IDEAS on how we can improve Harness Racing

[Messenger]

1200m races causing such an uproar but we persist with a $50k featute race trot in prime time with 2 early race gallopers and then the only danger to the favourite/winner galloping on the turn. Absolute shambles. Trade every trotting race for a 1200m race. If we converted anybody on Wed night we just lost them then - race 2 Bendigo.

Brendan has logged off the forum, I hope he has gone to bed because the next two races are 2yo trots

Oh I really hope Brendan did not see the start of those two races

[aussiebreno]

Yep Pies hitting the front and 2yo trot races programmed it was definitely bedtime for me!

Rc3 was not much better than Rc2 either.

[Messenger]

I cannot see 1200m racing of average class horses creating much excitement and thus new fans.
In the main these horses are not good enough to put any pressure on the leaders and therefore these races are potential processions

6 races at Melton last Wednesday and 3 so far tonight - 7 leaders have won and the other 2 were won via the sprint lane by the horse on the leader's back

[Messenger]

The next two leaders won but the last of the 1200's was a good finish
12 races for 9 leaders winning

[Showgrounds]

The next two leaders won but the last of the 1200's was a good finish
12 races for 9 leaders winning

....and times nothing special. The fact that 400 metre splits have been run in slower than 30 seconds makes a mockery of the concept.

FAIL!

[Messenger]

R3 The 3yo Classic at Melton tonight is what is wrong with harness racing

Races like that win us ZERO fans/converts

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fi...23#MXM19082306

[Messenger]

I know that the Stewards column is very descriptive but after missing last night's racing at Melton (Go Blues)
if it wasn't for a couple of protests to check out, I don't think I would need to watch the replays as they tell me what happened as one can see that there were very few positional changes

Maybe this is why people say our racing is boring

We need a more exciting product

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fi...s/?mc=MX080923

[aussiebreno]

A little over 48 hours out from what would be a general consensus 2x Top 5 horses in the state going head to head and we don't have Fixed Odds up.

You can say "greyhounds races are only 15 mins apart so they can run more and thats why they have upward trajectory on their TAB turnover" which is partly true, but the problem runs much deeper when we are obviously so insignificant 2 of the top 5 horses in the state racing in a Cup doesn't gain Fixed Odds 48hours out from the race.

[Messenger]

Just like the dogs, I would be surprised if 1% of the population could name you a current harness horse or dog.
But then it occurs to me that probably not much more than 1% of the population could name you a current galloper.
The gallops product is perceived to be better but I am not so sure.
Maybe like Brendan is suggesting, it is the favourable treatment they get from the betting agencies and media that puts them front and centre and seems to have cemented them at the top

Maybe lack of recognition of the participants is is why Sports Betting is so popular - I expect a ¼ of the population have a team and sport that they follow

[aussiebreno]

I do think the favourable treatment is a bit cause and effect though.

If I went to the local footy tomorrow I reckon a lot of blokes could name Mr Brightside and Alligator Blood unprompted and I'd be lucky to get 2 know who Act Now and RNR Who are even if prompted.