2 different sports of course but for years we've been told that people want short races and get as many races in as you can. That's what we've been told 'we want'. Or they want?
Reckon a bit harder to prepare a horse and steer it round a track than an F1 car (haven't done either) but we're led to believe shorter races and gaps is better. We're governed by punting, they're not.
Lot's been done telling stories recently and hopefully it continues. From personal experience absolutely nothing better than watching one you bred run after all the work that goes into it. But we're pushed the other way....
Grand Prix took what ... hour and half? But we're told people want short, snappy stuff?
And was also a Standing Start...
Spot on Paul. It is just the Bet Takers that want short and frequent.
Look at how they dissect cricket and football into things like 'how many runs off the first over' or 'how many goals will Buddy kick', Quarter by Quarter etc etc
I know the gallops is sacrosanct but you never hear any talk about the Melbourne Cup being too long
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Fully agree. We cant compete with 5 seconds dog races or the speed of 1000m gallop races. Don't try and copycat something the other race codes have the advantage over us. Use a point of difference being the toughness and stamina of the breed.
Back on topic
Peterprofit.com has quite a lot on The Race today including the attached which is his take on what might be the cycle racing is in. Earlier in this piece he had explained the origins of harness racing, I won't try to explain his references to number 8 wire
I think under his something borrowed Archie might have given a little more credit to the Australian Turf Club and whoever came up with slots racing first than David Branch CEO of Cambridge
It is a subscription only blog but I am sure Archie will not mind me lifting this piece/promoting him on here (I know Breno will but one must acknowledge one's sources)
Be warned that the blog is a very mixed bag of topics, not just racing and can vary from eye-opening, interesting, to crazy, outrageous and defamatory
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The Race 6.55pm Australian East Coast time today
$900k ($1m would have had a much better ring to it)
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The best horse is an even better horse now. Self Assured worked to sit outside South Coast Arden at the bell and ran past him on straightening then held off a game Majestic Cruiser with Spankem a couple of lengths third. 1:55.1 mile rate, the winner's record is one of amazing consistency. 39 starts, 24 wins 11 seconds and three thirds for $1,487,000 with three Group Ones in the $100k Taylor Mile, $100k Messenger and $400k Auckland Cup in the next six weeks.
Just following Nigel Armstrong's wandering video on Facebook shows a huge crowd and I reckon Cambridge could show every harness racing body how to put on a great show.
Here is the race results and replay. No prisoners taken here.
https://harness.hrnz.co.nz/gws/ws/r/...rSite&Arg=TRUE
Majestic Cruiser was unbelievable
For a better view of the race the replay on HRNZ is already up
https://harness.hrnz.co.nz/gws/ws/r/...rSite&Arg=TRUE
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