The United Harness Racing Association has lodged a submission arguing against the proposed whip ban on the grounds it will harm the integrity of the sport.
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A delegation of members from the UHRA – a representative group of trainers, drivers and owners in the state – met with Harness Racing NSW chief executive John Dumesny, chief steward Graham Loch and director Rod Smith in the days before Christmas to air their concerns about the ban, which will come into force in September.
Harness Racing Australia announced in December plans to ban the use of the whip on horses in trials or races next season despite plans for drivers to still be able to carry a crop for safety purposes.
The ban has caused widespread angst among participants and the UHRA has outlined its position in a submission on the issue.
"We've got a bit of water to go under the bridge yet, but the main reason we're against it is on integrity grounds," UHRA president John McCarthy said.
"We're happy for the people who are offenders under the current rule to be penalised harder. We would like everything to be kept the way it is and we think the stewards have done a great job [policing the rule].
"We've come a long way in the last five or six years and all we ask is that stewards enforce harsher penalties on the people who are offending and who are making it worse for the ones who aren't. And we're all for not using the whip on a horse if you can't change the result of a race."
The UHRA will hold its annual general meeting on January 18.
Plate expectations
Twenty-two-year-old Riverina trainer Liam Armstrong is eyeing the biggest win of his young career with Our Marscapony in Leeton's Breeders Plate final on Sunday night.
"We don't usually race two-year-olds – dad [Garry Armstrong] has only given one horse a start at this age – but we specifically bought this filly for this race," Liam said.
"We actually went to the sale in Shepparton and bid on four colts before we bought her. She was the last horse and was passed in at the sale in Sydney for $8000 and we bought her for $3500. We've never had a horse in this race before or had a horse in a race as big as this before."
Our Marscapony will leave from barrier two with Grant Forrest in the gig and is the $7.50 fourth pick for the group 3 final.
