The Australian Grand Circuit for Pacers

History

The Circuit began in 1977 and was designed to be the showpiece of the Australian

Harness Racing Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australia ...

Industry with horses competing from every state within

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. In 1992

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

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. 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 were 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. In the past there were a larger number of races (for example: 16 legs in 2005/2006) but in 2012 major changes were announced which reduced the number of races in the circuit, established minimum prizemoney levels and a new points system This was not popular with all industry participants.

Current events

Australasian Grand Circuit Winners

*2024 -

Leap To Fame Leap To Fame (foaled 5 November 2018) is an Australian Standardbred racehorse, notable for winning multiple Group 1 races including the 2023 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship and the 2024 A G Hunter Cup and Miracle Mile Pace. Background Ow ...

https://www.harness.org.au/media-room/news-article/?news_id=67926 *2023 -

*2022 - King of Swing *2021 - King of Swing *2020 - King of Swing *2019 -

Tiger Tara Tiger Tara (foaled 23 October 2010) is a New Zealand bred Standardbred racehorse that raced at the very top level in both New Zealand and Australia. He is notable in that he was voted Australian Harness Horse of the Year for the 2019 season an ...

*2018 -

Lazarus Lazarus may refer to: People *Lazarus (name), a surname and a given name * Lazarus of Bethany, a Biblical figure described as being raised from the dead by Jesus * Lazarus, a Biblical figure from the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus * Lazar ...

*2017 -

*2016 - Lennytheshark & Smolda *2015 -

Christen Me To christen is to perform the religious act of baptism. Christen may also refer to: People Surname * Adolf Christen (1811–1883), court actor, theater director and theater manager * Andreas Christen (born 1989), footballer from Liechtenstein ...

*2014 -

*2013 -

Im Themightyquinn Im Themightyquinn (foaled 8 November 2004) is an Australian champion Standardbred race horse notable for being a three time Australian Harness Horse of the Year and three time winner of the Inter Dominion. He was inducted into the Inter Domin ...

*2012 -

Smoken Up Smoken Up (foaled 7 November 2002) is an Australian champion Standardbred race horse bred in New Zealand. He was the first pacer outside North America to record a mile in under 1:50. He was known as Trigger. Early racing career Smoken Up began ...

*2011 -

*2010 -

Monkey King Sun Wukong (, Mandarin pronunciation: ), also known as the Monkey King, is a literary and religious figure best known as one of the main characters in the 16th-century Chinese novel ''Journey to the West''. In the novel, Sun Wukong is a monk ...

*2009 -

Blacks A Fake Blacks 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 ...

Mr Feelgood Mr Feelgood (foaled April 16, 2003) is a high-class Standardbred racehorse. He is the only pacer in recent years to win major races in both North America and Australia. Foaled in the United States, his achievements in North America included the 2 ...

*2008 -

*2007 -

Flashing Red Flashing Red is a brown Australia bred Standardbred racehorse that was foaled in 1997. He is notable in that he won both the Auckland Pacing Cup and two New Zealand Trotting Cups. These races are the richest harness races in New Zealand. He was ...

*2006 -

Be Good Johnny "Be Good Johnny" is a song by Australian band Men at Work, released in April 1982 as the third and final single from their debut album, '' Business as Usual''. Content The song is written from the viewpoint of a 9-year-old boy who is constantly ...

*2005 -

Elsu Elsu (19 December 1999 – July 2023) was a New Zealand-bred black Standardbred horse, Standardbred pacer who was the 2005 Australasian Pacers Grand Circuit champion and was the New Zealand Horse of the Year in the 2003/04 and 2004/05 seasons. El ...

*2004 - The Falcon Strike *2003 - Double Identity & Young Rufus *2002 - Smooth Satin *2001 - Atitagain *2000 -

Holmes D G Holmes may refer to: People and fictional characters * Holmes (surname), a list of people and fictional characters ** Sherlock Holmes, a fictional detective * Holmes (given name), a list of people * Gordon Holmes, a penname used by Louis Trac ...

*1999 -

Christian Cullen Christian Mathias Cullen (born 12 February 1976) is a retired New Zealand rugby union player. He played most of his rugby at fullback for New Zealand (the All Blacks), for the Hurricanes in the Super 12, and for Manawatu, Wellington and late ...

*1998 - Our Sir Vancelot *1997 - Our Sir Vancelot *1996 - Sunshine Band *1995 - Golden Reign *1994 -

Jack Morris John Scott Morris (born May 16, 1955) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers. Morris won 254 games throughout his career. Arme ...

*1993 - Franco Tiger *1992 -

Westburn Grant Westburn Grant (1985–2020) was an Australian champion Standardbred race horse notable for being a three time Australian Harness Horse of the Year. Westburn Grant raced only three times at aged two in the 1987-88 season for three wins.Cain, R ...

*1991 -

*1990 -

*1989 -

Our Maestro Our or OUR may refer to: * The possessive form of " we" Places * Our (river), in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany * Our, Belgium, a village in Belgium * Our, Jura, a commune in France Other uses * Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), a governm ...

*1988 -

Village Kid Village Kid is a musical group based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. The group has released one E.P. ''Colourful Girl'' in July 2010, recorded with vocalist Aaron Malone with producer Anthony Cormican (Birds of Tokyo). The E.P. general ...

*1987 -

Bag Limit A bag limit is a law imposed on hunters and fishermen restricting the number of animals within a specific species or group of species they may kill and keep. Size limits and hunting seasons sometimes accompany bag limits which place restrictions ...

*1986 -

*1985 -

Preux Chevalier Preux Chevalier (13 September 1978 – 2 June 2007) was a pacer (racing horse) foaled in New Zealand but notable for his racing successes in Australia in 1984 and 1985 including wins in the Inter Dominion Pacing Championship, Miracle Mile Pace ...

*1984 -

Gammalite Gammalite (1976 – 21 December 2006) 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.Gammalite Gammalite (1976 – 21 December 2006) 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.Gammalite Gammalite (1976 – 21 December 2006) 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.San Simeon San Simeon ( Spanish: ''San Simeón'', meaning "St. Simon") is an unincorporated community on the Pacific coast of San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Its position along State Route 1 is about halfway between Los Angeles and San ...

*1980 -

Pure Steel Pure 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. ...

*1979 -

Koala King Koala 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 ...

*1978 -

*1977 -

Paleface Adios Paleface Adios (1969–1989) was an Australian harness racing horse which competed as a pacer throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. He raced from 1972 to 1981, (from the age of two years until he was retired at the age of 11 years) when there w ...

References

{{Reflist

External links

Australasian Grand Circuit - Pacers

Australian Harness Racing Council
Harness racing in Australia Horse racing in New Zealand

History

Current events

Australasian Grand Circuit Winners

See also

References

External links