TROT CHECK by Michael Taylor
STATE OF THE TROTTING NATION – VICTORIA (part 1)
The start of a new Financial Year is a good time to review the past & see where a business has done well & what can be done to further improve it. There is no doubt the trotters have come a long way. Especially in trotting heartland, Victoria, but there are promising signs in NSW and a glimmer of hope in QLD. SA still battles away & the situation has stabilised in WA after the anti-trotting lobby had started their posse to run the trotter out of town not so many years ago.
John Peck last week on Harnessbred pointed out some important statistics on the progress of the trotter in the breeding sector which has bucked the trend of declining foaling numbers seen elsewhere*. He also made mention of how the splitting of the gender age classics in Victoria had helped this progress. As we move into the new Financial Year some positive news is welcome. That said, all hasn’t been roses on the broader stage.
Let’s start with Victoria.
It appears the fears of some in the broader harness racing community that the new state government would be detrimental to harness racing have so far been unfounded. All signs to date encourage one to think that it is business as usual. It’s pleasing to see that better business minds on both sides of politics now appreciate the economic benefit harness racing provides the state. HRV has worked hard to prove this, so thumbs up to them for their success in this area. The new government was put to an early test with the Ballarat Pacing Cup controversy* but the Racing Integrity Commissioner provided a well assessed & balanced response with HRV co-operating with its findings*. There was smoke blowing from all sides on the night but it appears to have blown away. However we’ve never heard anything from the connections of those beaten by horses carting sulkies that didn’t comply with the rules.
The trotters have avoided the controversies that have clouded the pacing year. There they’ve seen headlines in mainstream media involving Police Raids at Mildura*, a mysterious euthanizing of a horse scratched within half an hour of a race at Bendigo* & the collapse of the 2015 APG Autumn Sale that raised a lot of emotions. The first two incidents involved leading trainers.
The trotters can go to HRV with good grounds to argue for a pay rise. They have a go ahead product that is now highly professional. Their breeding sector is reaching international standards. This has seen their product attract interest from trotting Mecca, Europe, with a sizeable numbers of races now broadcasted there. The Great Southern Star has gained a foothold on the international stage and the trotters now have a new stream of revenue that looks certain to grow.
The times the trotters are running at Menangle are rapidly lowering. Regrettably our best didn’t get the chance Adore Me had for the pacers in the Ladyship Mile. The Group 1 Chambers Trotters Mile was cancelled from the 2015 Inter Dominion Carnival. The trotters will soon be running internationally respectable times if given the opportunity.
They have people with vision and business acumen lending their hand at improving & promoting our product. We have a passionate hobbyist sector with loads of colour & talent. We have many high quality trotting mares from strong families that have been crying out for high quality international stallions that they now have access to. Many are very affordable.
With the steady increase in foal numbers, some modest additional funding is well deserved. The trotters have ticked a lot of boxes and proved they are a worthy investment. There’s potential there to encourage even more trotting breeders to put their mares in foal this season. More investment in juvenile races would see more buyers enter the market. With the new Financial Year and the breeding season fast approaching it’s the perfect time for HRV & the other state bodies to outlay a little more to encourage further growth.
Check in on Trot Check next week where I’ll look at how this could be done for minimal outlay when I review our Feature Race Calendar and juvenile programs.
Michael Taylor
Australian Sales & Booking Co-ordinator for Nevele R Stud
Approved By Dean Baring for www.harnessbred.com
Driving the future of Harness Racing
*References:
https://baringbloodstock.com.au/victoria-ignites-breeding-turnaround/
http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/2762876/ballarat-pacing-cup-field-decimated-after-sulky-controversy/
http://www.harness.org.au/news-article.cfm?news_id=26550
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/police-raid-mildura-property-of-top-harness-duo-over-race-fixing/story-fni2u98u-1227204729277
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/superracing/harness-racing-owner-and-trainer-banned-from-sport-for-six-months-after-investigation-into-sudden-death-of-horse-talk-to-the-hand/story-fnibcaa0-1226850783614