News Article - Australian Harness Racing

HRA Announce an Amendment to the National Ratings Based Handicapping System

09 June 2021

The Members of Harness Racing Australia (HRA) have voted to make an amendment to the National Ratings Based Handicapping System.

The change announced today is in relation a change to the Ratings Matrix which will come into effect on 1 July 2021.

Matrix Change

From 1 July 2021, the Ratings Matrix will be modified to provide for the following two amendments:

The previous 2nd and 3rd matrix brackets have been combined so that now races with stakemoney between $2,001 to $4,500 give 2 points to the winner; and
Change in in the Race Stakes ranges with winners of races with stakemoney between $7,000 to $9,999 now receiving four points, while 3 points will be given for races in the $4,501 - $6,999 range.

Ratings Matrix from 1 July 2021

For more information, contact Harness Racing Australia via email to hra@hra.com.au.

7 July 2025
HRA Industry Notice – Foreclosure (NZ) – First Stallion Registered for 25/26: HRA stallion registrations for the 25/26 breeding season recently opened and Western Australian based stallion Foreclosure (NZ) is the first to register for the new season. Foreclosure: Proven Speed, Proven Sire, Proven Future Foreclosure a New Zealand-bred pacer who would go on to make his mark racing...

1 July 2025
Gelding Procedures - Notification to HRNSW: HRNSW Stewards remind Trainers and Owners of their obligations to notify HRNSW or Stewards following a gelding procedure being performed. Australian Harness Racing Rules (AHRR) 100 and 100A state the following: AHRR 100. (1) A person who has a horse gelded or submits it to a medical, surgical or other...

1 July 2025
25/26 Stallion Registrations: Stallion registration for the 25/26 breeding season (1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026) is now open with Harness Racing Australia (HRA) and closes on 31 October 2025. Late fees apply. DO I NEED TO REGISTER MY STALLION? Registration is not automatic. A person intending to stand a stallion in any given...

26 June 2025
What to do if you've been involved in a breach: Hacking schemes can be incredibly complex. Your details can still be compromised even after your best efforts to protect your personal and banking information. Noticing an unusual transaction or log-in activity is unnerving, but it’s important that you take action to reduce the impact. Three things...

26 June 2025
How to protect your personal information: It’s never been more critical to lock down your data. Choosing to safeguard your information in advance could save you a lot of unnecessary stress later. With cyber-attacks impacting people all over Australia every day, now’s the time to check in on how you’re protecting your personal...

Click for more