Racing WA advises that, following consultation with the Breeders, Owners, Trainers and Reinspersons
Association (BOTRA)......I don't recall being consulted ...... and the Harness Racing Owners Association Western Australia (HROAWA), the policy
relating to the wearing of registered colours in harness racing has been amended.

The policy currently provides that “horses shall only race in the registered colours of either the owner or
trainer as nominated on a Stable Return lodged by the trainer.”

The policy will now permit the use of registered driver colours in races.
The amended policy makes the use of registered driver colours optional; it remains at the discretion of trainers
and owners which registered colours they elect to utilise on their horse.

Comment:  No thanks, if the driver wishes to contribute to paying the trainers account, maybe, otherwise, as it has been forever, my horse will race in my colours. Full stop.

I have recently been gifted vast quantities of historical documents, scrap books of Newspaper clippings and a massive unpublished manuscript covering the History of Trotting in WA from the very beginning up until 1980. The manuscript was commissioned by the WATA but when presented, they objected to descriptions of J.P Stratton, that although balanced, factual and truthfu,l were occasionally not very complimentary.

The cache' of material contains original signed letters of support for the author vouching for his accuracy from some of the most prominent trotting participants to ever sit behind a horse.

So, on occasions, like today, 70km winds, 30 plus mm of rain and an outside temp of 6 degrees, I will put up snippets of interest, using the language and writing style of the day.

March 1954:

A Royal Visit from the Queen and The Duke caused a frenzy in social circles. A to forefront was the Racing Industry and on Monday March 29th, special events were put on at both Ascot and Gloucester Park. I have the racebooks, form guides and results. The comparisons between the 2 codes are very interesting.

Firstly Ascot, where the feature was the "Royal Visit Cup", 21 acceptors, one and a half miles, weight range 9.0 stone to 7.0 stone, no claim for apprentices. Stake was £2,100 pound on a programme that had maidens racing for £300 pound, the Standard Handicap and the Trial were also £300 pound and the Welter was for £400 pounds. the Cup was race 3 on the card.

At Gloucester, it was the Queen Elizabeth Stakes for Open Class horses, Race 6 at 10.15pm, 2.12 and better, 14 furlongs, 15 starters, 5 off the front, 5 off 12 yrds, 2 off 24 yrds, 2 off 36 yrds and 1 off 48 yrds, the reigning Inters Champ Tennessee Sky. Stake was £5,000 pounds on a programme that had the £1,000 pound Duke Of Edinburgh Final over 13 furlongs for 2.17 and better. There was no "maiden" or Qualifying stakes, and the 2.21 races were worth £425 pounds whilst a 2.17 and better race was worth £475 pounds.

The support races for both codes were the same the next week, so the stakes were not inflated.

For the record, top weight Moderniste won at Ascot for trainer Ken James ( of Northam) and was ridden by Eric Treffone, a drifting favourite on account of "rumours" of lameness in the days leading into the race. The Cup was presented by the Chief Justice, Sir John Dwyer. The Royal couple where elsewhere.

Happy Mint, driven by Fred Kersley (Snr) won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at 25/1 and the Gold Cup was presented by Her Majesty to owner breeder Watty Clark. The Queen was introduced to all drivers prior to the race and watched the Birdcage parade. She was said to be "most interested" in attending her first night time trotting meeting and the Duke was "particularly keen" watching the race through a set of binoculars.

Fred Kersley's brother Frank (F.E) drove a treble on the night and Billy Collette won race one off 48 yards for driver Bernie Cushing. Billy Collette was owned and trained (and often driven) by "Chariotsonfire"s father Mick Cooper. He progressed to be a star Free For All horse.

The perennial question for trotting folk will always be how on earth did the code fall to the depths it currently occupies.

It is very clear as to which code was dominant in 1954.

The calendar planners have really got a handle on things...like the UNannounced "stakes cuts' that were just slid into the programming.....all races down to $21k getting rid of $23k, $25k and $27k races....plus the replacement of one race with a $9k country stake....repeat all UNANNOUNCED by the Harness Racing Office???

A few high level complaints...."An internal budget anomaly" was the description provided....and so it was, with a few $23k and $25k races making cameo appearances over the last few weeks, whilst the $31k race for the FFA remained untouched, of course it would remain untouched, wouldn't it?

So what have we got tonight? A measly 8 races, one a country stake, all the rest back to $21k except for the mares race and a $31k Claytons Free For All for horses that are not actually Free For Allers....none with a maximum rating of 120, with zero disrespect to any of the very nice horses? Good work if you can get it racing a NR 80 horse in a FFA worth $31k. Will it soon be back to 4,5 and 6 horse Free For Alls to look after the big end of town?

Enough material here for the Review Inquiry into governance to occupy themselves with for a week or two, never mind the truckload of examples that have/will roll in by COB March 8th at the Secretariat. Adverse findings against a decade of mismanagement a possibility? Perish the thought.

It was last updated on May 2nd, 2025. They run a top show down at Osborne Park, regardless of any concurrent governance and management reviews being in play. Harness gets very poorly treated.

racing map ? The temperature and wind will play its part.

Best of luck to the club to have a BIG crowd (betting, drinking and eating)

Only early but still a bit differnce.

Drivers and Trainers with names I would never of seen in the 

top 10. Maybe the NR system or junior drivers enjoying there

time in the sun.

Is it when $27k, $25k and $23k races disappear of the programme to be replaced by all $21k races and a $9360 race (on an ad hoc sometimes basis)?

Or is it like last night when a couple of $25k races make an unannounced cameo appearance?

Or is it like next weeks programmed races which include a $25k and a $23k race?

Or is it like the March 6th Friday night programme with a return to all $21k races plus a $9,360 thrown in seemingly at random?

Meanwhile, no change to the FFA, no matter what the NR of the acceptors, it retains a $31k stake in an era of cost reductions and savings.

Just when things were seemingly stabilizing (in spite of the non release of promised data veryifying that reality), this all seems very hard to follow or to find a rationale for. Seemingly ad hoc random decisions like this serve as grist for the mill for any industry bodies looking to make a submission to the Governance review of RWWA currently in the pipeline. Closing date March 8th.

Next race is an interesting race The Lord Mayors Cup , Lavroe Joe at 6/4 I think plenty of bookies would like to take it on

In a Head of Corporate Affairs, Steve Butler, penned article, they completely cocked up the facts yet again.

In comments on Frank Kersley's 1954 Wayville Interdominion winner Tennessee Sky, Butler made the following remarks about him racing in Perth at the 1953 Interdominion Series.

During his racing career, Tennessee Sky won 12 races at Gloucester Park
and another 10 at Sydney’s Harold Park headquarters. He finished second
to champion New Zealand mare Blue Mist in the 1953 Inter Dominion final
in Perth. Absolute rubbish, he did not.

Move over winner Captain Sandy and runner up Ribands. Tennessee Sky ran 8th, Blue Mist ran 5th. Not even close Steve, not even close. So easy to look up the results on HRA. Sloppy, lazy, unresearched, error riddled journalism. Harness continues to be treated as the second class citizen by an organisation that doesn't care.

But the Northam Cup Handicaps tonight seem on the surface to defy logic. Vinita Rose NR 73 off the front along with Dourado seemingly thrown in at NR 77, mixed in with NR 61 and 62 horses. Eclipse Line, an unforeseeable winner last night, was a NR 66 at acceptance time, fair enough, it is trying to beat the handicapper.

Off 10m, the water really gets murky. NR 70 and 72 horses along with the in form  Northview Dance NR 84 and the out of form Don't Goin The Water NR 41. Now, Don't Goin The Water may be there because the front line was fully occupied and his connections were given the option, I don't know.....change of policy if it is now the case but that option was taken off the table for Busselton meetings.....  but it is a huge disparity. If not, it is just plain absurd. 

Last start metro stand winner off 40 metres Maungatahi who accounted for front marker Eclipse Line, avoids penalty for doing so with the difference still being 40 metres to Eclipse Line.

It still looks an interesting race but what is the discretion based on...NR, LTE or recent form...probably all three. I guess that is why it is an interesting race but it goes against proper handicapping. Similar to the Busselton Cup where both I'm The Best and Dawson avoided penalty for winning the week before and both still started of 50m. They ran first and second. Had they started of 60m, they probably still run 1/2 but they seemingly got a nice let up over the field.

In keeping with the shabby treatment the trots get from the supposedly even handed TABtouch, there are no fixed prices up as yet (all other harness meetings today tonight up and running...pathetic, no wonder we are behind the turnover 8 ball) to see how punters have assessed the race.  I'm predicting no fancy offerings for either Dourado, Northview or Maungatahi (or last nights winner Eclipse Line for that matter).

In WA, we are "controlled", if that is the word, by having our sales classic races in the same week as the Sale.....for obvious promotional purposes. I understand that but it does mean that there is pressure to get at least some race starts  and experience other than trials into these horses before they contest the heats of the classic (next Tuesday week), $11,000 heats to be run on February 17th at GP. The $125,000 finals will be run on  Friday, February 27th, again at GP. Yep, all well and good.

So for this Friday Night, they programmed a 2 year old race for $21,000 with a condition attached that unless there were 8 acceptors, it would be canned. There were not 8 acceptors and according to the advertised conditions, the race fell over. No surprises as it is still very early and horse are still going through their educational and qualifying trials. Seemed a starnge bit of programming this early in the season and the minimum 8 starter condition meant it was unlikely to go ahead.

Fast Forward to Pinjarra this Monday with this being the advertised conditions for the $9,360 2 year old race(s).

No NR. 2YO. MAXIMUM FIELD SIZE 10 STARTERS.

IF THERE ARE A SUITABLE NUMBER OF ACCEPTORS, THIS RACE WILL BE DIVIDED BY SEX. MINIMUM 8 STARTERS EACH DIVISON.

NO CONCESSION CLAIMS. PBD/LTW/SEX.

Clearly, the got more than 10 acceptors and they obviously deemed 14 to be a "suitable number" of acceptors. The race has been divided on sex, 6 fillies in race 2, 8 colts in race 3. In doing so, they have ignored the advertised condition of a MINIMUM OF 8 STARTERS. So why bother putting a condition in if it is going to be ignored.

Clearly applying such a condition is bordering on stupid so early in the 2 year old season, and clearly running a field of 6 fillies is the right thing to do. So why in Gods name would you apply the condition in the first place.

Generally in life, advertised "conditions" on anything are water tight unless there is a rider of discretion attached but not down at RWWA land where you can make it up as you go. Hopeless management, don't put restrictive conditions in place that are not going to be adhered to.

The Discussion Paper is in the process of being disseminated to all Industry Bodies (BOTRA, WACHRA etc) who will be invited to make submissions. Individuals are also encouraged to make submissions. The closing date for acceptance of submissions is Sunday March 7th 2026

David Templeman and Professor Andrew Harding will be leading the review with the support provided by the Department of LGIRS (Specifically Racing and Gaming) Officers.

This review may well be the last hurrah for the Harness Racing Industry. I would urge all involved in our Industry to read the Discussion Paper and get busy submitting your thoughts and suggestions. Failure to engage would simply play into the hands of those forces that have put us in the position we are in.

Link to the Discussion Paper:

Click on  https://www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/racing-gaming-and-liquor and click on the Press Release dated January 30th 2026 which is the Discussion Paper.

I will over the next couple of weeks be formulating my thoughts. I spent today organising established and available information , a planning day so to speak. There will be more "planning days" before the preparation of the submission. Fortunately, I have kept a running record of decisions/papers/documents/data/names and correspondence that have coincided with the disastrous decline of our Industry. 

Late Report:

Gloucester Park, Friday 16 January 2026.

RACE 6 – JP’S SPORTS BAR TROTTERS SPRINT (GROUP 3) PACE (1730MS)
Following
the race and after the declaration of All Clear, it was established
that THATS NOT MY GAIT (C Lewis) had completed the event in an incorrect
gait by pacing throughout. THATS NOT MY GAIT was subsequently
disqualified from 8th position under HR66(h) with the placings amended
accordingly. Trainer Mr D Young was advised that the gelding must
complete a satisfactory requalifying trial prior to racing again. Driver
C. Lewis advised that he was unaware the gelding had changed gait to a
pace prior to the start and consequently he had not taken any action
throughout running to correct the gelding and have it race in the
correct gait and he further added that after being caught wide in the
early stages he restrained the gelding to settle at the rear of the
field from where it failed to make any ground, finishing in 8th
position. In considering the matter, Stewards took into account Mr
Lewis’s long driving history which showed no prior matters of this
nature being recorded against him and also the gelding’s finishing
position and subsequent disqualification which resulted in no impact to
betting, or any significant loss of prize money and in all of the
circumstances he was advised that any recurrence of a similar nature may
result in further action being taken against him."

Incredible market a few minutes ago 5 equal faves all @ $5 - horses 5-8 and no 11 

The NSW Derby is to be reduced in distance  from 2400m to 1609m  as part of the "Carnival of Dreams". Claims it will "attract a new generation of fans". Yep, rightio, smoke and mirrors and spin must be mandatory requirement for administrators.

Let's wait for the "it will boost turnover" brigade to emerge......like they always do..... but never release actual figures, just unproven vague claims.

The camels are not just on the horizon, they are galloping down the dunes full tilt.

The race should lose it's group 1 status as a result of this call.