February 2026 Monthly Update

Champion pacer Leap To Fame may have to do what he couldn’t do last year to win a $1 million bonus in Saturday night’s Group 1 Sportsbet A G Hunter Cup at Melton.
Mighty stayer and arch-rival Swayzee drew better in gate two and is the most likely of the big guns to find the lead. Leap To Fame snared gate six, while new sensation Kingman has the back row (gate 10).
Swayzee used a better draw to lead, smash the track record and beat a gallant Leap To Fame in last year’s Hunter Cup. It was the second time Swayzee had led and beaten Leap To Fame.
“He’s going to have to earn it now, that’s for sure,” Leap To Fame’s trainer-driver Grant Dixon said.
“The draw isn’t perfect, but we’ve had more difficult ones. The way I see it, there are as many positives and negatives.
“I rate Kingman the hardest to beat and the back row isn’t good for him, so that’s a help, but then you’ve got Swayzee and Republican Party (gate one) drawn inside us.
“Republican Party is the biggest winner from the draw. As we know, especially at Melton, the fence is gold in these races and he’ll be on the fence, either behind the leader or three pegs. “We’re going to have to be right at the top of our game, but all the signs are he is.”

Scott Ewen is hoping for no more bad luck heading into Saturday night’s A G Hunter Cup in Melton.
Set to contest last season’s edition with stable star Bulletproof Boy, Ewen was left gutted when he had to scratch the son of Art Official just days before the Group 1.
“Everything was going smoothly, then two days before the Cup he hurt his hock,” Ewen said. “We copped it there, but that’s racing.”
To be driven by James Herbertson, Bulletproof Boy will begin from the outside of the front row – barrier seven.
"Hopefully the bad luck is behind us and it’s all good moving forward," Ewen said. “The draw has made it tough, so we’ll be wanting them to go hard upfront early and give an opportunist like him to finish over the top at the end.”

Co-trainer Paddy Lee admits the unique format of the Yabby Dam Farms Great Southern Star is as big a danger as any rival for superstar trotting mare Keayang Zahara at Melton on Saturday night.
The five-year-old boasts 23 wins from 24 starts, including 12 at Group 1 level, but will have to do something she's never done before – race twice on the same night to win and bank a new $500,000 bonus along with the $142,500 first prize.
That's the X-factor of the Great Southern Star with qualifying heats at 6.30pm (race two) and 7.01pm (race three) before the $250,000 Group 1 final at 9.33pm (race eight).
"It's the big unknown, there's no doubt about that," Lee said. "She handles her racing well and usually comes through a run without it taking too much out of her, but this is something totally different.
"I'm glad it's not the first time we've had a crack at the Great Southern Star. It's her first time, but we've had goes before with Keayang Chucky and Keayang Ignite, and I can assure (you) we learnt a lot from that.
"We think it's helped the way we prepare her for the night and what we do with her in the three hours or so between the heat and final. "We're certainly glad she won the three (qualifying) races she needed (for the bonus) before Kilmore last week, which meant we've been able to give her two weeks between runs."

Experience harness racing at its best at the final night of the Summer of Glory Carnival on Saturday, February 14th.

Gates open at 5pm (gold coin donation upon entry) with loads on offer to celebrate in addition to the extraordinary card of racing.
Join us at Melton Entertainment Park on Saturday 14th February for a massive night of harness racing jam packed with loads of fun for everyone.

An official event will be held in the Legends Room, only a few seats remain! To book your dining, CLICK HERE.

Buyers will be spoilt for choice at next Sunday’s Australian Pacing Gold Melbourne Yearling Sale at Oaklands Junction with a quality lineup of prospective stars catalogued.
A total of 76 lots are listed to go under the hammer starting at 1pm. A parade of yearlings will be held on Saturday from 12 noon.
The most in-form sires from across the country are among 31 individual stallions represented by their progeny – among the yearlings are 24 by first season sires.
Sires represented in the 2026 catalogue include Bettor’s Delight, Always B Miki, Art Major, Sweet Lou, American Ideal, Downbytheseaside, Pebble Beach, Rock N Roll Heaven, Stay Hungry, Captain Crunch, Tall Dark Stranger, King Of Swing, Lather Up, Poster Boy, Ride High, Soho Tribeca, Catch The Fire, The Storm Inside, Vincent, All Bets Off, Summa Cum Laude, Majestic Son, What The Hill and King Of The North.
Further emphasising the quality on offer, no fewer than 26 lots in the sale are from classic winners or classic producing dams.
There’s siblings to a host of Group 1 winners including Act Now, Heaven Rocks, Beyond Delight, Turn It Up, Pink Galahs, Pretty Majestic, Kinvara Sue, Kyvalley Clichy, Needabacardi, to name only a few.
“We are proud to see our vendor support has continued to grow this year as we offer a deep and well-balanced catalogue,” APG General Manager Anthony Essex said. “With our sales’ traditional timing around Hunter Cup weekend, Melbourne remains a natural meeting point for buyers, breeders and participants from across the industry.”

Breeding and sales vouchers provided by Harness Racing Victoria to winning owners as part of the new multi-million dollar Vicbred Vouchers Program may be utilised to purchase a Vicbred Platinum or Vicbred Pure yearling at the Australian Pacing Gold Melbourne Yearling Sale on Sunday, February 15.
Fifty lots listed to go under the hammer at the Oaklands Junction sale paddocks can be used by recipients of the HRV Vicbred $5,000 vouchers towards the purchase of a yearling.
The Vicbred Voucher scheme covers 550 races across two seasons conducted at Victorian country tracks and Melton.
In addition, APG and HRV are giving away an additional four $5,000 vouchers on sale day to registered buyers, which can be redeemed towards the purchase of a Vicbred Platinum yearling consigned to the sale.

HRV reminds industry participants of the Vicbred Voucher program's terms and conditions when applying a voucher towards a yearling sale purchase.
The Vicbred Vouchers are only redeemable against yearlings that are deemed either Vicbred Platinum or Vicbred Pure. They are not redeemable for Vicbred-only horses.
The vouchers can also only be used at Victoria's APG or Nutrien sales, not interstate.
To date, HRV has issued more than 200 vouchers, with Victorian owners to race for up to $2.75 million in breeding and sales vouchers under the two-year initiative, which is part of a $3 million industry boost.
For more information, please CLICK HERE.

The Vicbred Voucher is a $2.75 million ownership and breeding celebration, which awards $5000 vouchers on select races from September 2025 until November 2026, thanks to the State Government's Victorian Racing Industry Fund.

Mar 4 @ Bendigo: 3YO maiden

Mar 6 @ Mildura: Mares up to 50

Mar 8 @ Shepparton): Maiden

Mar 12 @ Kilmore: 52-56

Mar 14 @ Melton: Mares up to 80

Mar 16 @ Maryborough: 2YO 1 LTW

Mar 21 @ Melton: 80-89

Mar 24 @ Shepparton: Up to 49

Mar 26 @ Kilmore: 4YO+ maiden

Mar 27 @ Terang: 56-64

Mar 31 @ Swan Hill: Mares up to 50 

Mar 7 @ Melton: Up to 90

Mar 11 @ Bendigo: 56-64

Mar 19 @ Ballarat: Maiden

Mar 20 @ Melton: 3YO maiden

Mar 20 @ Maryborough: 2YO 1LTW 

For a full list of Vicbred Voucher race dates CLICK HERE.

Harness Racing Victoria has introduced restricted two-year-old races from February to create more opportunities for young horses.

When applying the same method last year, HRV’s Racing Department found that more two-year-old races received sufficient nominations when opportunities were condensed in the year’s early months.

HRV will once again program two-year-old races at central Victorian venues, where the category’s population is at its greatest, with pacing races to begin in February and trotting races in March.

Two-year-old races will be scheduled as follows:

Feb 11 @ Maryborough (pacers)

Feb 25 @ Maryborough (pacers)

Mar 6 @ Melton (pacers and trotters)

Mar 16 @ Maryborough (pacers and trotters)

Mar 30 @ Maryborough (pacers and trotters)

Harness Racing Victoria will trial pacing claiming races from February to April to provide participants with alternative racing opportunities.

HRV's racing team will review stakeholder feedback and monitor nominations and acceptances to determine whether claiming races should be added to programs beyond that date.

Venues such as Maryborough, Kilmore and Mildura have been identified in the February programs, prioritising those with the highest horse populations.

The racing team will also review the concept and consider whether it should also be applied to trotters in the coming months.

Feb 18 @ Mildura ($6000 claimer, 2190m, PBD/NR) $4000

Feb 25 @ Maryborough ($6000 claimer, 1690m, PBD/Claiming Price) $4000

To contact the Racing office, call 03 8378 0291 from 7.30 am-3.30 pm on weekdays or 8-9 am on weekends and public holidays, or email racing@hrv.org.au. For late scratchings or driver changes out of hours, leave a message on 03 9214 0650. 

VICBRED: Automatic cancelling of unpaid invoices of age acceptances for 2026 has now been completed. Should you still want to make your horse Vicbred eligible after this date, please call HRV Customer Service on 03 8378 0200 or email info@hrv.org.au. Payment will be required upfront with no invoicing, and fees will increase as the year progresses. Further information will be updated on Vicbred - The Trots.

RENEWALS: Unlicensed participants have until February 28 to renew. After this date, a new application will be required to be submitted. Participants can renew online through Harnessweb, with the ability to upload medical forms and declare betting (drivers). As part of the renewal process to activate a licence, you must complete the payment and HRV online compliance courses through the Safetrac Portal. Note: HRV Customer Service has sent communications via email and SMS to participants who have not renewed from last season and those with incomplete renewals pending. Renewal requirements can be found in the HRV Licencing and Registration Policy.

NEW LICENCE PORTAL: Licensees will shortly see a New Licence portal appear in Harnessweb. The licence portal will allow licensees to apply for upgrades/downgrades and to submit new applications, with all required documents (uploaded), questions, and declarations included. Communications will be sent before release to Harnessweb. More details are available at Licensing - The Trots.

REGISTRATIONS:

FOAL NOTIFICATIONS: Online foal notifications are now available through HarnessWeb to complete for services in the '24/25 breeding season. For a live foal, please ensure this is actioned within three weeks from the foaling date to avoid late penalties.
Note: HRV Customer Service will shortly contact participants with mares to Victorian stallions who have not yet notified of the result of the service. Reminder, all services must be submitted regardless of the outcome. We are asking for your assistance on this. More details can be found at Foal Notifications & Microchipping - The Trots, including a foal notification form if required to download.

MICROCHIPPING
Microchip packs will be dispersed within days of the live Foal notification submitted. The packs will be sent to the location where the foal is residing. Please ensure that if you are engaging your own vet, they scan the code found on the microchipping guidelines to register as an HRV-approved vet. This code is sent in with the package or via website at Foal Notifications & Microchipping - The Trots. This must be done prior to visiting your property to microchip your foal. Note: HRV will send microchipping rebates ($250) in bulk to breeders monthly, starting at the end of January. DNA verification is required for a rebate to be sent and for a foal notification through Victoria to be eligible for the rebate. More details and all FAQ’s can be found at Foal Notifications & Microchipping - The Trots.

REGISTRATION FORMS
A reminder that HRV advised that, from July 1, 2025, the following transactions must be completed online through HarnessWeb:
foal notifications, namings, transfers of ownership, licence applications including renewals, leases, deregistration/death of horses, and split prizemoney payments.

ACCOUNTS:

STAKERUN DISTRIBUTION STATEMENTS: HRV recently had technical problems with the distribution of statements. Should you still require an unsent statement or have any questions, please contact HRV Customer Service 03 8378 0200 or email hrvstmt@hrv.org.au.

SPLIT PRIZEMONEY PAYMENTS
Split Prizemoney Payments is available for managing owners of partnerships to set up via HarnessWeb, with stake money distribution split to everyone, including futurity win bonuses and participant-incentive bonuses. To be eligible, owners must have an active HarnessWeb account populated with up-to-date email and Australian/International bank account details. More details are available at Split Prizemoney Payments - The Trots.

The terrific young ponies and talented drivers have been tearing up the track. Here are some of the most recent winners.

1st - Fabian, driven by Sophie Jack; 2nd - Burnaholeinmybucket driven by Amelia Hodgson; 3rd - Casper driven by Shaniya Darmanin.

1st - Fabian, driven by Sophie Jack; 2nd - She's Bulletproof, driven by Charlie Walters; 3rd - Twinkle Toes Ollie, driven by Arabella Maxwell-Dedini.

Race 1: 1st - Whinnie Houston, driven by Ella Moran; 2nd - Twinkle Toes Ollie, driven by Arabella Maxwell-Dedini; 3rd - Freaky Fran, driven by Katie Thomson.
Race 2: 1st - Whinnie Houston, driven by Ella Moran; 2nd - Shatahn, driven by Emma Thomson; 3rd - Freaky Fran, driven by Katie Thomson.

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