Ballarat Cup

Quote:

Originally Posted by Messenger

"Our steward who observes gear was rostered on Thursday and checked several sulkies, which all cleared, his next rostered meeting just happened to be Ballarat on Saturday night, which had nothing to do with who was at the track and who wasn’t.”

http://www.harnesslink.com/Internati...mours-straight

Shouldn't all stewards observe gear? If there is only one 'specializing?' in that area, a trainer or driver wanting to try something outside the rules could wait until he is not officiating. I do not think this has been the case with the over sized sulkies - just pointing out a massive gap. I simply don't buy the excuse for there being no measuring done on Friday, nor the lack of communication/warning from stewards to participants

Stewards are sparse because of funding, the industry doesn't have the funds it needs, on race days Stewards are flat chat doing the other integrity checks. Only when there are three on are additional things like this done.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister JayKO

Stewards are sparse because of funding, the industry doesn't have the funds it needs, on race days Stewards are flat chat doing the other integrity checks. Only when there are three on are additional things like this done.

Yep that's right. But if the participants were alerted when it was found out last Wednesday (instead of this Monday), they could have measured their own. Pretty easy to do these days. Website, twitter, facebook, SMS, etc.

Then this farce wouldn't have happened.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mister JayKO

Stewards are sparse because of funding, the industry doesn't have the funds it needs, on race days Stewards are flat chat doing the other integrity checks. Only when there are three on are additional things like this done.

Maybe for just one Friday they could have given one of them a tape measure - nothing beats flexibility and common sense

I missed In The Gig - anyone?

Just read an article from The Courier Mail and Anderson is seeking approval for carts up to 1400mm wide.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Messenger

I missed In The Gig - anyone?

They're in summer recess, so only old stories. Hence no comment on the fiasco.

Getting the public back......after the cup disaster.. From today's Ballarat Courier.

BALLARAT and District Trotting Club chief executive Paul Rowse says the club is pleased with plans being mooted in a bid to win back patrons to Bray Raceway.

Rowse said Harness Racing Victoria, in conjunction with the Association of Victorian Country Harness Racing Clubs, would put forward an application to the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing to create a bumper Boxing Day meeting.

The idea is hoped to give something back to those who were left short-changed by Saturday night’s developments, where six horses were scratched from the Ballarat Pacing Cup following a crackdown by stewards on sulky dimensions.

“The proposed activities put forward would definitely be very favourable for our club and to patrons that could potentially be on course Boxing Day night,” Rowse said.

Details on the exact offerings are expected in the coming days. Rowse said repercussions in gambling from Saturday night’s events were felt mainly within the area of on-course turnover.

( Of course the on course figure would suffer....would you bet on the 4 horse field?)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Messenger

Maybe for just one Friday they could have given one of them a tape measure - nothing beats flexibility and common sense

Kev, before the all clear is given at the races, jockeys weigh in with their saddles. Perhaps before the all clear is given at the trots, measuring the width of the sulky could be part of the process for the first 4. Seriously how long would it take to run a tape measure over them or just have a length of wood or something, pre-cut to 1300mm?

The pre-cut sounds like a good idea Rob. Stu has made me conscious of Stewards time/commitments so I wonder whether we could get away with them just doing it to the winner. I know it would seem more correct to do the first 4 but by singling out the winner (a bit like swabbing) we would instantly see all trainers making sure they were within the limit.

They will all be within the limit if they allow the 1400mm width rule through, so there's s great start! At least they have learnt this, we live in an age of very easy communication via-sms-email-social media-mobile phones, so trying one of these options in the future would/could save a very disappointing situation to arise.