Australasian Pacers Grand Circuit
Encyclopedia
The Australian Grand Circuit for Pacers began in 1977 and was designed to be the showpiece of the Australian Harness Racing
Industry with horses competing from every state within Australia
. In 1992 New Zealand
was admitted and the Circuit was renamed the Australasian Grand Circuit.
The best horses available are brought together to race for very attractive prizemoney. With the associated opportunities for promotion and marketing, this benefits both owners and harness racing clubs as well as the industry overall. In its first season in 1977, total stakemoney for the eight races forming the Circuit was $554,020.
Today total stakemoney has risen to a projected $4,805,000, spread over 16 legs for the Grand Circuit Season in 2005/2006.
The Grand Circuit has eliminated date clashes of major races which so often prevented the best horses from competing against each other to the detriment of clubs and the public.
Points are awarded during the Circuit, five points for a win, two points for second and one point for third. The horse with the greatest number of points is crowned Australasian Grand Circuit Winner. The Australian Harness Racing Council holds in perpetuity the Australasian Grand Circuit Trophy on which the name of each Grand Circuit Winner is engraved.
+ Denotes Tie
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
Industry with horses competing from every state within Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. In 1992 New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
was admitted and the Circuit was renamed the Australasian Grand Circuit.
The best horses available are brought together to race for very attractive prizemoney. With the associated opportunities for promotion and marketing, this benefits both owners and harness racing clubs as well as the industry overall. In its first season in 1977, total stakemoney for the eight races forming the Circuit was $554,020.
Today total stakemoney has risen to a projected $4,805,000, spread over 16 legs for the Grand Circuit Season in 2005/2006.
The Grand Circuit has eliminated date clashes of major races which so often prevented the best horses from competing against each other to the detriment of clubs and the public.
Points are awarded during the Circuit, five points for a win, two points for second and one point for third. The horse with the greatest number of points is crowned Australasian Grand Circuit Winner. The Australian Harness Racing Council holds in perpetuity the Australasian Grand Circuit Trophy on which the name of each Grand Circuit Winner is engraved.
Australasian Grand Circuit Winners
- 2010 - Monkey King
- 2009 - Blacks A Fake+
- 2009 - Mr Feelgood +
- 2008 - Blacks A FakeBlacks A FakeBlacks A Fake is a brown Standardbred gelding that won the 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010 Inter Dominion Championships, making him the only four-time winner of Australasia's premier harness race. He finished second, beaten by a long neck, in the 2009 Inter Dominion to Mr Feelgood...
- 2007 - Flashing RedFlashing RedFlashing Red is a brown Australian bred Standardbred racehorse that was foaled in 1997. He is notable in that he won both the Auckland Trotting Cup and two New Zealand Trotting Cups. These races are the richest harness races in New Zealand...
- 2006 - Be Good JohnnyBe Good Johnny (horse)Be Good Johnny is an Australian born Standardbred pacer trained, owned and driven by John McCarthy of Logan Village, Queensland. He started his career later than most at age 5 coming second in a trial at Albion Park on 17 February 2004. His first win came in his next race 2 March 2004 in a C0 to C1...
- 2005 - ElsuElsuElsu is a black New Zealand bred Standardbred pacer who won the Australasian Pacers Grand Circuit Champion and was twice the New Zealand Horse of the Year.He was sired by Falcon Seelster out of Interchange by New York Motoring.-Racing record:...
- 2004 - The Falcon Strike
- 2003 - Double Identity+
- 2003 - Young Rufus+
- 2002 - Smooth Satin
- 2001 - Atitagain
- 2000 - Holmes D G
- 1999 - Christian CullenChristian Cullen (horse)Christian Cullen is a Standardbred stallion and was one of New Zealand's best pacers. Named after the New Zealand international rugby union player, Christian Cullen, he won 22 of his 31 starts, and $NZ1,249,150 in prize money. He is notable in that he won both the Auckland Trotting Cup and New...
- 1998 - Our Sir VancelotOur Sir VancelotOur Sir Vancelot is a New Zealand, standardbred stallion. Known as Sir Vancelot in New Zealand, he won a record three straight Inter Dominion finals, 1997, 1998 and 1999...
- 1997 - Our Sir VancelotOur Sir VancelotOur Sir Vancelot is a New Zealand, standardbred stallion. Known as Sir Vancelot in New Zealand, he won a record three straight Inter Dominion finals, 1997, 1998 and 1999...
- 1996 - Sunshine Band
- 1995 - Golden Reign
- 1994 - Jack Morris
- 1993 - Franco Tiger
- 1992 - Westburn Grant
- 1991 - Westburn Grant
- 1990 - Westburn Grant
- 1989 - Our Maestro
- 1988 - Village KidVillage KidVillage Kid is a musical group based in Perth, Australia.The group has released one E.P. Colourful Girl in July 2010, recorded with vocalist Aaron Malone with producer Anthony Cormican . The E.P. generally received favourable reviews. In September 2010, the title track from this E.P. was awarded...
- 1987 - Bag Limit
- 1986 - Village KidVillage KidVillage Kid is a musical group based in Perth, Australia.The group has released one E.P. Colourful Girl in July 2010, recorded with vocalist Aaron Malone with producer Anthony Cormican . The E.P. generally received favourable reviews. In September 2010, the title track from this E.P. was awarded...
- 1985 - Preux Chevalier
- 1984 - GammaliteGammaliteGammalite was an Australian bred Standardbred racehorse who was the first Standardbred to win A$1 million in Australia. He was regarded as one of Australia's most successful pacers with 16 Group one wins....
- 1983 - GammaliteGammaliteGammalite was an Australian bred Standardbred racehorse who was the first Standardbred to win A$1 million in Australia. He was regarded as one of Australia's most successful pacers with 16 Group one wins....
- 1982 - GammaliteGammaliteGammalite was an Australian bred Standardbred racehorse who was the first Standardbred to win A$1 million in Australia. He was regarded as one of Australia's most successful pacers with 16 Group one wins....
- 1981 - San SimeonSan Simeon (horse)San Simeon is a Standardbred pacer from Western Australia best known for his Australasian record winning sequence of 29 races from his first start as a two year old until his defeat by Michael Frost during the 1981 Interdominion series in Hobart, Tasmania...
- 1980 - Pure SteelPure SteelPure Steel is the only pacer to win the A G Hunter Cup, a race over 3,050 metres and the richest handicap race for pacers in the world, three times, in 1977, 1978 and 1980. He was the first Standardbred horse to win A$500,000 in Australia. Pure Steel also won the WA Benson & Hedges Cup four times...
- 1979 - Koala KingKoala KingKoala King was a former champion Australian Standardbred pacing horse of the 1970s and 80s who won a host of Australasian Pacers Grand Circuit and feature races including the 1980 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship at Harold Park Paceway and the 1981 A G Hunter Cup...
- 1978 - Pure SteelPure SteelPure Steel is the only pacer to win the A G Hunter Cup, a race over 3,050 metres and the richest handicap race for pacers in the world, three times, in 1977, 1978 and 1980. He was the first Standardbred horse to win A$500,000 in Australia. Pure Steel also won the WA Benson & Hedges Cup four times...
- 1977 - Paleface AdiosPaleface AdiosPaleface Adios was an Australian harness racing horse which competed as a pacer throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. He raced from 1972 to 1981, when there was top competition from the likes of the Hondo Grattan, Robalan and Pure Steel.He was a chestnut Standardbred pacer with a white blaze and...
+ Denotes Tie