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

12 March 2026
Where does the Miracle Mile winner need to be in running?: RECENT history says getting the speed map right for this $1 million Miracle Mile will go a long way towards finding you the winner. Remarkably, six of the past seven winners have led, including Don Hugo last year. The only “rule-breaker” in that time was the great Leap To Fame, when he sat...

12 March 2026
Gloucester Park Preview Friday 13th March 2026: Hall Aiming For No. 4 Champion reinsman Gary Hall Jnr drove superstar pacer Im Themightyquinn to 50 of his 58 victories in a glittering career, and he will be seeking his fourth success in the $30,000 Ascot Group WA Im Themightyquinn Pace at Gloucester Park on Friday night. He trains and drives former...

12 March 2026
Mare Power is McMillan's Creed: “Our philosophy is you can have a sire all you want, you can have all the ingredients you want, but if you don’t have a good cook, it never works. To us it’s mare power.” The speaker is Todd McMillan, the joint owner-manager with wife Tori of Emerald Park Performance Horses, a...

12 March 2026
Emma Day looks to Repeat her Success at Sydney Sale: Young Goulburn horsewoman Emma Day is justifiably feeling positive about the Australian Pacing Gold Sydney Yearling Sale at Warwick Farm on Sunday, March 15. Looking to capatalise on her success a few weeks ago at the APG Melbourne sale, she has another great line up for Sydney this weekend. “I’m...

12 March 2026
Sleepless nights for Coelli: There is no bigger thrill for a country trainer than having on horse engaged on a feature race night. For Leeton trainer Grant Coelli that experience is set to unfold on Saturday at Tabcorp Park Menangle when his filly Im On No Sleep takes her place in the Group 3 Ultra Air JL Raith Memorial. Bred by...

Click for more