Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) has released a revised feature race calendar.
HRV will look to move out of its regional racing model on Saturday September 26 at Tabcorp Park Melton with the $24,000 Minuteman Free for All and $24,000 Sumthingaboutmaori Mares’ Free for All Trot.
The Minuteman Free for All will be a key race for horses targeting the $50,000 Smoken Up Sprint on Saturday October 3 and the $300,000 Grand Circuit Pryde’s EasiFeed Victoria Cup on Saturday October 10.
Fast class horses will have no shortage of Victorian racing options during the next three weeks, with a $30,000 1680m Terang Free for All on Saturday September 12 and a $20,000 2150m Bendigo Free for All on Saturday September 19.
“We have always recognised the importance of lead-up races to the Victoria Cup and our racing team have had several contingencies drafted depending on the situation here in Victoria. This updated calendar we are releasing today will provide an important level of certainty for participants, providing the COVID-19 restrictions timeline remains on track,” HRV CEO Dayle Brown said.
In other feature race news, the two-year-old pacing Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic heats will take place on Friday October 2 at Ballarat, with the $50,000 finals to be run at Melton on Victoria Cup night (October 10).
The Aldebaran Park Vicbred Platinum Home Grown Classic Heats (for 2yo trotters) will be contested on October 5 at Maryborough before the $50,000 finals at Melton on Saturday October 17.
Owing to the delayed running of the Home Grown series, the eligibility criteria has been varied to horses who have not earnt more than $15,000 (up from $10,000) to allow them to have won an additional race throughout the regional racing period.
Other features on the Victoria Cup card include the $50,000 Group 1 Aldebaran Park Bill Collins Trotters Sprint, the Garrards Popular Alm Free for All ($30,000), Vicbred Platinum Pace ($30,000) and the VHRC Holmfield ($30,000).
The VHRC Holmfield will be a key lead-up race to the Group 1 TAB Victoria Trotters Oaks ($60,000) on Saturday October 17 at Melton, and the $10,000 Victoria Derby Trotters Heats at Maryborough on October 25, with the $75,000 Victoria Trotters Derby to feature at Maryborough on Redwood Classic Day, Sunday November 1.
The two-year-old trotting feature, the Group 1 Redwood Classic ($50,000), will be the headline act on the all-trotting November 1 card.
The rescheduled pacing mares’ Elizabeth Clarke Triple Crown will begin with the Make Mine Cullen ($30,000) over 1720m at Melton on Saturday October 17.
Six days later the mares will contest the Angelique Club Pace ($30,000) over 2240m on Friday October 23, before the Group 1 Benstud Queen of the Pacific over 2760m ($100,000) closes out the Triple Crown on Saturday October 31.
Breeders Crown heats kick off on November 4 at Ballarat for the two-year-old pacers before continuing at Bendigo on November 6 for three-year-old pacers.
The two and three-year-old trotting Breeders Crown heats will be contested on November 12 at Maryborough before the pacers’ Semi-Final night on Saturday November 14 at Melton.
The rich Breeders Crown finals will be contested Saturday November 21 at Tabcorp Park Melton.
HRV continues to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation daily and will provide updates as soon as possible should the racing calendar require further amendments.
Media enquiries: cwinnell@hrv.org.au