Slot races are helping put harness racing back on the map.

When they were first mooted for Aussie and NZ harness racing a few years back, views were mixed to say the least.

Now we would be lost without them.

Before I go further, let me stress I am in no way downplaying the importance of the tradition, history and importance of harness racing’s iconic races like the Inter Dominion, Hunter Cup, Miracle Mile and NZ Cup.

They are vital and, largely as we well know, could do some more love and financial weight behind them.

But, at a time the industry is cash-strapped in most areas, finding new dollars to throw into those traditional races is almost impossible.

And that’s where slot races have become so important.

The biggest racing event last year – and by a country mile – was the inaugural TAB Eureka.

It had flair, excitement, a ripper field and everyone on track said it felt more like a big race day at the thoroughbreds rather than their past harness experiences.

The night reminded me why I first fell in love with harness racing.

Mission accomplished. And there’s no reason it shouldn’t be even better this year and beyond.

But the importance and success of slot races goes way beyond the TAB Eureka.

Last year’s inaugural Western Trilogy of slot races across all three racing codes smashed turnover records and quickly stamped itself as something special.

The biggest weekend of racing in WA – and that’s just year one.

Harness racing is a big part of that with the $1.25mil Nullarbor, quickly promoted to Group 1 status this year, the middle pin of the three codes on the Friday night.

The fact it’s run at Gloucester Park – right in the scrum of Perth and just minutes from the main gallops track (Ascot) – is another huge plus.

Last, but certainly not least is Cambridge’s Race By Grins meeting.

Now in its third year, April 12 will see the addition of a second slot race, the $NZ575,000 TAB Trot – a trotting race to accompany the $NZ1mil Race By Grins for the pacers.

Of any harness slot race run anywhere this year, it’s hard to imagine a field even getting close to what this first running of the TAB Trot will attract.

Passionate and world-renowned trotting lover Duncan McPherson last week echoed what many have been thinking about the quality of the likely TAB Trot line-up.

“It’s beyond belief the field that’s coming together,” he said. “It’s the best field of trotters we’ve seen in this part of the world for, I’m going to say, at least 20 years. And it’s a great way of showcasing how good our trotters are to the rest of the world, especially off the back of what Just Believe and Aldebaran Zeus did overseas last year.”

NZ’s top media man Michael Guerin, so well-known to Aussie fans, went further.

“There’s a great case to say this could be the best field of trotters we’ve assembled since Pride Of Petite’s Adelaide Inter Dominion final in 1997,” he said.

I was lucky enough to be trackside at Globe Derby that night and still cannot believe Pride Of Petite won from where she was at the 300m mark.

Guerin’s comments still sent me back to the record books to reflect on the strength of that field.

He’s right. It will always be the benchmark with Pride Of Petite beating stars like: Wagon Apollo, Knight Pistol, Holdonmyheart, Diamond Field, Inda Bank and Homer Hawk.

Back to what I said earlier, we certainly can’t neglect the traditionally great races as the sexiness of the slot races grow, but we also have to celebrate their emergence and the opportunities they create to promote the game.

Harness racing certainly has its challenges, but these slot races are a potential life raft through many of them.

Race By Grins and the Nullarbor are just around the corner.

I’m pumped and cannot wait.