Bring Back Claiming Races!

[Newmarket]

Fair enough, you all seem to disagree and that’s fine. 
 

But really Harness is on a downward spiral, except the grass scene which offers a great family experience and keeps growing. Punters have far more options to gamble, years ago I would have offloaded on the Addington Trots tonight, but instead I have bet on the league and afl, looking forward to the Aus racing on Sat. Judging by poor betting figures lately, I am thinking a lot of punters thinking the same. Low class harness racing not helping, dumbing down an already poor product.
 

 

[Gammalite]

2 hours ago, Brodie said:

personally dont think 2400m in June for what used to be the end of the season is too hard on 2 year olds.

Well the club did , and the trainers too. so they dropped it back to a mile distance from 1999 onwards. A good step by 'forward thinking' club. (looking after the horses). hence I said you would be a Poor horse trainer . Dunn has his team running home strong at present  . Beating the Allstars easily and that , so no one else is gunna beat them if they (Allstars_  can't ??. Might as well stay home and look for a Winton 2 yearold race or something  😁😉 no surprise the small field . You just have to live with it mate. 

1 hour ago, Doomed said:

Gamma just doesn't quite get the unsustainable point. I'm sure it's lovely for those owners to race for the better part of $60,000 in a 6 horse field, but turnover on that race will probably generate about $3,000 towards the cost of the total stake. Where does the other $57,000 come from?

Possibly. As far as I know ALL the Stakemoney is allocated at the beginning of each season for the whole season to every club for their race programs , so the Trainers race for it.  (In Oz this happens in each state anyway) The Auckland Cup with it's drop in Betting revenue , has dropped significantly in Prizemoney as time goes by. so as you guys suggest the stakes are allocated according to the 'betting times, ' ''sponsorships' etc. and now the new slot races are a Great innovation allowing the owners and slot owners themselves to produce the BIG bucks to race for. A Million dollar Race by Grins was excellent. so they started a SLOT Trot now as well for the first time this year.   

Personally i'd advocate for the Auckland Cup to be a slot race too !! Problem solved ! best of the best horses and trainers over a 2 mile stand for a Million dollars 💰 what could go wrong ? get great publicity like the Everest gallop too. 

 

2 hours ago, Brodie said:

The point I am trying to make is that races that have big stakes and small fields is no good for the longevity of harness racing!

Harness racing has gone on for 100 years plus mate. Don't give up now. Look for innovations . Kiwis doing well introducing slot races and that  Going to do it at the gallops now I believe ? in NZ so people can actually get a big prize win.

Don't forget old NZ castoff BETTERZIPPIT won $500,000 in one go in Perth in a slot races. Couldn't win at Manawatu in NZ.