Racing Museum could be set to be scratched
Australia’s Racing Museum, based at the MCG, could be set to close.
Betsy has been told it costs the industry more than $600,000 a year to run the museum – an extraordinary amount of money – and that closure is on the cards.
While the museum is worthwhile, apparently interest hasn’t been anywhere strong enough to justify the expense.
The decision to close or shift the museum is purely financial. The lease is due to come to an end mid this year and Racing Victoria has said no decision has been made with discussions to occur over the coming months. But sources told Betsy the chances of it remaining are long and there is little support for it to remain under the current conditions.
Racing Victoria, we’re told, even tried to exit their lease early with the MCG years ago given the cost, but couldn’t. Racing Victoria continue to pick up the cost for the maintenance of all exhibits too.
The museum of course moved to the MCG from Federation Square in Melbourne in 2010 and is well worth a visit.
Word is that the VRC, previously, had expressed an interest in housing some kind of offering. At $600k a year, why wouldn’t you?!
Memsie on par with the Cox Plate? Not as silly as it sounds
One result from the much debated [and in certain quarters, hated] results from the Longines top 100 races was the inclusion of the Memsie Stakes at 32. If the Moonee Valley board had a room to sit in at the moment, they would have been surely shocked to read that the Memsie rated exactly the same as ‘Australia’s Best Race’, as the Valley calls it. We’re talking of the Cox Plate of course, the time honoured race won again last year by Via Sistina.
Now the 2025 Memsie winner, Treasurethe Moment is a worthy Group 1 star, and beat a decent field that included Mr Brightside, Buckaroo and Fangirl. A decent line up worthy of recognition.
Treasurethe Moment of course finished third in the Cox Plate, which happened to be Via Sistina’s last race, which she held on to win.
A few might remember that it was only a few years ago that the Memsie was being looked at as a problem by Racing Victoria. Even though it technically sits in the Spring Carnival, it has raced during winter. Some wanted it moved to a later date for impact, others liked where it sat for the pattern.
As an aside, it’ll be fascinating to see what the Cox Plate’s move to Flemington will do to the 2026 field. You could argue the long Flemington straight might attract more interest and a full field?
No doubt something the Valley crew discussed as they all made their way to Pakenham on Friday night to watch their Group 2 Australia Stakes…
Don’t use that word, champ
The emotions that flowed following Well Written’s victory in New Zealand are fair enough. Her win was definitely eye catching. Betsy’s Chris Roots was one to try and cool everyone’s jets, though, arguing she didn’t beat much and is no champion and shouldn’t be called as such.
But it hasn’t stopped a few rightly spruiking what she can and could do. New Zealand Bloodstock managing director Andrew Seabrook said it could be the country’s best horse since Sunline. We hope he’s right, but we’ll bookmark it just in case.
My colleague Matt Welsh causally mentioned post his hot-mat Pilates on Wednesday morning she will be ‘the best in Australasia by the end of 2026-27’. We’ll keep that receipt too.
There are plenty of good horses that never lived up to their hype – remember when a few said Espiona could be the next Winx?
NZB CEO @ASeabrookNZB thinks Well Written may be the country’s best since the great Sunline!
What is the ceiling of this 3yo filly?@KarakaChat | @SENGiddyUp pic.twitter.com/KDv5pn3GRl
— SENTrack (@SEN_track) January 26, 2026
Talking about comparisons….
This incredible finish from Tasrevich, trained by John Sargent, reminded us of another famous sprinter who, despite poor barrier manners, had a devastating finish. Apparently a small amount of money was traded at Betfair on Tasrevich at $940, who somehow beat Cosmic Avenger who traded as short as $1.04. Don’t feel sorry for the team behind Cosmic Avenger either – Sargent trains him too.
Tsarevich produces an incredible finish to win Race 5 at @kemblaraces! 🔥@jsargentracing @MollyBourke7 pic.twitter.com/lRymHaGyVU
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 28, 2026
Hot topic that makes no sense
Much of the country sat through scorching conditions across the weekend. Caulfield hit around 39c while Morphetville was actually called off because of the hot weather.
Now meetings are often changed or shifted because of welfare concerns for both horse, participant and punter on track. But what’s the rule? Is there a temperature reading that the administrators go by? Surely a national approach is needed.
Racing Victoria were right to move their races forward, but was it enough? Temperatures were still predicted to be at their worst on Saturday when the final race was to be run and won. Not to mention those runners, and staff, still had to travel home in the extreme heat. Jamie Melham congratulated South Australia for their move [at one stage they moved their meeting to much earlier in the day], which was to initially make their final race at 2.17pm to avoid the heat.
”Well done to Racing South Australia [for] taking the common sense approach moving there [sic] race times forward to beat the actual heat…”
What happened to innocent until…
The legal types will sort through the charges against Grant and Alana Williams, who are accused of providing one of their runners, Starry Heights, with Ritalin. Even those who commit horrendous crimes in this country are given the presumption of innocence. So why are the duo banned from racing? Surely the right thing by the industry, the Williams and their owners, is to let them operate while stewards’ investigate? If the duo are guilty, they deserve whatever punishment is deemed fit – but if they are innocent, what price have they already paid?
Young gun number 1
Never heard of Tumbarumba? It’s a tiny town around 480km on the edge of the NSW Snowy mountains. Never heard of Vini Donnelly? Chances are you will at some stage. The young race caller is set to call the races at Tumbarumba on the weekend and called at Queanbeyan recently. The 15 year-old learnt he had a talent when he started calling when he was 9, when a race on his TV at home went silent. His old man is a punter and picked up on his talent.
And one of the country’s premier race callers, Darren Flindell, reckons the kid has talent.
”I went back and listened to some of Vini’s calls at Queanbeyan on 26/12 and was very impressed,” Flindell posted on X.
”Gets through the runners accurately with ease at a good pace and has a decent voice that will only get better with age. Obviously will travel anywhere for an opportunity and would be great pick up for any country club.”
NZB CEO @ASeabrookNZB thinks Well Written may be the country’s best since the great Sunline!
What is the ceiling of this 3yo filly?@KarakaChat | @SENGiddyUp pic.twitter.com/KDv5pn3GRl
— SENTrack (@SEN_track) January 26, 2026
Young gun number 2
In terms of bloodlines, this one makes complete sense. Lizzie Jelfs’ daughter, Zara, picked up the mic for 7 Racing and killed it.
Magic Millions week with Zara 😍
Lizzie’s daughter headed to the Gold Coast for the big week, and it’s fair to say we have unearthed a future star 🌟 pic.twitter.com/QJaWscXM44
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) January 25, 2026
