General News
10 January, 2025
Maryborough Harness Racing Club kick off stacked Harness the Summer program
The Maryborough Harness Racing Club (MHRC) are wanting to Harness the Summer with three consecutive Friday races culminating in the return of the Maryborough Pacing Cup.
Starting last Friday and continuing today and next Friday, the three week program is a new addition to the harness club schedule, with live music, kids activities and dinner specials running alongside the racing action.
When their schedule was announced for the new year, MHRC general manager Jackson Barby said the club saw an opportunity to create an exciting event for patrons.
“We were given our racing calendar from Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) and when we were set our calendar for the year, we decided to embrace the fact that we have got three race days on a Friday in January,” he said.
“It’s that time of year when people are off work and it’s also school holidays so we thought we would make the most of it.
“One of the things we have been trying to do which we are starting to get some really good momentum in is making it more of a social experience and getting new people out to the track.”
The main event of the Harness the Summer program is the return of the historic Maryborough Pacing Cup.
The cup was scheduled to run last September, however it was put on hiatus and amalgamated with the Redwood Classic helping it become a Group 1 race.
While he was always confident it wouldn’t been gone for long, Mr Barby said he is glad to see the pacing cup back on the agenda for 2025.
“Last year, HRV and the club made the decision to boost the Redwood Classic and our Trotters Cup and the pacing cup was just lost in the calendar,” he said.
“It was never going to be lost forever, but it was just finding the right day and making it work.
“I always knew that we would get it back, we were always going to make sure that we did but there’s that little part of you that worries that you might not.
“The club recognises the history and tradition of the race and it was important to get it back.”
The reintroduction of the cup also involves a new format which incorporates all of the Harness the Summer events.
The feature race in the first two events, (last Friday and today) are heats with the top five horses automatically qualifying for the final next Friday with other horses added based on time.
The winner of the first heat was My Way, trained by Luke Tabone and driven by Jordan Leedham. Other placegetters were Major Annie, Classically Smooth and Le Twist.
Today’s heat is expected to be another exciting spectacle with the current odds on favourite in a highly competitive field is Captain Moore, trained and driven by Michael Stanley.
According to Mr Barby, the new format has been advantageous on multiple levels.
“The cup historically has always been trying to find that date, it has moved around a fair bit and this could be it if it works well,” he said.
“It’s an exciting concept and one of the things that’s most exciting for the club is the rating for the horses to qualify has been adjusted and that means it gives more of an opportunity to our local trainers to compete.
“We had one of our local trainers in the first heat, Gerard Jamieson and his horse (Major Annie) came second and only just missed out on first.
“It was a great atmosphere and it would be a highlight for us if we could present the cup to one of our local trainers.
“HRV have embraced [the format] and backed the club and hopefully we can make it a regular feature each year and these three weeks in January can be a staple in everyone’s calendar.”
The Harness the Summer program continues today at the Maryborough Harness Racing Club. Gates open at 11.30 am with the first race commencing at 1.24 pm.
The second heat for the Maryborough Pacing Cup is on at 5.44 pm.