The Vicbred Super Series will launch Harness Racing Victoria’s (HRV) 2023 spring and summer feature season in September.
Acting on advice from participants and analysis of wagering and racing data, the Vicbred Super Series’ move to September will provide trainers greater opportunity to prepare their horses for the rich October-November Group 1s.
With several important changes already announced in 2021 – including the Victoria Derby and Victoria Oaks moving to October’s Victoria Cup night, and Breeders Crown to November – HRV CEO Matthew Isaacs said today’s announcement would better align and strengthen the season.
“Like any significant racing decision, it is not made in isolation or without careful consultation and engagement with our industry participants,” Isaacs said.
“Following a survey, we found that more than three-quarters of trainers who took part in Vicbred semi-finals and finals nights in the past three years wanted to move the event away from New Year’s.”
Isaacs said participants calling for the change consistently highlighted a need for better programming opportunities and work-life balance.
“It was clear that trainers felt shifting the series to earlier in the year would provide improved opportunity to target the feature races through the October and November period, but importantly, we also needed to take into account their feedback regarding work-life balance and mental health,” he said.
“Our participants work extremely hard all year round and the majority of feedback indicated that having an opportunity for a short break over Christmas and New Year was something they valued before another busy January-February Summer of Glory period.
“Three years ago, HRV took advantage of the COVID-19 spikes to move the Vicbred Super Series to New Year’s Eve. While turnover was high in 2020 and 2021, the 2022 Vicbred Super Series finals were down more significantly than the 2022 Breeders Crown and major 2023 country cups,” HRV General Manager Racing Stephen Bell said.
“From a wagering view, aligning the Vicbred Super Series with the Melbourne spring thoroughbred carnival makes commercial sense.
“We’ve seen what has happened with a stronger Victoria Cup night in the new October timeslot. Wagering has grown significantly, and that event has become our biggest night of the year. This is helped by the fact it is Caulfield Guineas Day. Punters are engaged in racing on those days.”
Meanwhile, HRV confirmed Melton would remain the place to be on New Year’s Eve.
“The New Year’s Eve harness racing meeting has drawn our biggest crowd for many years, long before the Vicbred Super Series was run that night, and that will continue to be the case,” Bell said.
“HRV will absolutely be ensuring there’s a great race night focused on maximising fan engagement and educating about our sport while a big crowd is gathered on course for the party.
“We saw how successful it can be when the crowd was roaring for the Mercury80 heat back in 2019. Every person on course had a ticket that corresponded to one of the runners and they were cheering and fully engaged. We want to see that again.”