What is the secret.................................................:S

anyone know what role P and GC play in setting jockey fees? the release says P and GC have approved an increase. but the jockey is engaged by the yard on behalf of the owners.

Looking at the harness racing fields in one centre in AUS today, how is it possible to race thess horses so successfully so often, some examples....:

SLICK BROMAC......................30 WINS....................34 PLACES...................123 STARTS ..............8yrs old
FOREVER GOLD.................... 25 WINS......................8 PLACES....................37 STARTS.................5yrs old
MACH VIPER...........................27 WINS....................14 PLACES....................67 STARTS..................6yrs old

In the Shepparton Gold Cup the 13 runners have amassed a total of 219 wins out of about 950 runs, thats an average of about 1 win in 5 runs.

How is it possible they race so often also take into consideration that they have trials, is it because they have no weights on their backs???

Any answers or harness fundis??

If one looks at a mile rate of about 1.55, that's not too far off what racehorses normally average 1.35 or so, it seems.

Any answers or harness fundis??
not available on a family site....

IMO...harness racing is like jet-skiing (no, not farking close to water....) but fun for the participant and not for the observer....

I'm taking a wild guess, but I think it might be something to do with the difference in physical stress between galloping and pacing/trotting? In both these the horse's weight is never carried on one leg only, like in galloping. It makes it a bit slower of course.

But I know a fit horse can keep up a trot for many miles without excessive stress - I did say "fit"! Stagecoach horses were expected to cover 20 miles in a "stage", most of it at a trot. This was over horrible roads, pulling a coach with some 7 passengers and their baggage, and often they would be pulled out again a day or two later to trot back again.

Maybe when they are on the provincial circuit they have qualifiers for the main event that day?

Just a guess lol

probably don't have as many injuries as they don't have a moving 60kg on their backs

come on guys..how can you compare the stress of trotting to galloping?? yes they trot quick but come on

Small fields

It's actually the breed, the Standardbreds that are suitable for pacing and trotting types of harness racing. The Thoroughbreds are what we know as racehorses.