Originally Posted by
Old Frank
Jamie, this is one of my major gripes about NSW harness racing. Your point is in relation to 2yr old fillies but what about the disgraceful manner mares are treated in this state, outside of their 2 & 3yr old seasons (which as your highlighting is diabolical!)
Don't anybody jump in and say how there's been a feature mares race for the last 3-4 metro's, take out the 6 week period around the Ladyship, leaving some 46 weeks where mares are uncatered for and fundamentally cannot earn any metro money as they have to race colts and geldings and cannot be competitive.
There should be a 10 race program every metro meeting, 1 x trotters, 2 x mares, 7 x various grades and therefore you have room for all class of horse to be catered for consistently.
There should be M0-M3 and M3+ for mares only every week and further, mares should automatically get a 1 grade 'lift' back when nominated for an open class race, i.e. an M2 mare automatically becomes an M1 and could actually race in an M0 with a junior. Therefore a mare has a chance to compile 4-5 metro wins next to her name, winning good prizemoney and helping her become commercially viable as a broodmare and her potential offspring. Or with mares only metro class, she can stay racing her own sex for maximum advantage.