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

2 March 2026
Leap To Fame claims fourth straight Horse of the Year title: Champion pacer Leap To Fame was anointed the Queensland Harness Horse of the Year for a fourth straight occasion at last night's Queensland Harness Awards in Brisbane. Another outstanding season saw the now seven-year-old continue to solidify his status as one of the all-time greats of the sport,...

2 March 2026
Leap To Fame crowned Australia's best: Leap To Fame has retained his title as the Australian Harness Horse of the Year to become just the sixth three-time winner of the nation’s highest accolade. Having become the Southern Hemisphere’s first $5 million pacer last year, the Queensland superstar made it a hattrick of wins after...

1 March 2026
Premier driver James Herbertson hospitalised: Australia's premier driver James Herbertson can “barely walk” and is in hospital having scans for a possible blood clot in a leg. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY AT THETROTS.COM.AU

1 March 2026
A few nervous moments, but all's good as Zahara claims 14th Group 1: For the first time in her illustrious career, superstar mare Keayang Zahara wasn’t in complete control of her own destiny in Saturday night's Group 1 Just Believe Grand Prix at Melton. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY AT THETROTS.COM.AU

1 March 2026
Premier harness driver James Herbertson rushed to hospital: AUSTRALIA’S premier driver James Herbertson can “barely walk” and is in hospital having scans for a possible blood clot in a leg. Herbertson first felt soreness in the leg on Thursday before going to Newcastle and winning last Friday night’s $100,000 Group 2 Newcastle Mile aboard...

Click for more