RACING Victoria has confirmed Ballarat Turf Club will have 12 race meetings in the first four months of the season.
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These will include the Grand National Steeplechase on an all-jumps day on Sunday, August 23, time-honoured early spring feature Gold Nugget on Sunday, September 20, and Ballarat Cup on Saturday, November 21.
As is the practise, Ballarat will not have any race meetings in December.
Traditionally a 12-month schedule of race dates, but Racing Victoria requires further consultation with clubs regarding the 2021 dates.
BTC DATES
Friday, August 7: synthetic
Tuesday, August 11: synthetic
Monday, August 17: synthetic
Sunday, August 23: turf (Grand National Steeplechase)
Tuesday, August 25: synthetic
Thursday, September 3: synthetic
Sunday, September 20: turf (Gold Nugget)
Wednesday, September 30: turf
Friday, October 9: turf
Thursday, October 22: turf
Monday, November 2: turf
Saturday, November 21: turf (Ballarat Cup)
WARRNAMBOOL-trained Harbour Views has passed two crucial tests ahead of a spring campaign with a dominant victory at The Valley on Saturday.
The win in the Inglis July Sales Series Handicap on Saturday came at Harbour Views first start at the track and his first at the 2040m journey.
Trainer Matthew Williams said the plan had been to give Harbour Views experience at the track ahead of spring targets.
Ridden perfectly by Ballarat's John Allen, Harbour Views ($3.80) scored from last year's Ballarat Cup runner-up Double You Tee ($15).
Williams will give Harbour Views a short break before orchestrating a spring program towards a start in October's Cox Plate.
The Feehan Stakes, 1600m, at The Valley in September is an early spring assignment for Harbour Views as that race affords the winner a ballot exemption into the Cox Plate.
Williams hopes Racing Victoria handicappers were taken with Harbours View victory on Saturday and boost his rating to gain a Feehan start.
"A tick for 2000 metres and a tick for getting around The Valley," Williams said.
"We'll just have to see where his rating goes now and have a bit of a look back through previous Feehan fields and see if he's going to get a run.
"He'll only have a short let-up, just couple of weeks in the paddock, he'll do a bit of beach work and water walker work and poke along.
"For a big horse he's a very clean-winded horse so it doesn't take a lot to get him back up again."
Allen said Harbour Views was a lot cleaner from the barriers on Saturday which enabled him to take a more forward position.
"We landed in a good spot but he was probably in front too soon, but he was too good for them," Allen said."
He's still a work in progress and he's quite lightly raced, but as long as he keeps improving he'll be able to target better races."
