First night grand final firms as favourite to follow Cox Plate
RACING is pushing the AFL towards its first night Grand Final.
Moonee Valley Racing Club yesterday declared its preference to run a daytime Cox Plate on Saturday, October 24.
The new 17-round footy season plus finals would, if not interrupted, conclude with the premiership decider on the same day.
“The date and time of the 2020 AFL Grand Final is yet to be confirmed,” an AFL spokesman said last night. “Our focus up until this point has been getting the season restarted on June 11 and completing the remaining 144 games.
“The dates of the four-week finals series will be determined over the course of the season.”
A pre-finals bye weekend, if retained, would push the Grand Final into a clash with Derby Day at Flemington on October 31.
Another option would be to condense the season and play the grand final on October 17.
Complicating matters is the NRL Grand Final is scheduled for Sunday, October 25.
A night AFL Grand Final following the running of the 100th Cox Plate at The Valley looms the most likely option.
Moonee Valley Racing Club chief executive Michael Browell said the club had told the AFL and broadcaster Channel 7 its preferred option was to run a noon-6pm Cox Plate program.
“It’s a $100 million wagering day just for Moonee Valley and in a year where it’s potentially our only commercial revenue, we have locked in our preference to retain our traditional daytime program,” Browell said.
“We’ve had conversations with the AFL and the Sports Minister Martin Pakula has said that Moonee Valley would have first pick of the timeslot.
“I’m told the AFL confirmed on Monday that October 24 was to be grand final day, so those preliminary discussions we had last week now need to be progressed.
“At least the AFL is now aware that is the race club’s preferred position.”
The Cox Plate was run at 4.55pm last year, and at 5pm the previous three years.
On Tuesday, Pakula said priority for scheduling would likely go to the Cox Plate.
TENSIONS are rising in racing circles over continued delays in confirming the spring racing calendar.
The financial benefits of crowds attending and increased wagering by racing away from the large shadow of AFL finals could defeat the tradition of established racing patterns in determining how the Spring Carnival looks in 2020.
A 30-person working party, formed to oversee all elements of racing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, will meet again today, when plans for a revamped racing calendar will take a big step forward.
While many trainers support pushing the Caulfield Cup, Caulfield Guineas and Toorak Handicap into November — after the Melbourne Cup — not all are on the same page and there is some anxiety, given the program is usually locked in by March.
Around 14 meetings and up to 50 races with tens of millions of dollars in prizemoney could be affected.
Racing Victoria (RV) ultimately has the final say on the schedule but nothing has been confirmed for the next racing season, which begins on August 1.
“The have been waiting, waiting, waiting to see if they can get crowds, what’s happening in Europe, but we’re almost at the 11th hour,” an insider said.
“Some are saying, ‘Go with it’, others are saying, ‘No’. It’s a bit of a dog’s breakfast.”
Australian Trainers Association (ATA) chief executive Andrew Nichols said the “very latest” that his members needed to know was by the second week of June.
An RV board meeting on Tuesday thrashed out a proposed calendar, keeping the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup carnivals in their traditional spots but moving the Caulfield Cup to November 28. But no resolutions were made.
Stakeholders including the ATA and Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners' Association will be briefed on RV discussions today.
Each will formalise their thoughts and it’s hoped the process for approval will be swift.
The full Australian racing program is also under review by Racing Australia, prompted by the inclusion of new races like The Everest in Sydney and continued clashes between states.