Humbletonian Day - Let Them Come

[Messenger]

I read in The Age today that starting Monday the gallops are letting Regional Vic owners attend Regional Vic meetings when they have a horse involved

Humbletonian is a real owners day - come on HRV let them come on Monday

[Messenger]

Who we don't want coming to Humbletonian Day is First Starters. It is an abuse of the concept. Ideally the races should be for maidens who have had 3 or more starts
Take Andy Gath's impeccably bred Yambukian in the last

http://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=MH121020#MHC12102004

[Yabbie]

I don’t think it’s just an HRV decision but governed by state government requirements. And it won’t happen overnight

[Messenger]

So how did it happen for the gallops - regional owners allowed to attend beginning tomorrow
You would think it would be extremely easy for us to piggy-back onto their ruling

[Messenger]

Beautiful to see the David Murphy $57 Triple Zed get up in R5 instead of the Emma Stewart $1.30 favourite
It was Lilabitahenrytee's first run for the Stewart stable having had 11 starts for Justin Torney (as recently as 3 weeks ago)
Ridiculous to think it was $1.30 on Humbletonian Day

http://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=MH121020#MHC12102003

[Messenger]

I fear Humbletonian day is getting less humble.
Compare today's times for the pacing races

http://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=MH121020

With last year's times

http://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=MH290819

They are a good 2-3 secs faster

I would be tempted to drop the prizemoney back to the regular $7k to be sure that nobody is targeting the races
Make it special in some other way such as rugs etc

[gutwagon]

I would be tempted to drop the prizemoney back to the regular $7k to be sure that nobody is targeting the races
Make it special in some other way such as rugs etc
Why not 7k and a free service to a choice of several stallions ? Would encourage people to keep breeding . Win , Win !

[Messenger]

That is a possibility Rick although it may still make it a target race for some 'much better than ordinary' horses. Humbletonian Day is a good concept but why not just $7k instead of rewarding mediocrity? Not that I am a fan of $4,500 races but aren't they supposed to be the answer for horses that cannot win $7k races - so the $10k for Humble Day seems a bit over the top IMO

[Messenger]

Bullion Harry will back up at Tabcorp Park Melton in Saturday night’s Aldebaran Park Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic final, a $50,000 Group 1 that could make it a very lucrative week for connections.

Not exactly a struggling Humble winner (Muscle Hill x Miss Bullion)

https://www.thetrots.com.au/news/articles/pride-and-delight-as-connections-celebrate-humbo2020-break-throughs/

[Messenger]

An interesting article from 'The Barn' (we sometimes forget that it is down the bottom of the HRV homepage)

https://thebarn.thetrots.com.au/news/articles/ten-years-of-humbletonian-the-stand-outs/

[Messenger]

Humbletonian Day has been run and won (first time ever for 12 horses) for 2021
My favourite winner has to be 4yo trotter Will Patrick who won R1 as it was his 25th start

All the other winners were having somewhere between their 1st and 13th start - NOT exactly desperate days
Will Patrick was the 3rd most experienced horse going around at the meet with 8yo Starzz In Disguise the most experienced - having her 42nd start
To be expected really when only 3 of the 12 races were for 4yo's and older

Under my 3 starts minimum rule the winners of R2 (first starter) and R3 would not have been competing

http://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=MH081221

[Messenger]

It is Humbletonian day again today

As I have said in previous years, trainers have manipulated the conditions and it has lost its point. Today we have a first starter for a poor owner who only has 3 runners in the Inter Dominion Final

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=MH081222

[Messenger]

Races 3, 6, 7, 9 & 12 winners today NOT in the spirit of Humbletonia

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=MH081222