Interdom. 2013/15

[2minuteman]

Just heard John Dumensy on RR explaining how,what,why and where this brave new concept will bloom.While not wanting to say that "everything was better when I was a boy" this all looks a bit like a Chinese Pack a Poo ticket.
We might get seven heat winners and seven loosely defined others in the final but what about getting the best overall field in the final?
J.D. said that horses nominated for heats must be trained in that jurisdiction for three months prior to the running of the heat/s.
I will bet good money that owners/trainers will be looking at each jurisdiction and rating the local talent v their horse and having a three months holiday to get an easier qually.
If they do not do that, how will owners/trainers, n the stronger states feel about getting 1 shot at qualifying for the final.
This concept WILL NOT give us the strongest final field.

[triplev123]

G'day Ron,

I'm very pleased for the ID as a series that it will now have a home for at least 3 years running, mainly because I'd think promotional opportunities that such continuity might produce could well be greater than that produced by the travelling roadshow routine.
I'm also pleased that the NSWHRC has got it in hand and especially so that it will be raced on the best track there is in this part of the world. Better still is that it's only 1/2 hr to 45mins drive from here. Otherwise, I try to refrain from having too much to say as far as the format goes because, while I do like to watch the older warriors battle, I've always much preferred 2yo & 3yo Classics to IDs. The format aspects are far better left to people like yourself who understand their implications & have a greater interest in them.

[aussiebreno]

Will trainers have to declare a change of tactics?
The tactics being which state they race in for the heat.

Outrageous format.

[Flashing Red]

The only state with any sense is WA. Bring back the 3 heats and final!!

[David Summers]

I'm 100% with you FR , but alas I think we are swimming against the current :-(

[triplev123]

Will trainers have to declare a change of tactics?
The tactics being which state they race in for the heat.

Outrageous format.

[VVV] Geeze Breno...don't go giving the Stewards ideas like that! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[coldshot]

I'm very pleased for the ID as a series that it will now have a home for at least 3 years running, mainly because I'd think promotional opportunities that such continuity might produce could well be greater than that produced by the travelling roadshow routine.


I recall reading somewhere a while back that having it for 3 years was a condition required by Tourism NSW or whatever the relevant quango is in order to secure promotional assistance. I think the travelling roadshow was seen as being a bit like the circus coming to town and then moving on. I hope it goes well as an event though I do have to say I prefer the traditional format, all of which will be a moot point to the average man in the street that I assume the marketing will target. Hopefully we will be on the up and up by the time the ID gets here and that it provides a boost to the now battered image.

[David Summers]

Does this mean that now that this current "three year ID" concept has been locked in that it is now "set in concrete" and no changes or tweaking can be made to the format at all in those three years? [if needed , that is]

[2minuteman]

G'day Ron,

I'm very pleased for the ID as a series that it will now have a home for at least 3 years running, mainly because I'd think promotional opportunities that such continuity might produce could well be greater than that produced by the travelling roadshow routine.
I'm also pleased that the NSWHRC has got it in hand and especially so that it will be raced on the best track there is in this part of the world. .
Agree with most points raised especially the "best track" comment.My main problem is that I can see too many good horses missing out on a run or being subject to arbitrary exclusion.
Take a look at the 20 top ranked Australian horses for ID 11 and then try and work out the ten finalists from five Aust. heats then have a look at the top ten NZ horses and nominate the two finalists (NTH & SOUTH IS.) and maybe the next two from there.
Let's not even begin to wonder about the square gaiters qualifying under this format or are they going to use the old system.
I agree with 3000m and 14 starters as a spectacle and the ability of Menangle to handle a field of this size.
I admit that this is only an opinion,but opinions are like a*******s,every one has one.

[triplev123]

At the risk of incurring Flashing's rather considerable wrath :rolleyes:....I REALLY dislike those God awful 3km standing start slogs. IMO they should have gone the way of the rest of the Dinosaurs by way of staggering into & then drowing themselves in the La Brea Tar Pits. A mile & a 1/4 to a mile & a 1/2 from the mobile is about as far as any Standardbred should ever be asked to go.

[2minuteman]

I wasn't advocating 3000m for ID final only as a spectacle,2300 is far enough to help overcome bad barrier draws etc. and having tactics play a apart.On the final (and heats) my opinion is that if it is to be called a "Championship" it should be an open draw Free for All from the mob.

[triplev123]

Yeh, I know that Ron. I had a flashback to a Standing Start distance race one of ours was in years ago. NEVER again. It was like watching bread rise.:rolleyes:

[Flashing Red]

At the risk of incurring Flashing's rather considerable wrath :rolleyes:....I REALLY dislike those God awful 3km standing start slogs. IMO they should have gone the way of the rest of the Dinosaurs by way of staggering into & then drowing themselves in the La Brea Tar Pits. A mile & a 1/4 to a mile & a 1/2 from the mobile is about as far as any Standardbred should ever be asked to go.

You're lucky I live 1000km away. But maybe you can hear me from NSW. lol.

Standardbreds are a tough breed overall. If thoroughbreds can go over 3200m (even up to 4000m in Europe!) then standardbreds sure as bloody hell can too :)

However I do not advocate 3200m overnight races and I think 2 miles should be kept to just a few features, ie NZ Cup and Hunter Cup. I do not think new 2 mile stakes races should be introduced but I think it would be a crying shame if the NZ Cup or Hunter Cup's conditions changed. It would be like making the Melbourne Cup a 2400m WFA event. And while I'm not a diehard standing start fan I don't think they should be removed altogether because it gives those horses that lack gatespeed a chance, ie a wider scope of races for a wider range of horses (as are races over 1 1/2 miles).

[Flashing Red]

Yeh, I know that Ron. I had a flashback to a Standing Start distance race one of ours was in years ago. NEVER again. It was like watching bread rise.:rolleyes:

100% bias, but the NZ Cup of 2007 goes down as one of the most exciting races I have ever seen (for me). The hair on the back of my neck still stands up when I think about it. Up there with SBSW's 1:46 mile and Smoken Up's 1:48 Len Smith, Art Official's Meadowlands Pace win was also a beauty.

When you have top horses put in top performances, it doesn't matter what the distance or starting type of the race is in my opinion :)

[2minuteman]

Eggsackly,apart from an occasional trip to the Newcastle mid-weeks to see them go around these days, we now travel to main meetings (incl ID) to see the good horses in action.Atmosphere and anticipation is always great even if good things get beat.See trotters ID this year.
Incidentally can somebody explain to me how you can have 10 starters in a C0 who in their last 30 starts have not filled a place and something opens odds on fav?

[2minuteman]

I think I know but maybe I am just a cynical old dropkick.

[triplev123]

Eggsackly,apart from an occasional trip to the Newcastle mid-weeks to see them go around these days, we now travel to main meetings (incl ID) to see the good horses in action.Atmosphere and anticipation is always great even if good things get beat.See trotters ID this year.
Incidentally can somebody explain to me how you can have 10 starters in a C0 who in their last 30 starts have not filled a place and something opens odds on fav?

[VVV] A drunk has a win on the Pokies and in celebration he turns & slaps down a lazy $100 in a small pool because he likes the name. ;)

[Greg Hando]

The only state with any sense is WA. Bring back the 3 heats and final!!

I'm with you Tahn
So i will say this "this Format is a load of shit hang your head's in shame HRNSW you are not going to get the best horses in the final" it will just be a higher prizemoney MO front race not the Inter Dominion
John( Dumesny) i thought you would have more sense agreeing to run something like this to me it put's the meaning of the Inter's as nothing more than the luckiest horse on the day get's in.

[2minuteman]

My point exactly.

[Don Corleone]

I agree totally with you Greg. If they wanted a format like this then by all means run one but don't say its a Inter because it is not.

[David Summers]

HRNSW don't insult the name and history of a great harness event by having the audacity to call the "dog's breakfast" you have put forward an "Interdominion".

No , it most definitely isn't. Not even close. http://www.postsmile.net/img/20/2017.gif (http://www.postsmile.com/)

More appropriate to call it the Australasian Clayton's Travelling Circus. Why "Clayton's" ? It's the Interdominion you have when you are not having an Interdominion.

[David Summers]

I'll just add that , in case anyone feels like calling me an "old fart , living in the past" , then I'll save you the trouble ;) I am [sometimes] , ask my wife!!

If this is the way ahead then I will have to accept it, but for the sake of the great history of the Interdominion , why not call the Perth ID the final Interdominion and move on.

A brand new name for the proposed 2013-15 pseudo- Interdominion should be considered.

Why not give it it's own unique branding?

[Flashing Red]

What I hope is the WA is such a roaring sucess and with all the money HRNSW now has, that we can change back to the old format.

IT SORTED THE MEN FROM THE BOYS!! Only a true champion could win a three heat and final format!

[aussiebreno]

What I hope is the WA is such a roaring sucess and with all the money HRNSW now has, that we can change back to the old format.

IT SORTED THE MEN FROM THE BOYS!! Only a true champion could win a three heat and final format!

Doesn't sound likely. All the press releases have HRNSW saying this new format is the best thing since sliced bread. Imagine egg on the face if they backflipped saying 3 heats is the go. Although that would be the right decision I can't see them changing it.

[Flashing Red]

The reason why I like more than one heat, is because any heat will be tough to win - you get a bad draw against a field of good horses despite being a top horse yourself, you may not get in. At least with heats it sort of evened everything out...

[strong persuader]

Add me to the list of those unsupportive of this change. It is a new race and cannot ever be compared to an Inter-Dominion. It is just wrong to say that it replaces the ID, if they felt the need to do away with the ID, do that, then announce a new race, not some convoluted garble about revamping an age old tradition that still excites a lot of people.