Harness Racing is also a lot easier on the eye now too for the part time / new participant. There's a lot less whipping nowadays and on the big tracks like Menangle, once a horse is done, it's done. No flogging a dead horse so to speak.
It's absolutely ready for mainstream again.
Like your thinking Robert!I think the concept is the type of out of the box thinking required to help our game regain some valuable lost ground and I can really visualise the whole thing. Well done! Now just need to sell it to the right people so they can on-sell it to the right people.
I spoke to a few of the WA locals last night. They'd come for a week, one night is a waste of time : )
Originally Posted by Harold Parker
Thought even more about this....ring this guy. He is easy to talk to & will listen .
NSWHRC Racing Manager David Wonson on 0438 398 251.
[QUOTE=Harold Parker;18022]
As is the case in nearly all of the major carnivals in the EU and US it would need to coincide with the school holidays and with Menangle being out in the sticks, land could be set aside both inside the track and surrounding areas for caravans and cabins etc as well as a place for a show with rides etc The Oakbank carnival at Easter is exactly that and they have families camping out there that have been going yearly for over 40 years.It is the largest picnic race meeting in the world.It is about the same distance from Adelaide as Menangle is from Sydney but Menangle has a much larger population adjacent to the course.I have said previously on this forum that the powers that be are ignoring this market.Do the clubs have a Marketing strategy at all?I would suggest that they do not.Marketing is not putting an advt.in the paper or jumping on an industry radio/TV show and pushing the company line.Marketing is giving your prospective customer enough information to make a considered decision to purchase and then delivering the product in such a way that they become a RETURN CUSTOMER.
I'd have it at Easter (not too hot not too cold), so why not an Easter Show to take on "the" Easter Show. Harness Racing Carnival.
Think about the Golden Slipper Carnival here.
Friday : ID Heats, Derby Heats.
Monday : ID Heats, Ladyship Mile, Oaks Heats.
Thursday : ID Heats, Chariots of Fire.
Sunday : ID Final, Derby, Oaks.
Murray has a point here about Nero's banquet and then what?I know we also have the Miracle Mile,Len Smith Mile etc. etc.
but should we not be using all of the major races/meetings as a bait to get the unconverted to try the product and then give them reasons to return?This would mean value adding to the experience and here the options are limited only by imagination and a bit of work.Which means that with the current mob the idea would be dead in the water before we start.
I'd also have :
Trotting Classic. 2 Heats on the Thursday? with the final on Sunday.
MO-M1 2 Heats + Final.
M2-M5? 2 Heats + Final.
C1-C4 2 Heats + Final.
+ 1 race on each day for Country trained horses who qualified in the bush.
Looking at the programme in total I make the following comments,
The Inter is too compressed being over 9 days A final field of knackered horses would surely result.Smokin Up would be a certainty.
Would it be asking a lot of C0 and up owners trainers drivers and horses to pay up/back up twice in four days.
I also like the idea of an invitation race on Grand Final Day open for the first two home in the mares race, first two in the Chariots of Fire with the remaining spots filled by horses who just missed a place in the ID Final. How does 100K sound ? as well as a consolation for 17th+ carrying the equiv prize money of an ID Heat.
Sounds good but is it over egging the pudding?
To summarise,what has been suggested is an idea that is worthwhile and outside of the square (which means the "powers that be" will dismiss it out of hand,)and it should lead to further discussion (but probably won't.)
I am sure the concept will appeal to the converted but we should be looking further than that.
(Having said that we should look outside of the square I am not lending support to the bastardisation of the Inter Dominions.)
P.S. Why do the "powers that be" never contribute to the discussions and points raised on this Forum?Beneath their dignity I suppose.
P.P.S.This is written with the perspective of someone who loves the sport and quite often goes to the track for the racing and maybe having a bet.Anyone for Newcastle on Thursdays?
What about a free bus from Campbelltown station would be a start!
[QUOTE=2minuteman;18217]*The Rosehill / Randwick Easter Carnival shouldn't be an issue. I say stuff the thoroughbreds and let's go head to head to with them. If they don't like it, too bad. IMO both carnivals will cater for a different market. Worst case race Thursday and Sunday, leave them Saturday and Monday. We return for Thursday and Sunday again a week later.
*They're running all those features on a single day mate for the next 3 years, check the media release from HRNSW. I'm spreading them over four race days over 9-10 days.
*I'm not a horseman but I've seen horses on my travels pace 1.50 Miles twice on the one day a few hours apart. If Bart runs a horse 10-12F on Saturday for a 2 Mile race on Tuesday our more durable standardbred is up to the task and besides it's the Interdominion. Show them the $$$ and they'll be there.
There are options of course. If the 4 races is an issue and let's face it, it probably will be, they could kick off with 4 ID Heats of 9 horses, the winners go through to the final. Another round of 4 Heats of 8 Horses a few days later and the winners again go through. So that's 8 winners into the ID Grand Final. Now to make it 10 how about the Chariots of Fire and Ladyship Mile winners take the final two spots. That was a suggestion. It's not much different from what they're going to do but better.
I want a kick arse World Class Harness Racing Carnival. Why not ?
Instead of the ID maybe a Sydney Cup/Ben Hur could be the name.
[QUOTE=Harold Parker;18236][QUOTE=2minuteman;18217]
*The Rosehill / Randwick Easter Carnival shouldn't be an issue. I say stuff the thoroughbreds and let's go head to head to with them. If they don't like it, too bad. IMO both carnivals will cater for a different market. Worst case race Thursday and Sunday, leave them Saturday and Monday. We return for Thursday and Sunday again a week later.
It is not only the Slipper you need to accommodate (even if it does fall on Easter 40% of the time) but also the Sydney Carnival is to be held over the late March to late April time span.The ATC have made it quite clear that they will be promoting this carnival as Sydney's answer to the Melbourne Cup Carnival (good luck).Dismissing the competion does not make it go way.How much media oxygen do you think will be left for harness racing after it has all gone to the Slipper,Doncaster,Sydney Cup,Ranvet Stakes etc. etc when the largest pacing event of the year,the Inter Dominions is getting no free to air TV,minimal press and token coverage on industry media?
Different markets?Show me the research that backs this statement.Both will be chasing the discretionary spend and once it has been spent it has gonski. It gets back to marketing.Because you need clear air for your message (and what would that be?) to penetrate, be recognised and then acted upon,how do you achieve that when the awareness of the Slipper,in particular starts late the year before?
*They're running all those features on a single day mate for the next 3 years, check the media release from HRNSW. I'm spreading them over four race days over 9-10 days.Not relevant to the argument.
*I'm not a horseman but I've seen horses on my travels pace 1.50 Miles twice on the one day a few hours apart. If Bart runs a horse 10-12F on Saturday for a 2 Mile race on Tuesday our more durable standardbred is up to the task and besides it's the Interdominion. Show them the $$$ and they'll be there.
Point taken, but both instances are the result of specialist training regimes.
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