As it is their natual gait, trotters generally wear little 'gear' to keep them in gait, and hence they are likely to gallop if unsettled or checked. The ability to trot consistantly throughout races is a highly sought after attribute in such horses. Trotting is the slightly slower gait. Cats, camels and giraffe's are the only animals to pace naturally. In this gait, the legs on one side of the body move forward OR backward simultaneously.
Pacing is the faster, and higher money earning version of the sport.
Nearly all races are in the anti-clockwise direction, a notable exception is Auckland's Alexandra Park. In Standing Start races, runners stand behind elastic tapes which are stretched across the track, and then released to start the race. This method is used to hold handicap races. Horses are more likely to gallop away from standing starts, and hence must be on their best behaviour to settle into their gait quickly. When in the starting position, these gates reach across the track to the other, which is 8 horses wide at Moonee Valley.