Golden Eagle’s promotion proves racing must embrace change
The Asian Racing Federation boosted the Golden Eagle to Group 1 status and lifted another 18 races black type status, proving the Field Of Dreams adage – “build it and they will come”.
The Sydney spring used to be a lead-in into the showcase of Melbourne, but since racefields, the funding model has made change essential.
Everyone used to benefit from Melbourne when funding was based on TAB turnover, but now the biggest funder of the racing industry is corporate bookmakers with the majority of money returning to the state of origin of meetings.
Racing NSW chief executive, Peter V’landys, safeguarded the industry future by winning the racefields fight with John Messara by his side.
He then recognised that the spring had to change if NSW was going to keep its slice of the pie.
October and November are the only times of the year when racing is the focus of the sporting calendar.
What started with The Everest, the best innovation in racing this century anywhere in the world, has morphed into a carnival of races for more than $80 million in prizemoney.
Horses have followed the money and with more options, Sydney has become a destination in spring rather than a prequel.
There is no doubt that Golden Eagle deserved Group 1 status given the race in its short history has delivered Group 1 winners in Australia and around the world.
It was a logical decision, but commentary around pop-up races is ill-conceived as they are now part of the racing fabric.
The pattern had to reflect that and now does.
The idea of pattern is to evolve. Australian racing has undergone a realignment in the spring in the past decade, and the pattern reflects that after the changes announced last week, which only are until December.
While there was only one downgrade this time, expect when the changes to the second half of the year are announced in due course, there will be several races that will not maintain their status.
Australia is an international racing epicentre when you consider the breeding industry is a melting pot of European and Japanese shuttle stallions as well as champion Australians like Extreme Choice and I Am Invincible.
The idea Australia was going to be downgraded to Blue Book 2 was a furphy as breeding powers Coolmore, Godolphin and Yulong all make a living out of Australian breeding.
The industry needs to pull together rather than being ripped apart by infighting focused on personal attacks.
The next move for the spring will be to come together with a national approach that highlights our best horses racing against each other.
That will depend on Victoria and NSW becoming more collaborative and understanding racing is stronger as one rather than one against many.
Telstra costs Martin an oh so big windfall
Horseman Tim Martin celebrated a Canterbury victory with Oh Arthur, while at the same time was robbed by the Telstra outage last Wednesday.
Martin’s familiar silks speared away for an easy win at $26 without a hint of money that usually accompanies a horse in those colours.
“He‘s a jet, and we knew it,” Martin said with some lament. “You only had to see his trial.”
Oh Arthur, trained by Martin’s partner Lucy Longmire, had won a Goulburn barrier trial by 8-3/4 lengths in smart time last month, prompting the confidence to go to $100,000 Super Maiden.
“I had put a couple of grand into a [betting] account to have on him, but when I got to Canterbury the phones weren’t working,” Martin explained.
“I thought of going into the ring and having a bet, but in the end a mate had $500 for me, because his phone was with Optus.
“It wasn’t what I was going to have on him. He wouldn’t have started $26 if I had my bet.”
Oh Arthur put more than two lengths into his rivals, and being Goulburn-trained is likely to go to a Highway next, with Martin believing the Kosciuszko could be his race this spring.
“He is very good, and he is only going to improve from that first-up win, but he still does a lot wrong, like me,” Martin said.
“We get to race for good money in a Highway in a couple of weeks, and the dream is the big money in Kosi because I think he is that good.”
It’s not often that a Deauville winner carries Hawkesbury barrier trial form.
Enter Primetime Emmy, which swept away to a couple of length debut win in France on Sunday, as part of an experiment by Matthew Sandbolm with his super stallion Extreme Choice.
Primetime Emmy and Extreme Dream, which are bred to Northern Time, were prepared by Matt Vella at Hawkesbury and trialled on March 23 before heading to France.
“I just wanted to try something different with Extreme Choice to show him off to Europe,” Sandbolm said.
“I thought why not try to breed to Northern time with him with a couple of proven mares. Extreme Dream is a sister to Emirate, while Primetime Emmy is a half-sister to Thurlow.
“We got them up to having a trial here and got James McDonald went out to ride them, so we could get his opinion.
“We had thought Extreme Dream was the one, but J-Mac got off Primetime Emmy and said she was very nice.
“They left a couple of weeks later for France.”
Chantilly trainer Francis Graffard allowed the pair to get over the trip from Australia and has high hopes Primetime Emmy in next month’s Group 3 Prix de Cabourg at Deauville, which traditionally leads into Group 1 contests.
“She will come on for that. I hope I did [enter in the Prix de Cabourg] now,” Graffard said.
“An owner-breeder Matthew Sandblom, who loves Extreme Choice, wanted to prove the stallion is a champion, he is already in Australia, so he gave me this challenge to receive two fillies, northern hemisphere [time] bred.
“This one recently she was really picking up, she looks really well and her work went very well, pleasingly at home, so it’s good.
“I think I have a lot of improvement to come with her, so interesting filly to follow.”
One for the punters
There was no money for Miraval Rose in the John Monash Stakes on the weekend but her surging effort late to run fourth suggests she is in for a good campaign. Her second and third-up stats suggest she gets better with a run under her belt and is one to follow in coming weeks.
One from the stewards
The very deep ground at Randwick on Saturday, meant many did not handle the conditions. These were noted by stewards and should be forgiven – Rebel Shield, Ultimate Warrior, Concoction, Tom Cruising, So Rebellious, Sacrify, Amplify, Ivy Legend, Rotagilla, Concordia Wind and Aye Aye Captain.
One for the bookies
Defensemen had every chance to win the Randwick opener on Saturday but couldn’t get past a $51 outsider. He will start in the market at his next couple but will be one to avoid.
