Canberra Trots

About Canberra

As Australia’s capital, the city of Canberra hosts the Australian parliament and the high court.

Introduction

A trot is a type of horse gait frequently associated with harness racing.

In trotting, the horse’ left front leg moves forward in unison with the rear right leg, then the right front leg will move with the left rear leg. The horse’ body is usually centered while making a trot.

There are various types of trots. In the collected trot, the horse’ body remains compacted, the strides are short and its front legs are raised during movement. The working trot is viewed as the horse’ natural stride. In the extended trot, the horse makes longer strides.

Harness racing

In harness racing, the horse pulls a cart or sulky. In Australia, trotting or harness racing began in the 1800′s when men riding chariots from work would compete on their way home. It was just a matter of time before the race moved onto the racetrack where it gained popularity. The race has evolved over time with changes to wheel size and seat height. Harness racing has grown to become the preserve of the Standardbred horses. The horses are more muscular, stockier and docile than thoroughbreds making them ideal for the rigors of harness racing.

Canberra trots

Canberra trots races are often held at night, which is a good way of avoiding the searing Australian sun. The major harness racing venue for the city is situated off Flemington Road and is managed by the Canberra Harness racing Club. The Club hosts a series of competitions throughout the year. The more recognizable among these are the Henry Rixon Memorial Race, Carton Canberra cup and the John Platts memorial. However, the ACT Cancer Council Canberra Cup is the most famous harness race at the grounds and brings together international renowned competition to the tracks.

Betting

With the expanse of the sports betting industry in Australia, then it comes as no surprise to see that the Canberra trots events are covered by all the major bookmakers in the country. The extensive coverage on television, radio and print media means that information on the race is readily available from numerous sources. As you place your bet, one of the means you could use to do so is an online bookmaker. This comes with the convenience of being possible regardless of location.

Placing your bet on a harness requires expending deliberate effort in finding out the past performance of each of the horses. The good thing is a lot of this information is available online and in the press.