The performances of Atlantic Jewel, More Joyous, Pierro, and, of course, Black Jewel, were the major highlights of an outstanding autumn period of horse racing in Australia.
But with thoughts now turning to the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival (with apologies to the Adelaide and Brisbane carnivals), Australian racing is at a crossroads.
And it has nothing to do with the horses I mentioned above.
It has more to do with the lack of class in the Australian stayers; the horses who run out the 3200m of the Melbourne Cup.
While Niwot’s win in the Sydney Cup was good, the question is, could Niwot repeat that performance at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November?
I’d say no.
And here’s why. The owners of prospective horses want sprinters that will win them the Blue Diamond and the Golden Slipper.
The Europeans produce stayers that has been very good and has been more of a challenge to the best Australian racing can provide. They also have a long-term plan for a horse, with the major goal of winning the Melbourne Cup.
Is it time Australian racing woke up to itself and start producing true-blue, fair dinkum Australian staying horses to meet the challenge of the European stayers?
Jason Cave
Guest
Interestingly enough, this year's Melbourne Cup had no-repeat no-NZ stayers running in the Cup, something you wouldn't thought possible 30 years ago.
I see clearly
Guest
The answer is for NZ to again breed and develop the stayers that have historicly been so successful. The answer is for the Stud farms there to invest in Staying stallions and not just stand them for Multinationational studs who will uplift them at will, when they are successful. That is the current pattern and already it is a failure for NZ and a huge short term financial success for the stallion owners. The cost toAus racing, NZ, and ultimatly the stallions is plain to see as the stallions usually fail when relocated to Australia. Long term there are no winners in this on going saga.
sledgeross
Guest
Yeah, we need to challenge the great horses by having longer races. I had a big query on More Joyous being able to run 2000m and backed Manighar instead. She ended up winning easily and looked like she could run 2500m. Its a shame no-one tested her round the back and on the bend, it was a pretty pedestrian pace.
sheek
Guest
Jason, Of course you're right. But like just about everything else, racing is short-sighted & concentrated on the short-term. Race a horse at only 2 & 3 years, win a couple of big sprints, retire to stud to procreate. Repeat cycle. Developing stayers requires patience & time, with no guarantee of reward. But does anything guarantee reward in racing except for the stud master's fees? When I first started following horse racing in the late 60s, there was a fine balance between stayers & sprinters, between handicaps & WFAers, & the 2 & 3 year old classics. There was variety in racing, & I reckon the sport was richer for that variety. To me it makes sense to return to that era, where the punter & the norse lover once again has that variety, which would make the sport even more popular & wealthy. But like a lot of things, racing's all about the short-term gain.....
Jason Cave
Guest
Excuse me mods, could you change the name of the horse in the opening paragraph of my story from Black Jewel to Black Caviar?