A return to the turf in Hobart

Tasracing in conjunction with the Tasmanian Trotting Club are excited to announce that harness racing’s 2023 New Norfolk Cup will be held on the turf thoroughbred track in Hobart.

The national rating 60 or better standing start event will be held over approximately 2400m, pending the rail position, on Sunday, 29th January. It will be the first harness race on the Hobart turf since a dual code meeting held on 11 February 1997.

The turf track in Hobart has hosted many harness meetings in the past, some of note include the 1956 Tasmanian Pacing Championship, won by Raiders Own, with the race transferred from the Royal Showgrounds after a fire burnt down the on-course tote a week prior to the race.

Many meetings were transferred to the inside track in the late 70’s while the Royal Showgrounds was being upgraded ahead of the 1981 Inter Dominion, and as a result the 1979 Championship (pictured) was held on the turf which was won by Our Grattan.

The New Norfolk Pacing Cup was first staged in 1925 and had been held at the clubs track at Kensington Park until 2016, the race has since been conducted by the Tasmanian Trotting Club at Hobart.

Tasmania currently has two grass tracks at St Marys and King Island, while grass track racing is common on several tracks in Queensland and New Zealand.

by Duncan Dornauf, for Tasracing