THE future of harness racing in Orange isn’t in jeopardy despite Orange Harness Racing Club’s (OHRC) decision to move both of its meetings for the 2016 calendar year to Bathurst.
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The club will race out of the Bathurst Harness Racing Club’s multi-million dollar College Road complex on Sunday, February 7 and then again for the club’s main meeting, the Carnival of Cups and Kent’s H Hardware Banjo Paterson Pace on Sunday, February 14.
They’re the only two meetings scheduled for the OHRC this year.
OHRC president Frank McRae said the decision to take both meetings to Bathurst was made based on the standard of the Highlands Paceway’s tiny track, which currently needs a large amount of maintenance to ensure the safety of participants.
McRae dismissed speculation moving next month’s meetings to Bathurst would spell the end of the sport’s existence in Orange all together.
“That’s far from where we want to go,” McRae said defiantly.
“Harness Racing NSW’s new board, when they come in, are adamant that we will continue to race in Orange.
“It’s a significant amount [of work that needs to be completed on the track], and you can’t do it in a short period of time.
“But Harness Racing NSW want harness racing to continue in Orange. They’re very supportive of that and they’re adamant it will.”
McRae said although it’s only a short-term fix in this region, the model of taking smaller club’s pace meetings to near-by larger facilities is one successfully adopted in regional Victoria.
Wangaratta at Bendigo and Terang and Park Melton are just two examples of such moves that have worked.
“They’ve got big tracks, good facilities and modern racing facilities,” he added.
“For us, approval to race in Bathurst is this year only. It’s based on our concerns with the safety of the track and getting a track with a suitable racing surface to accommodate the style of racing and the speeds the horses are racing at these days.
“The safety of participants, more than anything, is behind the move.”
The smaller size of the Highlands Paceway circuit - it is 714m in circumference compared to the 1064.87m distance of Bathurst’s new track - wasn’t conducive to competitive racing.
“It does it has a major impact and trainers won’t bring good horses here,” McRae added.
“Horses are going faster and faster and even the slow horses are going faster ... racing sulkies are different and the style of driving is really changed and none of the young guys drive to suit a small track.
“It’s just a decision for this year. We realise some people won’t agree with it ... but it’s best for our directors and racing’s future in Orange.”
