Reply With QuoteI read this with intrest & I never looked at it that way. How scarys that.Originally Posted by murray green
Regardless of how LM is winning his races . Is this domination good for harness racing ? LM is attracting most of the biggest owners in NSW and elsewhere . His buisness is flourishing . These are not new owners , to the industry , so it is having an unsustainable impact on the incomes of many participants as they loose their best horses and owners as well as driving fees and percentages . These people were already struggling and , if it continues , will most certainly reaccess their participation in this sport . As participants leave so do punters as most harness racing punters have a direct link to the sport . I know 3 people who have committed to leaving the industry this week . HRNSW has probably done those people they have stood down a favour . At least they won't hang around going broke . Every aspect of the industry is affected . I believe even yearling sale figures will cop a hiding this year as people loose interest . Such domination is called a monopoly and would spell an end for most buisnesses . This could be the straw that broke the camels back and , IMO , this industry will implode even quicker than it already is . Good luck to LM but please turn off the lights at Menangle Park when you leave .
Last edited by murray green; 01-08-2012 at 11:56 PM. Reason: spelling
I read this with intrest & I never looked at it that way. How scarys that.
You don't realise that its their bread and butter . Do you?
Why would you race a horse in nsw ? Just to make up the field ....
Hi Murray, you raise an interesting question that's gaining momentum as a real problem.
In the short term we might see a few of these trainers change their business model and prepare horses for LM rather than race against him. It's probably the most demoralising thing that they can do however are left with little choice.
In regards to new interest and money into the game, then my opinion is that it will be short term until LM has enough capital to own all of his horse's. He's won over $800,000 already this season for his owners and would be thinking how he can get all of it. He'd have to be confident enough to start putting more of his own money in. I read an article recently about his brother coming over to train/drive at menangle which might support this.
So along with getting all of the revenue that he generates, he wouldn't have to report to owners.
Last edited by racefair; 01-09-2012 at 07:59 AM.
I remember when the Knights were dominating in Victoria not to the same extent, some good trainers started jogging up horses for Vinnie.This may happen again not a good scenario.
Everyone knows my thoughts on LM.
The way I see it. The standardbred has been evolving into a faster but weaker horses similar to TB in a lot of ways. Harness trainers have not changed their training methods for the past 20 years and now they are behind the eight ball not to an obvious extent until now. LM is so far advanced on any nsw trainer it's not funny. All the big owners no that and have moved there horses. That's always going to happin it's an open market.
In regards to people leaving the sport. When Harold park was sold harness racing changed there business plan. One of the long term problems for harness racing has been its inability to attract the punters dollars. One of the reasons is because of inconsistent form. Inconsistant results in alagations of wrong doing. Weekend warrior trainers and drivers can't deliver consistent form.
One of the key objectives was to attract interstate horses and trainers. That is why there have been large prize money increases at the top end but lower end country races have seen prize money stay the same or in some cases reduce.
Large numbers of small stables are hard for stewards to regulate (see other thread on disqualified persons) another reason the putters dollar has fallen.
So the future.
The clubs in Sydney need to be reduced to 2 now and 1 with in five years.
Country Clubs need to be reduced to 3 bathurst wagga and newcastle.
The number of nsw based drivers needs to be reduced to about 20 ( there is only 3 that cut it and 2 of those may or may not be back.
Sydney based trainers need to be reduced to about 10 and the interstate satellite stables at menangle.
The breeding industry needs to be killed off all our horses can be sourced from interstate and NZ as already racing stock.
So some may call it dominatatin but I tend to think of it as evolution. This will be the future and there is no room for hobby trainers and weekend warrior drivers so don't be worried about people leaving harness racing instead tell them to take a mate with them.
G'day Andy,
As compared to years ago, I think today's breed is better gaited, more refined, obviously faster and I'd argue much sounder than its predecessors & with all that I just don't think they need to be drilled as much, as often and for as long in order to keep them fit. I also believe that there is a HUGE mental aspect to them...much like the TB's. Once they reach the point of race fitness and they're going fast miles each week, the aim is to keep them there but by way of doing as little as possible with them between outings, you have to keep them physically fit & just as crucially, mentally fit/sharp. I don't think that there's any more or any less to it than that but how exactly you would set out a program in order to achieve that, I really don't know. Less on the training track, more on the race track is pretty much about the size of it.
Great post and good food for thought. A lot of what's said is spot on.
The Driver issue is a massive one. I wrote to Harold Park over 10yrs ago imploring them to have a system like the Medowlands where it's somewhat a closed group of drivers.
Punters bet on consistency so the same core group of drivers going around promote consistency, coupled with consistent trainers and performing horses. The TAB put out a report some years ago saying how galloping punting (casual and small punter) was majority based around a favourite or particular rider. Somewhat like a Beadman in his heyday where his horses were sent out a couple of points under the odds due to his presence.
The current crop of drivers at Menangle classed as 'Metro' drivers are a disgrace, pure and simple. Most have no idea whatsoever on rating a horse or assessing form and this is why they get handled badly by quality drivers such as McCarthy.
Have you seen a Menangle (Bulli) or Bankstown Monday meeting or Tuesday Menangle meeting for driver quality - absolutely disgraceful. They have no posture or style in the cart, their bouncing around looking terrible, the horse must be wondering WTF is going on back there. Put a good driver on and the horse improves three (3) lengths instantly just by the fact some is relaxed on them and can steer and rate well. No wonder punters are steered off when they can't recognise 95% of who's going around or then watch the weekend warrior do his best (which is generally shit!).
Drivers should also have their own colours, irrespective of who their driving, exactly like the USA. It's easy to spot in a race and follow that driver consistently.
It is a so-called professional sport yet overrun with non-professionals, plain and simple.
Blokes are holding down regular jobs but then as weekend/morning warriors, are competing, yes because they love it but are generally training poor quality stock and in an amatuer fashion and then complain that they can't compete against the likes of McCarthy/Fitzpatrick etc like it's their right to win a race?
It's no one's right to train a horse and get freebie wins, it's a competitive industry and blokes like Luke are taking it seriously to the upmost in order to maximise his potential earnings from it, plain and simple.
Don't build a home computer and then complain that you can't get ahead of Apple...
Last edited by Old Frank; 01-09-2012 at 12:00 PM.
Another great post.
I spoke with an ex-pat Aussie trainer based in New Jersey back in 2005 about his training program and even at that time, work programs over there were VASTLY different to what I knew as accepted here and basically it was because they were spinning off 1.50 every race at the Big M and I remember him saying to me at the time, "son, you can't get them any fitter when their spinning of times like that every week, it's all about keeping maintained"
Not a truer word spoken. McCarthy's training techniques are spot on for the style of racing and importantly, style of horse we are breeding and competing with these days.
As a I said in another post the other day, no two (2) heats of two miles with jogging for 40minutes on off days, day in, day out monotony any more. What about some old trainers, three (3) heat hopple work, no way jose!
Last edited by Old Frank; 01-09-2012 at 12:02 PM.
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