Sprint lane debate once and for all!!!!

[Messenger]

But Norman because all drivers are not of the same skill it is hard to believe it is allowed to exist in these days of OH&S

[Maorisidol]

What I find perplexing, especially @ Melton, is there could be a ton of room outside yet drivers are fixated on a Sprint Lane that is of no benefit to them.

I watched Glenferrie Shuffle' race last Sunday before I backed her yesterday. I don't know what she was expecting to occur, a Miracle parting of the seas ? but there was an acre to her outside to try something. I think we've a crop of drivers shit scared to avoid contact / make something happen because of sprint lanes.

Best racing in Australia ... Gloucester Park and Menangle = no Sprint Lane.

so when Tabcorp instructs HRNSW to change Menangale to 8 x 4 and a Sprint Lane wider than the Jersey Turnpike because their modelling shows there's an extra 0.1% of turnover in it for them ... that leaves GP.

Won't be long until Menangle kicks off @ 10am on a Saturday morning to plug the gap.

So the $3 Fav draws 3, the 2 horse at $45 leads and Fav ends up quite ok 1 out 2 back. Just after the bell the Fav is now same but a 3 wide train has started with 2 horses in it, so now at the turn into straight, Fav is 4 back with all but 2 horses in front of him basically last, and sweet bugger alls chance of winning.
Now if this race was at GP or Menangle, Ballarat etc, you've done your dosh, damn!
Hang on, this race was at Port Pirie tonite, Race 3, and theres a sprint lane, who wins, the $42 leader on the small track, or do the punters celebrate cos their horse now 4 pegs got a chance?
http://www.harness.org.au/meeting-re...sa#PPC22081407

[Messenger]

Ash you get yourself in the 'Trotters Only' thread quick smart and give us some predictions for Races 2,3,4 on Sunday.

Who let him out here in the general public

[brent_L]

Ash you get yourself in the 'Trotters Only' thread quick smart and give us some predictions for Races 2,3,4 on Sunday.

Who let him out here in the general public

Pay special attention to R4 Ash........will the fav hand up to Blitz??

[NormanS]

But Norman because all drivers are not of the same skill it is hard to believe it is allowed to exist in these days of OH&S

I understand this, but it is in the rules. What has happened however is "less" driver education. There are skills that you have to learn if you want to be the complete driver. Some drivers are best out it front but all but useless if they get stuck in a field. Sprint lanes require a different skill for rating a race by the driver in front.
Then there is the stewards. If you cause interference you get a holiday. Maybe this needs to be a harsher penalty however you do see drivers with a lap full of horse 3 pegs who either hasn't developed the skills required and therefore is "scared" of getting a holiday and they stay put.
One thing a sprint lane does is take away part of the RACING by trying to make it more predictable. Predictable isn't racing it's called a procession.
(I'm sorry if I covered more than 1 topic there but they are sort of related)

[Messenger]

One thing a sprint lane does is take away part of the RACING by trying to make it more predictable. Predictable isn't racing it's called a procession.
(I'm sorry if I covered more than 1 topic there but they are sort of related)

As I said, I am not a fan either and you are so right about the lane makes racing more predictable - do they believe this is what punters want.
I have been led to believe that the Dogs turnover has increased in the last decade - they're not predictable, they often resemble a roller derby

[Mister JayKO]

Many years ago the big wigs suggested that the image of the game was an issue and we needed to improve the quality of the product. An opportunity came up to run some short meetings in the "twilight zone" between the end of the Saturday gallops and the start of the Saturday night harness card. Our little club took the initiative and started running 4-5 race restricted cards televised on Sky for the minimum prizemoney $1500 per race from memory.


The turnover was staggering but it proved that quality had zero to do with it. With respect to the horses that raced these were the ones that were at the time unable to get a start at normal C Tab meetings as the fields were selected from the bottom up. Not long after our little trial, bigger clubs tried to move in and this was the for runner if you like to Menangle starting their Saturday night cards at 5pm ish.


Sprint Lanes are created for perception only, I cannot see why we need them on any track, let alone those >1,000M, it has changed the way races are run and removed much initiative from horses who settle back in the field. The above example proved to me that aesthetics and horse quality play no part in whether people will partake in the sport. If it's on and they are near an outlet, people will bet on it and sadly that's the only thing that now matters.

[Triple V]

Sprint Lanes are a MASSIVE WANK.
The best two tracks to watch/bet on by far are Menangle and Gloucester Park and NEITHER has a sprint lane. A Pox on the houses of all those responsible for their introduction to NSW. Hang your heads in shame.

[The Form Student]

I am opening this debate to get opinions on whether the sprint lane is necessary! it would be helpful to hear from all industry participants. Bathurst is on trial, let's see if it is needed before it becomes a piece of folklore!

Some like me, would call them "Divine Intervention"

I don't think one horse has won so far using the sprint lane at Bathurst, even being early days, so do horses need the sprint lane "divine intervention" to improve their chances?

They have built a bigger track, but now some want to add a sprint lane, next we will be racing in staggered lanes around the track!

Come on, you have got the bigger track, some drivers are better than others, some drivers or horses are luckier than others, so let the race decide the winner?

Barrier draws are important they are there to put your horse in a race, the race starts you take your chance, there is no need to provide added advantages with a sprint lane! If you get held up for a run, that is the luck of the game. The arguments has been used, that to "punters" this creates the "red hots" syndrome, did you see that? Some get runs, some don't, that is it, I don't think people are that naive not to recognise this!

What about horses in the running line being help up when someone make a run 3 or 4 deep, that is racing! Or do you want the drivers moving wider to allow room for them to get out!

At Menangle, a lot of horses get inside runs and there is no sprint lane, take the last race yesterday!

At Melton, the sprint lane changes the race completely on straightening, the leader may have fought off all challengers during the race, then up the inside goes someone having an easy run, not going around one horse, knocks it off! Without a sprint lane the driver of the leader can use his ability to hold them in, and perhaps get his deserved win, not serve it up to others on a platter.

Albion Park, is the "Sprint Lane" capital of the world, every race and tactics revolves who is going to be getting the sprint lane run!

My opinion is, every runner should be racing on a level playing field! I welcome your comments.

[kung fu man]

Have to agree i dont think we need them, could argue both ways !