Scoring Up

The Port Pirie Harness Racing Club is set to honour one of South Australia’s greatest pacing legends with the introduction of The Radiant, a new $100,000 slot race that will be run on Saturday, October 10.

Named in recognition of Radiant Venture, the Port Pirie-owned champion who became South Australia’s first Inter Dominion winner in 1957, the innovative feature is designed to showcase the state’s emerging pacing talent while paying tribute to one of the region’s most celebrated sporting heroes.

The race will be conducted over 1600 metres and will feature 20 slots, each available for $5,000. The event will consist of two heats on the night, with the leading performers progressing to the final later that evening.

A $16,000 consolation race will also be held, ensuring every horse remains part of the night’s action.

Eligible horses must have a rating of up to 65 and be based in South Australia by August 10, with Friday, July 3, set as the closing date for expressions of interest from prospective slot holders through Harness Racing South Australia.

“Interest in the inaugural running has already begun to build, with strong rumours circulating that several prominent owners and trainers are keen to secure one of the coveted slots.”

Port Pirie committee man Dale Afford told the “Taking The Reins” podcast.

To add further excitement, the heats will be randomly drawn, while the barrier draw for the final will be conducted after the completion of the heats.

Port Pirie committee man Dale Afford told the “Taking The Reins” podcast.

The Port Pirie Harness Racing Club is also planning a festival atmosphere, with free admission for patrons and a family-friendly entertainment program aimed at attracting new audiences to the sport.

Club officials hope The Radiant will become an annual fixture on the South Australian harness racing calendar, with ongoing upgrades to the venue also underway, including renovations to the betting ring and public viewing area ahead of the inaugural meeting.

A fitting tribute

Few horses deserve to have a feature race named in their honour more than Radiant Venture.

Bred in South Australia, the son of Radiant Robert was purchased as a young horse by Port Pirie owner Max Stephens for just £300—a decision that would become one of the greatest bargains in Australian harness racing history.

Campaigned from Port Pirie and partnered throughout his career by legendary reinsman Frank “Digger” Connor, Radiant Venture quickly became the pride of the region.

Both Stephens and Connor operated milk rounds in Port Pirie;

His greatest triumph came in 1957, when he captured the Inter Dominion Championship at Gloucester Park in Perth, becoming the first South Australian-trained pacer to win the sport’s most prestigious title.

Radiant Venture’s remarkable career also included 18 consecutive victories, success in the prestigious A.G. Hunter Cup, and numerous feature race wins against the country’s best pacers.

Nearly seven decades after his Inter Dominion triumph, Radiant Venture’s legacy continues to inspire.

With the introduction of The Radiant, Port Pirie will once again celebrate the champion who placed both the club and the region firmly on Australia’s harness racing map, while creating what it hopes will become one of South Australia’s premier annual harness racing spectacles.