News Article - Australian Harness Racing

Graham: Are there too many Group 1s in Australia?

07 May 2021 | Brittany Graham

For the second week in a row Group 1 racing will staged at harness headquarters in Victoria.

Tabcorp Park Melton will host the Aldebaran Park Vicbred Platinum Homegrown Classic finals for two-year-old trotters over the sprint trip.

In the colts and geldings division, only 10 runners contested the lone heat at Maryborough, with all starters progressing through to the final. The fillies' division did host two heats with a total of 15 fillies competing therefore the top five in each heat improve through to their rich final.

This occurrence begs the question, are there too many Group 1 races on the Australian calendar?

Related News

9 July 2026
Grimson chasing a remarkable four Inter Dominion pacing finalists: JASON Grimson has the firepower to join rarefied air with a remarkable four Inter Dominion pacing finalists. Depending on how Saturday night’s last round of qualifying heats goes, Grimson may have Captains Mistress, Minos, Dangerous and Captains Knock in the final. The last time one stable qualified...

9 July 2026
Astormzabrewen backs up in Launceston after maiden breakthrough: Astormzabrewen broke through for her maiden win in Launceston last Sunday, and returns to the same venue on Friday night, where the three-year-old daughter of The Storm Inside will contest a no-more-than-one-lifetime-win pace over 2200m. The filly, who has also been placed in five of her 10 starts, is...

9 July 2026
Gloucester Park Preview Friday 10th July 2026: Prentice seeks Cup hat-trick The Winter Cup has been run 73 times and Justin Prentice has high hopes of creating history by becoming the first trainer to win the event three years in a row when former boom pacer and champion juvenile Never Ending lines up in barrier five in the $50,000 group 3 Nova Winter...

9 July 2026
The Creek hots up Friday and Saturday nights: SATURDAY night is Albion Park’s big dance this week, but don’t miss some key races at The Creek on Friday night. Many of the stars from last week’s fantastic Group 1 Great Square lock hooves again in the Pryde’s Easifeed 3&4YO Trotting Feature (2138m). The trifecta from the...

8 July 2026
Phoenix primed to rise again: RAGING hot Inter Dominion trotting favourite Gus will have a race on his hands Saturday night. Defending champion Arcee Phoenix is primed, drawn well and set to try and lead throughout in the 2138m second round trotting heat. Trainer Chris Svanosio will be reunited with the millionaire trotting after...

Click for more