Ballarat Cup

[teecee]

My understanding is that the offending sulkies are a modified version of the standard approved UFO.
The UFO is approved for use in Australia and NZ but I am unsure whether the modified version has or needs approval.
The sulky at issue is modified to assist with horses who strike the wheels struts when racing.
Some are modified width (offending ) whilst others are modified lengthwise.
There is a baseless suggestion in some of the posts of this thread but IMO there are no integrity concerns in this issue and whether some big races were won fairly using a UFO sulky.
It is a matter of whether the modifications are approved within the licencing and wof testing of the UFO sulky.

[arlington]

It may well be both the CEO and Chairman of HRV made reference to integrity issues surrounding the events from Thursday through to last night rather than legalities of sulky dimensions teecee but I'm not sure there isn't a concern with over dimension (width) sulkies and fair racing. If we're talking about the extreme outer dimension of a sulky it's cut and dried? One of the drawbacks of the USA style sulkies, adopted for use here, is the reduced 'lift'. One way of increasing lift is to bring the driver closer to the horse where you can run into trouble with hooves striking the struts or wheels. If rectifying that means the outer dimensions of the sulky are outside HRA specs, end of story? Alternatively extending the shafts, modified lengthwise/shaft extensions to give hoof clearance, will have a detrimental effect on lift but keeps the sulky in specs. Certainly not suggesting any participant would consciously use an over dimension width sulky but there could be an advantage considering our racing style and size of tracks. We race on half mile tracks with tighter racing than North America. A horse with a correct sulky could be blocked for a run either to the inside or outside of an over dimension sulky.

[Messenger]

My understanding is that the offending sulkies are a modified version of the standard approved UFO.
The UFO is approved for use in Australia and NZ but I am unsure whether the modified version has or needs approval.
The sulky at issue is modified to assist with horses who strike the wheels struts when racing.
Some are modified width (offending ) whilst others are modified lengthwise.
There is a baseless suggestion in some of the posts of this thread but IMO there are no integrity concerns in this issue and whether some big races were won fairly using a UFO sulky.
It is a matter of whether the modifications are approved within the licencing and wof testing of the UFO sulky.

If anyone suggested that big races may have been won unfairly - I missed it. Oops they surely did and I even quoted it (for its second half) - my bad

It may well be both the CEO and Chairman of HRV made reference to integrity issues surrounding the events from Thursday through to last night rather than legalities of sulky dimensions teecee but I'm not sure there isn't a concern with over dimension (width) sulkies and fair racing. If we're talking about the extreme outer dimension of a sulky it's cut and dried? One of the drawbacks of the USA style sulkies, adopted for use here, is the reduced 'lift'. One way of increasing lift is to bring the driver closer to the horse where you can run into trouble with hooves striking the struts or wheels. If rectifying that means the outer dimensions of the sulky are outside HRA specs, end of story? Alternatively extending the shafts, modified lengthwise/shaft extensions to give hoof clearance, will have a detrimental effect on lift but keeps the sulky in specs. Certainly not suggesting any participant would consciously use an over dimension width sulky but there could be an advantage considering our racing style and size of tracks. We race on half mile tracks with tighter racing than North America. A horse with a correct sulky could be blocked for a run either to the inside or outside of an over dimension sulky.

Interesting Wayne. Am I right, in summarizing, that getting nearer to the horse to provide lift can create hoof strike problems so the answer would be to go back to a longer sulky until a wider short one is approved

[arlington]

If anyone suggested that big races may have been won unfairly - I missed it



Interesting Wayne. Am, I right in summarizing that to getting nearer to the horse to provide lift can create hoof strike problems so the answer would be to go back to a longer sulky until a wider short one is approved

In short (no pun intended) it would seem the logical answer Kev but approving wider sulkies would have wider ramifications (pun intended).

[Toohard]

Forgetting how 25mm either side of a sulky can make a difference (if it can).

Some trainers change carts. Cossel and Jilliby Royal in the 3yo race for example. One not look comfortable from the go. The other under perform. If the sulkies such an advantage why no pre race announcement?

Guaranteed had problems 'going straight' early on as 3yo. Tipping they put a lot of time into fixing problem. Want them to change sulky at last minute?

They knew Thursday of problem. Put announcement up on website after last race last night. We saw in car in car park last night. Said measured carts Friday. Carts OK Friday but then measured last night and not OK?? People then dispute carts measured Friday. They change thing on website to Thursday. Changed?? Why not measured both days? If such a big deal why not both days? Why no message sent telling people check carts on Thursday? Why leave until Saturday night?

My point not about whether carts legal or not. My point about "WTF going on?" Why stuff up Ballarat Cup night? Makes no sense at all.

The whole thing a total embarassment. Been following and participating for many years now. Try to be positive all the time but even I struggle after last night.

[Messenger]

As an aside, I cannot believe that Ballarat Dogs were on last night too

[Smoken]

Kev, they obviously thought they would make it a double whammy, even though you would think that the whole evening should have been focused on there harness meeting.. It's a night that the Ballarat club would want to forget ASAP...

[Messenger]

Kev, they obviously thought they would make it a double whammy, even though you would think that the whole evening should have been focused on there harness meeting.. It's a night that the Ballarat club would want to forget ASAP...

But they are splitting the punting crowd (even if the tracks are only a block apart)

[Messenger]

Emma Stewart won a couple of races at Wedderburn today - I wonder whether these horses handled a change of sulky

[Smoken]

They obviously didn't see it like that Kev. The outcome was a massive flop regardless. Really makes Harness Racing seem dodgy!