Sprint lane debate once and for all!!!!

[The Form Student]

Kevin,champion horses win whether there is a sprint lane or no sprint lane..if it wasnt good enough to win on the night then thats how it is,it happens some times.Irrespective of how the race panned out it did not win!So in my opinion,no it does not deserve to be on the Oaks honour roll.

If you owned the horse, you may think differently.......I believe that even though leaders win a high percentage, they have been brave enough to take the race up, and should not have their work undone by a horse getting a free run up the sprint lane.....the driver of the leader has no opportunity to hold that horse up for a run, by using his driving ability or luck, and perhaps sneak home.....the fence horse also needs to make it's own luck, not be given the free run!

[Messenger]

Kev to Kevin I know what you are saying but at the same time it virtually amounts to having to consider classic results pre and post sprint lane as on an old track (everything else being equal) she probably wins

Steve, your point about the courage it takes to lead is real. As a fairly competitive athlete in my day at athletics and cycling - you are surely a sitting duck when you take up the race and lead

I think that this debate is probably a waste of time as it is highly unlikely that either side will change the others mind

It is a pity Harnesslink does not have a 'poll' facility to see how many lie in each camp

[Maorisidol]

If you owned the horse, you may think differently.......I believe that even though leaders win a high percentage, they have been brave enough to take the race up, and should not have their work undone by a horse getting a free run up the sprint lane.....the driver of the leader has no opportunity to hold that horse up for a run, by using his driving ability or luck, and perhaps sneak home.....the fence horse also needs to make it's own luck, not be given the free run!

Steve, if i understand you correctly in saying, "the driver of the leader has no opportunity to hold that horse up for a run, by using his driving ability or luck", then your seemingly total opinion of the sprint lane that every horse that uses it wins...is wrong.
See below example i quoted earlier in this thread using the master Gav Lang. He had the 2nd fav with the hot fav having the sit and the SL at his mercy. But driver skill beat the hot fav AND the SL...

Swan Hill
B1 led $3.20 won. g lang stacked em up, sprinted at 350m…to good
B3 Fav $1.50 challenged for lead, Sit, 2nd, USL couldn’t do it. gave punters a chance tho cos USL, HOWEVER lead drivers skills beat the SL!!!!! So SL gave Fav backers a better chance to win by USL not going around leader covering extra ground, however horse couldn't do it,

http://www.harness.org.au/meeting-re...B181014&ms=vic RACE 2

[The Form Student]

Steve, if i understand you correctly in saying, "the driver of the leader has no opportunity to hold that horse up for a run, by using his driving ability or luck", then your seemingly total opinion of the sprint lane that every horse that uses it wins...is wrong.

http://www.harness.org.au/meeting-re...B181014&ms=vic RACE 2

Not what I am saying at all, I know that every sprint lane horse doesn't win........but if a leader get's beaten by a lip when a horse uses the sprint lane, just imagine the reverse results if that horse did not have the sprint lane, and if the driver of the leader was able to hold that horse up for a short distance in the straight, it would not have enough time to win! You are interfering with the natural running of a race........why do the other drivers need to have tactics, when the sit horse driver knows what is in his plan! To me, this has become an unfair sport! Yes, I may have to get used to it, but it is not right!

[Richard prior]

That's exactly what it's about Ash, If your leading and not being attacked, You can set the tempo for the race and try and get the jump on the sprint lane horse as Gavin has done and it's all about knowing your opposition and the ability of the horse that's sitting on your back. Now I'm not a driver and never will be but honestly, You would need to have eyes like Marty Feldman to watch the whole field but if you can dictate the tempo unchallenged, The horse on your back is the danger and you would definitley try to get the jump on it.

[The Form Student]

Yes, I have looked at your race and I would suggest that Gavin knew he had walked up the back straight in 30, (even the trotters race went quicker up the back in 29.3 & home in 28.3, a 57.6 last half), Gav's last half in 58.1, and slightly faster last QTR in 28........he knew he had stolen the race off the other drivers.......it had nothing to do with the sprint lane or the horse's prices, but the next runner in the market was 15/1.

I am not sticking up for the leader totally, what about all the other runners that have to negotiate and obtain a run in the race, mostly wider on the track, what assistance are they getting?......NONE!.......is it fair, most definitely not.........whenever, I look at the record of a horse, I will now wonder if it got uninterrupted rails runs to win!........that will be a travesty of justice for all the other runners, whether it mattered or not!

[brent_L]

As I wrote earlier I don't like sprint lanes. But I think that they are coming for most tracks. Every time I hear or read something about sprint lanes all I can think of is Blacks A Fake should have won five interdoms but for a sprint lane. All the work that he did in that race and to have a horse get a run inside him was just cruel. Mister Feelgood goes to stud an interdom winner (and he is a very good horse). For owners and trainers it's also getting done out of place prizemoney by a sprint lane runner. Place prizemoney helps feed the horse for the punter to have a bet on next week.

Not sure that's quite fair Toni. If memory serves me correct mr F came around most of the field only to duck back down to the inside to get the win......hardly a 'cheat lane' victory IMO

[brent_L]

But Brendan does Mindarie Priddy deserve to be on the Oaks honour roll?
Barynya is a good horse mind you but what if this was a colt being beaten in the Derby by a horse gifted the run - it could make a difference to his chances of being sought out by a leading Stud

Kev, the most recent running of the Vic Derby was won by a sprint-laner.......a gelding beating a colt for that matter. That victory however, was a result of the barrier draw (+ a whole lot of team driving), much the same as the oaks race mentioned. Both leaders in those races were only afforded that chance thru drawing a good/lucky barrier.

When it comes to the faster class horses, the barrier draw is the ONLY thing that separates them. All this BS regarding horses taking advantage of a sprint lane can ONLY occur if LUCK plays its part in a draw. Next thing I'll be reading is that after drawing the cherry and saluting u must go to the back of the queue (outside draw) to pay your dues......give me a break.

[Race For Fun]

Not sure that's quite fair Toni. If memory serves me correct mr F came around most of the field only to duck back down to the inside to get the win......hardly a 'cheat lane' victory IMO

I didn't call it a "cheat lane" or imply that BUT if MF or any horse has to work around not up the inside it makes a difference to the outcome of any race. Not like BAF drifted of the fence and driver did not straighten her horse.

[Richard prior]

Not sure that's quite fair Toni. If memory serves me correct mr F came around most of the field only to duck back down to the inside to get the win......hardly a 'cheat lane' victory IMO

Now Mr Feelgood was no slouch that's for sure and he put in a mighty run that night, Auckland Reactor's antic's didn't help Blackie.