Innovation and excitement will be critical to broadening growth in the trots says Harness Racing Victoria CEO Matt Isaacs, with August’s 1200-metre racing an early “test and learn”.
Isaacs joined Sky Racing’s The Morning Line to announce the $1.25 million Nutrien championships in April and also broach next month’s TAB FastTrack 1200, which will feature at least 15 1200-metre races across three Melton Wednesday nights.
“We want to be able to continue to challenge ourselves and find opportunities to innovate our product,” Isaacs told Sky Racing’s Brittany Graham.
“As an industry we really need to be able to reach a greater audience and participant base, and we want to find what that right formula is.”
With the support of wagering partner TAB, the trial of weekly short-course racing at Victoria’s metropolitan course follows consultation with the wagering industry and is geared at capturing their customers, harness racing fans and a young demographic.
“We want to continue to challenge ourselves to do different things and challenge ourselves not just to connect with a harness racing audience, but also a broader audience so we can grow our sport,” Isaacs said.
“They are not always going to work, but they are going to ensure that we find ways that we can grow and importantly secure our industry for the future of young generations, who are making their livelihoods in this great sport.
“Some of the things we want to try, I know it’s not going to be to everybody’s liking, but we are going to continue to innovate and try to find different things because we need to find ways to connect with a broader audience and become relevant in terms of an entertainment and wagering proposition in the Australian marketplace.”
Short-course racing has a notable tradition in Victoria. The Stampede extends back to 2003, with the likes of Caribbean Blaster, Toe Taper, Maximan and A Gs White Socks among those to salute, while the Mercury80 was introduced in 2020 and has seen talented Always Fast, Yorkshire, Bulletproof Boy and reigning Miracle Mile and Chariot Of Fire champ Catch A Wave (pictured) blitz.