AUSTRALIAN harness racing’s major awards will have a very different look in 2023.
The Grand Circuit for pacers, trotting’s equivalent the Trotting Masters and the Australian Horse of the Year Awards (Lawn Derby Awards for pacers and Vancleve Awards for trotters) have been significantly revamped with a major focus back on Australia.
Let’s start with the Grand Circuit and Trotting Masters, which will both now be judged on Australian-based races only following a review by the Group Racing Panel with the recommendation approved by the HRA Executive.
The Grand Circuit will consist of seven legs (races) with the Fremantle Cup being added and the NZ and Auckland Cups no longer part of it.
The 2023 legs are:
- January 13 - $300,000 Fremantle Cup (Gloucester Park)
- January 27 - $450,000 WA Pacing Cup (Gloucester Park)
- February 4 – $500,000 Hunter Cup (Melton)
- March 4 – $1,000,000 Miracle Mile (Menangle)
- July 22 - $400,000 Blacks A Fake (Albion Park)
- October 14 - $300,000 Victoria Cup (Melton)
- December 16 – $500,000 Inter Dominion final (Albion Park)
The Trotting Masters will remain at six legs, but a trio of NZ races (Anzac and Rowe Cups and the Dominion Trot) have been replaced by the Bill Collins Sprint, NSW’s new race The Hammerhead and an enhanced Queensland Trotters’ Cup.
The 2023 legs are:
- February 3 – $300,000 Great Southern Star (Melton)
- February 25 – $100,000 Trotting Grand Prix (Melton)
- March 4 - $100,000 The Hammerhead (Menangle)
- July 22 - $100,000 Queensland Trotters’ Cup (Albion Park)
- October 14 - $75,000 Bill Collins Sprint (Melton)
- December 16 - $250,000 Inter Dominion Final (Albion Park)
Now, to the Australian Horse of the Year Awards where the key change is the criteria.
Instead of being judged on the performances of any horses in Australia, the criteria is now the performances of Australian-trained horses only, anywhere in the world. It’s not just Australian-bred horses, but if bred elsewhere (NZ being the obvious), they must be permanently cleared to be trained and race in Australia.
For example, a horse like Majestic Cruiser’s three big runs in major NZ races in 2022 would still be included in the criteria going ahead, but should a star NZ pacer or trotter win some of our biggest races, they would not be eligible for the either the Lawn Derby or Vancleve Awards.
For more information contact Harness Racing Australia by email to hra@hra.com.au.
