Clash of dates bad for racing
VICTORIAN Racing Minister Martin Pakula has expressed “bemusement” with Racing NSW’s latest attack on the Melbourne spring carnival, saying the decision to schedule its new $7.5 million race The Golden Eagle at Rosehill on Derby Day was not in the best interests of the sport.
Pakula also took a swipe at Racing Australia’s inability to stop “the cannibalisation” of the racing product between the state racing jurisdictions.
While he doesn’t expect Sydney’s lucrative race for four-year-olds to negatively impact on the quality of Flemington’s Derby Day program — making his criticism appear even more bizarre — he was frustrated by the decision to provide yet another major interstate clash with one of the great race meetings on the Australian sporting calendar.
That’s despite the record crowds and turnover generated by The Everest-Caulfield Guineas day in both NSW and Victoria this year.
“My reaction … was more bemusement than anything else, to be honest,” Pakula said on RSN 927.
“I don’t have a huge amount of concern, to be honest. The concept of a race that might play a role in keeping horses racing at four is a good one, it is a valid concept, (but) why you would put it on Derby Day is a bit beyond me, to be frank. I don’t think it will have any impact on the Flemington carnival at all, it might take a horse or two out of the Kennedy Mile conceivably. If horses are down for the spring carnival anyway, it is hardly likely they would head back and forward.”
He said NSW Racing would have gained “more bang for putting it at some other time but frankly that is a matter for them”.
He failed to make mention of Victoria’s recently announced All Star Mile concept, which will compete with Sydney’s autumn carnival and was praised by Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys.
Pakula also said it was unfair to make trainers, jockeys and owners have to choose between the two states.
“Peter talks about competition, there is nothing wrong with competition, but collaboration is important as well,” he said.