Representatives from three Group One-winning stables offered us some professional insights into gear changes, and how to approach them from a punting perspective.

Adjustments to gear are sometimes dismissed as peripheral information to form, barrier number, or jockey but the reality is that they can be crucial in gaining that extra length or two.

We spoke with 2014 Queensland Derby-winning trainer Henry Dwyer, leading Queensland trainer Tony Gollan, and Chris Waller's racing manager Liam Prior.

Gollan is leading the Queensland Metro Trainer Premiership by some 21 wins, while the Waller stable are 42 clear of their nearest rival in the New South Wales Premiership.

Q1: Which gear change/s have you found to be most effective in getting the best out of a horse?

LP: I don't think you can generalise when it comes to gear adjustments. For instance, a tongue tie on a horse that chokes down or even has a slight wind issue can be very effective. Blinkers are an obvious one but they need to be applied carefully so not to backfire and cause a horse to over-race. Generally, I find removing a piece of gear can be a good indicator, especially gear such as ear muffs or pacifiers. These are used to relax a horse and generally when these come off it means a horse is relaxing in its races and doing the right thing. It is only subtle and doesn't have the same "fire up" traits that blinkers can give a horse.

HD: Traditionally blinkers have the biggest impact on a horse's performance. A typically lazy, laid back horse can improve many lengths with their addition - they seem to stimulate a horse's natural flight response by blocking their peripheral vision and making them guess what's coming behind them rather than see it for themselves. Winkers are also handy for the same reason but allow slightly more vision to the sides, and are better for horses that may overdo it a bit in blinkers but still need switching on a bit. Visors can be okay at times too, which are slightly different to blinkers in there's a slit cut out of each cup allowing the horse a small bit of rearward vision. Not sure on the theory but they can be okay on horses that can tend to miss the start in blinkers.

TG: Blinkers are the obvious one. Going from a horse with no gear that is not quite concentrating to applying a set of blinkers can really sharpen them up and result in significant improvement. For example, he's not one of mine, but the addition of blinkers (first time) to Kuro last time really brought out the best in the horse after a lacklustre run in Sydney at the start prior.

I find removing gear can be a good indicator, especially gear such as ear muffs or pacifiers. These are used to relax a horse and generally when these come off it means a horse is relaxing it its races and doing the right thing.

Liam prior

A horse having a tongue tie applied.

Q2: Are there any gear changes that you generally try to avoid or any common pieces of gear that you have generally had little success with?

LP: It can never be said certain gear is avoided because they all serve a purpose and it may be a purpose served over time. Once a horse learns to use their bodies more effectively and in essence get the best out of themselves. Over time they become accustomed to this gear and it allows them to race far more tractably.

HD: Not really, happy to try anything if myself or the riders think it will suit a particular horse.

TG: A lot of little things have come across the market which I haven't used a lot. I like to stick to pieces of gear that have stood the test of time. I'm probably not a fan of the tail chain. You adjust it right at the top of their tail and it dangles down their backside to stop wind from going up their rear - It's not something I really see necessary. I'm not big on nasal strips which are said to open a horse's nasal area up and promote easier breathing. They've become more popular in recent times but I haven't really seen evidence (from personal experience) that they make a genuine difference.

I haven't had a great deal of success with nose rolls but that's not to say they don't work. People generally use them for a horse with a high head carriage (to make them hold their head at an angle more conducive to racing) but when I've used them I don't think they've made a huge difference - the horse still has a high head carriage because it's something that is natural to them. I'm certainly not saying they don't work, they seem to be very popular in the UK and also South Africa but not so much down here.

I like to stick to pieces of gear that have stood the test of time.

tony gollan



Q3: Why do punters tend to avoid bar plates like the plague?

LP: I cant recall the last runner we had race with them, however generally they are attributed to feet issues which are a big detractor. They are used to serve a purpose of shifting the pressure from the heel of the foot. Another thing punters seem to hate is synthetic hoof filler. I would say horses getting well into their preparations can have this applied as some remedial work to strengthen the wall of their hoof which gives a solid foundation for the nails in the plates to be applied to. Not always a negative.

HD: Most people try to avoid racing in bar plates due to the low success rate of horses wearing them. Although they probably don't get as much grip on some track surfaces I think it's more symptomatic of the horse having a sore foot and not running well as a result, as opposed to the bar plates making them run ordinarily.

TG: People immediately associate them with bad feet, which is pretty accurate. We tend not to race our horses in them. We'll have horses in bar shoes here at the stables and we'll put them in the standard plates on raceday. There might be the odd horse that we'll run in bar plates for one run and then try to get them back in race plates at their next start. I think one of the best gear changes for punters to look out for is bar plates back to standard plates. I read something on it a while back saying that the general impression is that blinkers first time is the most successful gear change in terms of statistics but it's actually bar plates back to standard plates. I know punters aren't fond of glue-on shoes either. I find hoof filler and stuff like that is irrelevant as a gear change. It's basically cosmetic and makes no real difference to the performance of a horse.

I think one of the best gear changes for punters to look out for is bar plates back to standard plates.

Tony gollan

A bar plate (left), next to a standard racing plate (right).

Q4: Favoured gear adjustments for 2YOs or unruly types?

LP: Natural 2YOs will generally do it themselves. Blinkers and/or winkers are probably the most common and this is used to direct their focus on the job they are supposed to be doing.

HD: Don't mind pacifiers or ear muffs on older horses that are inclined to go too hard. The ones that have had a bit of racing are generally too set in their ways to fix so you're trying to mitigate. In the case of young horses I'd just make sure they were being ridden by good track riders and work them in behind horses etc to educate them more. On occasion a hanging bit can also come in handy. I've had a few horses that might hang slightly, not due to any lameness but more through habit. A hanging bit that pokes into either side of their jaw if they go to hang can save a bit of ground and energy by keeping the horse straight. Most recently Cent of A Tiger and Landslide wore a hanging bit at Warrnambool. It worked well with the former, but didn't do much for the latter.

TG: I think blinkers are still your best gear for unruly types. Winkers are used because they're probably not as a dramatic change for a young horse going from nothing to blinkers. They are perhaps a bit of a softer option when you're looking for a similar result but you're a bit concerned they might resent the blinkers and be inclined to over-race. Another good one for 2YOs is a crossover nose band if a horse is displacing its soft palate (choking down) because it teaches them to shut their mouth and regulate their breathing a bit better. You'll see a lot of young horses work or trial with a crossover noseband but not race in them. If a horse has the crossover nose band removed its generally a good indicator that they're breathing easier - which is obviously a good thing.

If horses are lugging and doing things wrong like that I've seen all sorts of gear used on them (lugging bits, ring bits etc) but as a trainer, and a punter, I don't like seeing bulk gear on young horses. I think it's a sign that you're trying to over-complicate things and you've basically just got a horse that is too immature for racing at that point.

I've had a few horses that might hang slightly, not due to any lameness but more through habit. A hanging bit that pokes into either side of their jaw if they go to hang can save a bit of ground and energy by keeping the horse straight.

Henry Dwyer

A type of hanging bit.

Q5: Do you have any rules or guidelines when it comes to gear for different types of gallopers (sprinters, stayers, etc)?

LP: Not particularly. When gear doesn't need to be used it isn't. They are used as a means of assistance.

HD: Its the old adage of 'horses for courses'.







TG: It obviously varies. I definitely use blinkers and winkers a lot in trackwork to get an understanding of what is going to work on raceday and what the horse feels most comfortable racing in. From a punting point of view, you want to see blinkers applied to a horse who is still on the way up in the preparation and open to improvement. A lot of the time I see blinkers applied to a horse who has been struggling and the application of blinkers is like a last resort or desperate tactic. When a horse is not going well and appears to have had enough for the campaign, blinkers or winkers aren't going to make a difference.

From a punting point of view, you want to see blinkers applied to a horse who is still on the way up in the preparation and open to improvement.

tony gollan

Q6: Can you identify a particular instance, or instances, where a certain gear change has resulted in a significant win?

LP: From recent memory, the addition of winkers to Preferment prior to the Derby was a masterstroke from Chris. The adage of blinkers being applied to Zabeel gallopers was tried earlier in his preparation but it didn't really have the desired affect. However after finishing 2nd in the lead-up to the Derby (the Geelong Classic) it was a timely addition of a piece of gear to extract the best from a horse who had not won a race and was stepping up in trip. His staying prowess probably shone through that day, but the winkers were a simple yet significant addition.

HD: Sonntag was probably a good advertisement for winkers. He came to us as a tried horse and had had blinkers on at each start. I like to start the tried horses as a blank canvas just to see what makes them tick. Rather than being disingenuous and needing blinkers I felt that he just wanted to relax and stay, and then would probably want winkers/blinkers on later to spark him up a bit once he got to his right trip. We put winkers on prior to him easily winning a 3YO race at Caulfield and then they stayed on for the Derby in Queensland. In more recent times I felt he may have been getting a bit complacent so we did a bit of schooling over jumps with the blinkers on, then applied them on raceday so the horse would associate the blinkers with jumping/doing something different, which generally sparks them up a bit.

TG: First time I put blinkers on Spirit Of Boom he bolted in by 7L at his second start. At his debut he loomed up to win but his mind started to wander so we thought we'd put a set of shades on him at his next go. We raced him in blinkers after that and he just raced too aggressively. Unless he was in races where there was plenty of speed and he could settle off the pace. he just kept over-racing. So we went back to nothing, and then we went to winkers and that seemed to be the right fit for him.

The addition of winkers to Preferment prior to the Derby was a masterstroke from Chris. His staying prowess probably shone through that day, but the winkers were a simple yet significant addition.

liam prior

First time I put blinkers on Spirit Of Boom he bolted in by 7L at his second start.

Tony Gollan

The steely gaze of a galloper ready to race.

Q7: Can you think of a time when you've applied a gear change and the horse has resented it completely?

LP: Blinkers on a horse that isn't ready for them. I don't recall when one has backfired in recent memory, but horses that don't have a class edge on their rivals and over-race will seldom win.

HD: Most of the time you'll try whatever you're going to use on raceday in a jumpout/trial or at least gallops prior to racing. Often times a crossover nose band can contribute to them missing the start, as can blinkers, particularly if it's the first time they've raced in them.

TG: Not one particular instance but colts can be tricky. Sometimes you want to encourage them with a bit of head gear but you don't want them over-racing either. It's a bit of a balancing act with particularly inexperienced horses. You know from trackwork whether a horse is comfortable in the gear that has been applied or not.

Horses that don't have a class edge on their rivals and over-race will seldom win.

Liam Prior

Q8: Are there any quirks with gear changes and certain breeds? i.e. Many punters seem to love blinkers on a Zabeel

LP: Not really, blinkers on Zabeel horses don't always have the desired effect every time. Zabeels will improve sharply over ground. Perhaps if the correlation between the step up in trip and blinkers for Zabeels was measured it may provide a result that is different from what most think. I'm not saying they don't work, all I am suggesting is that these horses have a superior staying prowess. Blinkers first time and being gelded are significant changes to a horse but the market can also overreact to these. With that said gelded is a significant change and one worth following for a horse.

HD: There are a few breeds out there that should be sold with a crossover and tongue tie to help their breathing, and possibly a voucher for throat surgery however I won't name them.

TG: The Show a Heart breed seem to really like winkers. Certain breeds that are known to have difficulty breathing are often associated with crossover nose bands.