Industry Indicators - Good, Bad & Ugly

[Messenger]

Boost for base-stake races from January 2022
An additional $1.5 million stakemoney will be injected into base-stake races and $547,000 to support country clubs, Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) today announced.
Year one of the new stakemoney model will see open-age horses competing up to NR55 continue to race for $7000, while those competing up to NR64 will be lifted to $8000 and NR65+ races increased to $9000.

https://www.thetrots.com.au/news/art...-january-2022/

Overall I think I would have liked to have seen $4,500 races dramatically reduced - as in increased to $7,000

[Adaptor]

Boost for base-stake races from January 2022
An additional $1.5 million stakemoney will be injected into base-stake races and $547,000 to support country clubs, Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) today announced.
Year one of the new stakemoney model will see open-age horses competing up to NR55 continue to race for $7000, while those competing up to NR64 will be lifted to $8000 and NR65+ races increased to $9000.

https://www.thetrots.com.au/news/art...-january-2022/

Overall I think I would have liked to have seen $4,500 races dramatically reduced - as in increased to $7,000

There are plenty racing under the present conditions, and wll no doubt appreciate the lifts outlined.

Bendigo area ( Bendigo, Heathcote, Charlton, Elmore, Maryborough, Castlemaine ) trainers and drivers recorded 12 winners in the past 3 days, but today and tonight:
48 going around !!!
22 starters at Maryborough
26 starters at Swan Hill

[Messenger]

JB talks about the need for unity across the racing codes

https://www.thetrots.com.au/news/the...-racing-codes/

It is never going to happen - the gallops have never given a $#! £ about us and never will
It is like thinking Australia is important to America, we are too small to occupy 1% of their consciousness

Harness has to plot our own path. We have to highlight our points of difference - there are many, the biggest being that on course the gallops is only a spectator sport for a miniscule amount of the race except for those with binoculars and they are pretty rare nowadays

One difference that we should be going for is to stop using the whip - let the drivers carry them for the emergencies they say they need them for but that is all. Let's compete with the gallops on welfare (the doggies haven't got a snowflakes chance in hell with their appalling animal wastage)

JB also talks about St Arnaud but I still can't understand why it isn't a regional event - even if it needs to be a night event hold it at Ballarat or Bendigo or make it a $10k Sunday meet
What does he mean about 'retaining quality horses like Our Millionaire. ....' , where does he think they are going (WA?), there will always be races programmed for them without enough prizemoney to attract the big guns they cannot beat. If these races are run at 2nd tier country tracks there is a greater chance of avoiding the big guns

[Messenger]

This image from the finish of the Mackinnon Stakes, with James McDonald, new Spring Carnival record holder celebrating with previous holder Brett Prebble just after crossing the line is a dream piece for the PR people BUT I bet they would love to photoshop the whip out of it

[Messenger]

The last leg of the early Quaddie at Maryborough is only for $4,500
These owners, trainers and drivers are being ripped off
They are contributing as much to the meeting as everybody else!

It is time for this to stop

http://www.harness.org.au/racing/fie...s/?mc=MH181121

[Messenger]

R1 at Stawell today was a 4 horse claimer for $7k
while the 2nd leg of the main Quaddie has 10 starters going around for $4,500

I know which one is bringing in the most turnover
It is simply wrong

[Messenger]

I am a traitor
I thought I would go to the races one day this week
I contemplated Hamilton Harness on Monday or Ararat Gallops on Tuesday
I chose Ararat
You know I am a harness fan but Ararat had more appeal
The main reason is the horses in the (grass) mounting yard, right in front of where I can sit
Horses looking magnificent with little more than a saddle, bridle and reins on them
What with the time they spend in the yard before and after the race and only 30 minutes between races, there is just about something happening all the time
How do we compete with that?
I never attended a meet where they had a monte race - I wish I had

[Beltane]

Peter Profit has gone MIA with the message: "This domain expired."

[Messenger]

I think Harnesslink forgot to renew one time too so I expect he will be back

[Messenger]

He is still writing - I found it on Twitter (may be accessible through Facebook too)