Clayton Harmey is confident of wins from his top team of three-year-olds at Newcastle Paceway on Friday night but he doesn't believe those or any victories for the next four months should count in premierships.
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The Cessnock trainer and his main driver, Blake Hughes, won the Newcastle premierships last Friday night, but in a strange twist on the traditional first day of the new season - September 1 - Harness Racing Australia announced the racing seasons would now align with the calendar year.
It was previously announced the season for age-group racing would be extended until the new year to allow traditional series, like the Breeders Challenge, to be held after postponements because of COVID-19.
However, Harness Racing NSW has decided to also extend the state premierships, meaning the 2019-20 season will be four months longer.
Harmey believed premierships should have ended on August 31 to maintain the integrity of season records and reward the likes of Tom Ison, who topped the state concession drivers' race.
"I spoke with [HRNSW] yesterday and they said the state premierships will continue, but every club, it's their own decision what they want to do," Harmey said.
"I think for someone like Tom, it's unfair, because he now could be beaten. He drove well, it was a good challenge, he and Blake, and Tom deserves it. Now Cam Hart could come back and beat them both.
"I said to them, 'how could that be fair?' ... It would be like Melbourne Storm winning the minor premiership then the NRL saying, 'no, we're going to play another 10 games'. It's just ridiculous.
"Why not just finish the season, and the next four months, you just don't count those winners in a season."
Newcastle Harness Racing Club was yet to consider the premiership structure but Harmey said he would push for the existing statistics to stand. Harmey had 83 winners at Newcastle, which was second only to Shane Tritton in any season.
"I could now break the record for most winners in a season at Newcastle and it just shouldn't happen," he said. "They should call it quits and I'll be telling them that."
Harmey achieved three goals in his career-best season. He had a century of winners for the first time, won the group 2 Golden Guitar with Wet My Whistle and a maiden group 1 victory in the Hunter Region Championship with Kanye Crusader.
"We've had a good year and we'll continue," he said.
"We've got better things to look forward to with a young team of horses. I got my 100, I got my group winners, so now it's just try to have a good team."
His focus is on the three-year-old division of the Breeders Challenge, where Fire And Sword, Bobsled Boy, Soho SInatra and Dollys On A Roll will compete.
In lead-up runs on Friday night, Fire And Sword and Bobsled Boy clash in race one , while Soho Sinatra and Dollys On A Roll are in the second. He said the draws in each were crucial.
"It's unfortunate I have all these three-year-olds that have to clash but they have to clash in the Breeders Challenge," he said.
"Bobsled Boy has come back very well [with two wins], and so has Fire And Sword [with two seconds].
"Fire And Sword's runs would have to be just as good if not better than Bobsled Boy's. First up he was against better grade horses and he got stuck on the fence, then flashed home in 56. Last week it was just a better drive by Tom on the winner. Fire And Sword would have to be the pick because of the draw.
"I have to lean towards Soho Sinatra because Dollys On A Roll has come from ODMs and the only draw I didn't want was one. I think she's very vulnerable from there and she'll be buried along the fence."
"Her aim is the Breeders Challenge the next week so her aim tomorrow will be to get around safe like she did last week."
Harmey also has the in-form Britney Jane, with four wins in six starts for his team, taking on stablemate Lilymadimac in the fourth.
"She just keeps surprising us and she's going really well," he said of Britney Jane.
"Lilymadimac has been going good as well, so I couldn't split them. It's whoever gets the best drive and the best run."
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