Thank you to everyone who took part in our recent survey on standing start racing in Victoria.
Overall we had 827 responses to the survey, which aimed to gauge the views of industry participants, punters and trots followers as to whether there was still a place for standing start racing in our sport.
We have tallied the results and will present them in this email, along with some of the comments that were written by some of the survey respondents.
It is clear from this survey that the majority of respondents feel there is a place for standing start racing in Victorian harness racing.
However, while the vast majority of respondents felt standing start racing does belong on our calendar the strong view from almost all respondents was that standing start races need to be "successful".
The opinion of both those in favour of standing start racing and those against it was that horses galloping away from the stand start is not a good look for harness racing and situations like favourite Adore Me galloping out in the Hunter Cup aren't a good look for our sport.
HRV is always interested in hearing the views of participants, owners and punters and once again we thank everyone who took part in this survey.
Q1: Is there a place for standing start racing in the modern sporting environment?
Yes: 610 (73.76%)
No: 217 (26.24%)
Q2: Should there be more or less standing start races in Victoria?
More: 355 (42.93%)
Less: 241 (29.14%)
No change: 231 (27.93%)
Q3: Does the fact that a race is a standing start race influence the amount you bet on that race?
Bet more: 106 (12.82%)
Bet less: 229 (27.69%)
No difference: 492 (59.49%)
Some of the comments
"Standing starts allow horses to be handicapped which should promote more competitive racing and fewer short-priced favourites."
"More value in standing start races."
"Constant mobile racing is boring. Standing start races give a variety."
"People never know what the horse could do in the standing start when the tapes release."
"There is too much uncertainty."
"(I) don't bet on standing start races at all."
Q4: Should the Hunter Cup remain a standing start race?
Yes: 594 (71.83%)
No: 217 (26.24%)
No opinion: 16 (1.93%)
Some of the comments
"I think the stand start gives a point of difference to other feature races."
"History is important."
"It's a tradition."
"Tradition is the key to our success."
"The elite level should race as a mobile."
"No. Harness racing needs to get out of the dark ages."
"The Hunter Cup is ruined by standing starts."
"Only trotting races should have standing starts, not pacing events."
"It is raced under NZ conditions for NZ horses giving them Australian money."
Q5: Should the Hunter Cup remain at 3280 metres or be reduced to 2760 metres?
Remain 3280m: 631 (83.47%)
Reduce to 2760m: 113 (14.95%)
Other: 12 (1.59%)
Some of the comments
"I like the distance. It gives every horse a chance to win the race."
"We have too many short races."
"A good staying contest adds to the diversity of racing we are lucky to experience. There are plenty of shorter races for the top grade already."
"Make it 2200m to 2400m."
"Perhaps as there are not many longer races these days it would be better at 2760m as horses are not used to running the extra distance."
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Harness Racing Victoria
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Moonee Ponds, VIC 3039
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