My thoughts aren't representative of a particular club and I was disappointed Bendigo lost their Bendigo Breeders Crown Noel. Was one of the biggest and best things to happen in Australian harness racing. Fair enough you continue to lobby for recompense but would be disappointed HRV used the Vicbred (meaning all of Victoria) Super Sires at the expense of other regions. Perhaps a touch of parochialism but after all the north eastern/Goulburn Valley region strikes to the very core of Victorian breeding.