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Thread: Left Field Ideas to Reinvigorate Harness Racing

  1. #1
    Super Moderator Stallion Messenger will become famous soon enough Messenger's Avatar
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    Question Left Field Ideas to Reinvigorate Harness Racing

    Following on from yesterday's premise that what the sports leaders have been doing is not working (Thanks Archie)
    Let's think outside the box and come up with ways that we might reinvigorate harness racing

    Some guidelines:
    They should still be palatable to most of our existing fans
    Still in essence be harness racing and suited to Standardbreds
    Mindful of animal welfare
    Ideally not cost an absolute fortune or years to come to fruition (as I am not sure we have the time)

    This is brainstorming, you don't have to have completely thought out the ideas, they may or may not work (who knows at this point), they may even spark a better idea from someone else.
    Posters be kind to those who have the courage to throw something out there
    per un PUGNO di DOLLARI

  2. #2
    Super Moderator Stallion Messenger will become famous soon enough Messenger's Avatar
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    Here goes

    We need punting revenue
    It seems to me that the most successful harness in the world is Europe
    A few years ago we were providing product for France
    Has this the potential to be seriously profitable if we get it right?

    Have the last half of our evening meets 4 or 5 trots races that lead into France's own afternoon of racing
    Using TrotsVision or Sky whatever, recruit a French race-caller for the feed

    Maybe Russia should be the target if they are such big gamblers, I don't know, just throwing a Leftie out there
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  3. #3
    Member Yearling Theoldfox will become famous soon enough
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    Hmmmm. perhaps do a search engine search with the following key words before mentioning Russian gambling too loudly!

    "russia mafia match fixing"

    I think few sports have been affected by "their" (I won't name them as I still have will to live, ) long reaching arm. On the other hand, perhaps their involvement is a sign that an industry's betting turnover is great and worth their while!

    Quote Originally Posted by Messenger View Post
    Here goes

    We need punting revenue
    It seems to me that the most successful harness in the world is Europe
    A few years ago we were providing product for France
    Has this the potential to be seriously profitable if we get it right?

    Have the last half of our evening meets 4 or 5 trots races that lead into France's own afternoon of racing
    Using TrotsVision or Sky whatever, recruit a French race-caller for the feed

    Maybe Russia should be the target if they are such big gamblers, I don't know, just throwing a Leftie out there

  4. #4
    Senior Member Colt Beltane will become famous soon enough
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    Russia may be a place to go as they are silly enough to bet on things like this dodgy enterprise:

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...scam-the-sting

    But seriously no future tracks should be over 1,000 metres in length, to try and give attendees some spectacle value, unlike the 1,400 metre Menangle track where in the back straight the horses are out there in the distance. It is embarrassing to take guests to the track, and the only racing spectacle is when the runners come down the main straight, whilst the rest of the race is watched on the TV screens.

  5. #5
    Super Moderator Stallion Messenger will become famous soon enough Messenger's Avatar
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    It works for the gallops however Steve but I agree that small track action is a point of difference that we should be exploiting for the excitement factor

    While on tracks, someone once suggested to me a figure 8 track - a great way to maybe negate leader bias - could look incredible
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  6. #6
    Senior Member Stallion Showgrounds is just really nice Showgrounds is just really nice
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    Quote Originally Posted by Messenger View Post
    It works for the gallops however Steve but I agree that small track action is a point of difference that we should be exploiting for the excitement factor

    While on tracks, someone once suggested to me a figure 8 track - a great way to maybe negate leader bias - could look incredible
    Figure 8. Something akin to a flag and barrel race with sulkies. What could possibly go wrong?

  7. #7
    Super Moderator Stallion Messenger will become famous soon enough Messenger's Avatar
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    "Posters be kind to those who have the courage to throw something out there"

    On a large 8, I don't think it would be as chaotic as you are suggesting Trev. I see the pole and the death more or less rotating the lead. I wouldn't mind seeing it. There would be a grass track somewhere that you could peg it out and see how it works(gallops)
    per un PUGNO di DOLLARI

  8. #8
    Senior Member Stallion Showgrounds is just really nice Showgrounds is just really nice
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    It would need to be a big, big 8 Kev and I reckon the sight of horses pulling up lame would prove counter-productive. Then again it would be a better spectacle than Trot Rods and Mercury 80.

  9. #9
    Super Moderator Stallion Messenger will become famous soon enough Messenger's Avatar
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    Come on people, we are dying and need ideas
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    per un PUGNO di DOLLARI

  10. #10
    Member Yearling Theoldfox will become famous soon enough
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    I agree!
    1. Bring back smaller tracks
    2. Get rid of the sprint lanes
    3. Remove mandatory split times
    4. Bring back the standing starts

    Racing has become fixated on fast times, not spectacle. The skill, and cleverness of drivers has been made less important. Racing has been slowly changed and designed to ensure the "expected" result is achieved. Tactics and smarts are removed from the equation. I know people will say that the changes reduce race fixing, but I think this is yet to be proven. Drivers would still be held accountable where suspicious actions were taken. Throwing condition that make tactics more important and bringing back Standing Starts ensures that people find punting more exciting. They punter needs to guess on driver actions and skill and how they think the race will play out. On an 800 metre track and a rival driver can think about how to beat the favourite, versus a race on a 1400m track and the favourite will just bulldoze past on talent giving nothing else a chance....it may be fairer to the owners of that better horse, but does nothing to create excitement and resurrect the industry. Boring and robotic is how I often see races now.


    Quote Originally Posted by Beltane View Post
    Russia may be a place to go as they are silly enough to bet on things like this dodgy enterprise:

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...scam-the-sting

    But seriously no future tracks should be over 1,000 metres in length, to try and give attendees some spectacle value, unlike the 1,400 metre Menangle track where in the back straight the horses are out there in the distance. It is embarrassing to take guests to the track, and the only racing spectacle is when the runners come down the main straight, whilst the rest of the race is watched on the TV screens.

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