Is anyone else disappointed with the quality of the officialform guides presented for Harness Racing? I feel that harness racing bettorsare very poorly treated in the information that is currently being put forward. I would suggest we run a very poor thirdto the other racing codes in information provided to encourage punters to bet. Having spent some of the last few years inCanada, I am used to the detailed form lines that the larger North Americantracks provide. From the results chartsand form lines provided a bettor can draw an accurate picture of how the racewas run and how the horse performed. Compare any US/Canadian form line withwhat was provided for Vladimir the Great after his win at Menangle on26/11/2011:

1-9 MENANGL 26Nov11 2300MS (Good), $25000 Sew Eurodrive Mount Eden (C0 To C5.), Fr6 Gary Hall (Jnr) $6.10, 3.5m, 7.9m, 2nd MABROOK NZ Fr7, 3rd GOD SEND NZ Fr1, 1:58.6, 56.1 (30.5, 29.9, 28.1, 28.0) pre race blood test, galloped out, warning issued, swabbed

Where does it tell you that this horse was four back on thefence from the start to the 800 (13 metres off the lead; worked one wide into 8thposition at the 400 (10 metres off the lead); then flashed home from 5th(8 metres off the lead) at the 200 to win in a last half of 55.1 (27.9, 27.2)off its slow lead time of 53.6 seconds andfirst quarters of 31.6 and 29.9.

From the info in the official form you cannot tell if thishorse’s run was a good honest sit and sprint off a mixed gait start or it wonlike Mount Eden who also galloped outand raced into harness racing legend!

Bear in mind this horse then started a $1.40 favourite atits next start and had to race in the death seat for most of the last two lapsat Bankstown. Nice run parked out but no Mount Eden performance!