Fantastic decision and well done to the powers that be, listened to the harness racing community & made the right decision. Bring on 2018!
Thanks Pogga. Most likely the first night will be at Melton, then 2 nights of non-Melton heats, followed by the final at Melton. All Vic clubs have been invited to respond to an Expression of Interest by Jan 12, so that we can select the two clubs who will host the non-Melton heats. We are also still considering what we will do for the Trotters.
Our challenge is to make this ID18 a great event! All ideas welcome.
Some of my fondest memories came from the Interdom in Melbourne, how exciting to have it back David! Well done on bringing it back to us & I for one will be doing all I can to make it a great experience!
1992 Westburn Grant, what a champion & then the homegrown (sort of if we count John Justice as a Vic now) win of Shakamaker in 2000, that nearly brought the stands down! Trackside in 2008 (even though not the traditional format) I'll never forget Blackie pouring on the pressure and being a mile too good.
Gets the hair standing on the back of the neck just thinking about it & no doubt the successful country tracks having heats run will promote this sport to within an inch of it's life as well.
Fingers crossed, I'll have one of my own fit enough to contest the series, Tact Tate, which would tick off an item from my bucket list!
Last edited by Pogga; 12-22-2017 at 02:52 PM. Reason: Error
Nah, Cocky Raider's win in the 1970 Consolation stood the hair up on the back of the neck. Reminiscent of his 1969 Melbourne Pacing Cup win.Originally Posted by Pogga
Some of my fondest memories came from the Interdom in Melbourne, how exciting to have it back David! Well done on bringing it back to us & I for one will be doing all I can to make it a great experience!
1992 Westburn Grant, what a champion & then the homegrown (sort of if we count John Justice as a Vic now
Gets the hair standing on the back of the neck just thinking about it & no doubt the successful country tracks having heats run will promote this sport to within an inch of it's life as well.
Fingers crossed, I'll have one of my own fit enough to contest the series, Tact Tate, which would tick off an item from my bucket list!
(Oh, hell - how old am I?)
Cocky Raider ....I was there.....can't remember which one though he was wearing the stars and stripes colours as he's just been sold to the US. So it must have been the Inter Dom consolation.
He came from last down the outside fence. As a spectator , you could just about reach out and touch him.
Yep, wore the stars and stripes during the Inter for his US owners but remained in the McWilliam stable. From memory, he was stuck 3 back the rails, and the number of horses that won on the Melbourne Showgrounds that won from there could be counted on one hand (Paleface Adios being one of them).
Pretty sure he never won a race in the USA, a tragedy because he was a great little horse.
I always thought he won just the one race in the US, but just bumped into this article on the Harnessbred site,
http://www.harnessbred.com/story-no-14-cocky-raider/
A hell of a lot older than me
Thanks for that story Danno. How good was that Australia Day Cup? What a great field and how good was little Cocky charging home? A young B. Hancock driving Teeny Rena - she was his meal ticket back then and the family she founded kept him well fed. Lucky Creed had won 24 straight, equaled 8 years later by Maoris Idol and only bettered by San Simeon. Harold Park had three major cups back in that era; Australia Day, Lord Mayors and Spring Cups. All pretty well went by the wayside with the establishment of the Grand Circuit leaving the Miracle Mile as Harold Park's premier event. How about the crowd - brings a tear to the eye of people that remember the era and would make modern administrators howl with despair!
http://www.milduraindependent.com/in...series-in-2018
Admire the enthusiasm but one feels this will be like passing the clocktower in the Melbourne Cup (a big field but only a couple of winning chances)
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