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

18 January 2026
GOODFORM - Ryan's look at Cranbourne harness Sunday night: Cranbourne – Sunday, 18 January 2026 Race 1: OVERVIEW: WINSUM BELLA (5) gets a positive stable change to Mitch Frost, who has been striking at a strong rate over the past 12 months. She stepped out in a Shepparton trial last week and showed a much-improved turn of speed compared to what had previously...

18 January 2026
Mark targets second 7BU Burnie Cup: Harness racing driver Mark Yole will be chasing his second 7BU Burnie Cup (2789m) at the Wivenhoe Paceway in Burnie on Sunday afternoon. Mark previously won Burnie’s feature race in 2018 with Hez The One (pictured), and he will take the drive on My Way for his father, Wayne, in this year’s...

18 January 2026
Spotlight On: Gus: The heroics of Gus during New Zealand Cup week late last year at Addington were truly historic, and in so many ways. The brilliant square gaiter Gus scored a unique Group 1 double by winning both the $400,000 Renwick Farms Dominion before backing up a few days later to claim the New Zealand Trotting...

17 January 2026
First training win secured as Chibnall eyes driving return: Harness racing driver Jordan Chibnall recorded her first win as a trainer in Hobart on Friday night. Chibnall, 23, prepared Sinister ($6.50) to victory at her tenth starter in the Lather Up at Woodlands Stud Pace (1609m). Driving responsibilities were given to five-point concession claim driver Malcom...

17 January 2026
The rise of Tassie star Triedtotellya: AN unfashionably bred gelding who has broken down three times has united the hopes of a once proud Australian harness racing state. The tiny state of Tasmania, an island off the south-west of mainland Australia, punched above its weight for so long in Down Under harness racing. Triedtotellya, a six-year-old...

Click for more