Welcome to an exciting new season of harness racing.
Following the success of last weekend’s Super Sunday TAB Breeders Crown program at Melton, which saw over $1.3 million in stakes awarded to the best horses in Australasia at age two, three and four, the new harness racing year has owners, trainers, breeders and drivers daring to dream as their 2015-16 journey begins.
Victoria is proud to be leading the way in stakemoney in Australia following our announcement in July that season 2015-16 will see prizemoney exceed $40 million for the first time.
The increase means stakemoney in Victoria has climbed 20% over the last three years and importantly the stakes increases are right across the board, from graduation level racing and horses that finish sixth to last in the country up to the Group 1 Hunter Cup, which will be worth half-a-million dollars in 2016.
I’d like to take this opportunity to pass on my congratulations to our Victorian premiership winners for 2014-15:
Melton Saddlery State Driver of the Year: Greg Sugars (251 wins)
Renown Silverware State Trainer of the Year: Emma Stewart (170 wins)
SBG Accountants Metropolitan Driver of the Year: Chris Alford and Gavin Lang (41 wins)
Taylors Metropolitan Trainer of the Year: Emma Stewart (48 wins)
Muir Equine Supplies Concession Driver of the Year: Jason Lee (78 wins)
As spring also signals the start of the breeding season let’s also acknowledge and congratulate last season’s leading sires in Victoria:
Leading Sire: Art Major (270 wins)
Leading 2YO Sire: Rock N Roll Heaven (22 wins)
Leading 3YO Sire: Art Major (59 wins)
Leading Broodmare Sire: Safely Kept (149 wins)
Leading Trotting Sire: Majestic Son (68 wins)
Leading Trotting Broodmare Sire: Sundon (132 wins)
Leading Juvenile Trotting Sire: Skyvalley (28 wins)
I wish all of our participants, owners and punters the very best for season 2015-16.
John Anderson
Harness Racing Victoria CEO
