The nominations for the Dubai World Cup carnival were released earlier this week and, for the first time in recent years, not one Australian or New Zealand horse was among entries for the world’s richest racecard. Not one.
It makes sense – why travel to Dubai, despite their remarkably rich races, when you can target races here that may not be worth as much but are far easier to win?
Perhaps it’s the first big indicator that Racing NSW’s The Championships is likely to be a success of sorts, getting the best that Australasia has to offer.
That said, there were a number of hints already – for example, a weakened Orr Stakes that was light on numbers.
However, while there will be a lot of back-patting at Racing NSW, it seems it will only be to the detriment of the Australian racing industry that we won’t be represented at what is widely considered the world’s best meeting.
Australians are a parochial bunch. We’re willing to believe our racing product is among the best in the world, when really, it is struggling to keep up with the growing Asian monster.
Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore are all quickly moving past Australia, both in terms of turnover and interest.
We’re steadfast in our belief that Australia’s horses can match the best in the world on any given day, but apart from our sprinters and the random topliner, we are no match for the Europeans.
It’s the Americans that have always been criticised for their insular nature – lasix, the dismissal of turf racing, a belief that the Breeders’ Cup is the world championships of racing. But Australia’s industry is slowly moving down the same path.
In an era of international racing, where warhorses like Red Cadeaux run in seven countries in a year, it seems absurd that Australia seems to be turning its back on the world stage – only hoping others visit while not travelling to global carnivals.
Sadly, Australia has been wide of the mark on so many occasions. Our sprinters are world-class, but beyond a mile we struggle to measure up.
In the last 15 years, other than our sprinters, only our topliners have managed to win against the world’s best.
This could change if we had more trainers with the conviction and the ambition to succeed abroad. But so many are of the opinion that Australia’s racing is the best in the world, so why travel?
It sounds more like ‘we can’t be bothered travelling’. Parochialism to the fore.
Soon the day will come when an Australian trainer decides to forego local riches for a crack at the world’s best. I hope when that happens they are applauded, not derided.
Australian administrators must learn you can’t expect to attract the world’s best if you don’t travel your horses abroad too. It’s a simple give-and-take proposition.
Put it this way – we don’t want to end up with the same syndrome as American racing. Otherwise, you might as well sound the Last Post now.
Big Philou was at the centre of one of racing’s biggest scandals when he was poisoned and scratched minutes before the 1969 Melbourne Cup as a heavy favourite. He joins The Roar more than four decades later to give his take on racing and maybe create some more controversy.
Simoc
Guest
Mostly the answer is Cost vs Reward. If you have a champion horse it is great to show them off.
Sammy
Guest
Ah...so I am right. He was no longer majority owned by Americans when he actually travelled. He was as Aussie as Apple Pie. Thanks for clarifying for me. Cheers
Mark from Derby
Guest
Sorry Sammy, I think I am 100 percent right. The original american owners wanted to take Animal Kingdom over to Dubai in 2012 but the horse got injured. They were all for him going in 2013 as well even though John Messara had the biggest slice of him. I know. John told me.
Sammy
Guest
I think your half right Mark. He was an american horse, but was purchased by Australian connections to campaign in Dubai and Europe to enhance his stud value. Hard to know if he would travelled had he not been sold to those guys?
Mark From Derby
Guest
Americans insular? Dubai World Cup? Animal Kingdom an American horse won the race last year! Big Philou you are a clown!!
Drew H
Guest
Equality must be considered in any public event. If not, people will not join in and play. I put it to the RBA to issue new money through horse racing but they said that there needs to be more assets backing money than horse racing can offer. Silly people approach horse racing believing that they can win from it more than its gross worth. Others in the industry sight the money first, then figure out how to milk it. Perhaps there are hiccups occasionally and a horse needs to be delisted, like stocks on the share market. Commission agents are best for punt pools. Why did the tote start offering fixed price betting? Do the tote approximates get tweeked these days or are they true to totalization? Once apon a time people complained about the fluc that occured after the jump. The big windfall for bookmakers suggest that 'all in' betting was big in 69. (Caulfield Cup - Melbourne Cup double perhaps) Can we use the word 'nobbled' again? It is vocative to Bart.
Luke Andrews
Guest
Gai has shown interest in taking him to Royal Ascot, possibly even aiming at the Gold Cup. Not sure about that now, I think it is see how he gets through the Autumn that will decide.
Luke Andrews
Guest
Yeah I should have added NZ to that group. I kind of forgot about them! But it is the same thing as happens here; HK and Sing. buyers are at MM and Inglis sales, as well as snapping up promising horses. It's the same point, the major breeding countries are making money selling horses to major betting countries with no land for their own industry. It will be interesting to see the effects of the high NZD has on their industry. It makes their prizemoney more competitive, as cited by Gai as her rationale for taking Travolta over; but makes their yearlings less attractive to international buyers from a price perspective. As for the not traveling I think most agree that the major reason is the increased level of prizemoney here. It is interesting that Royal Ascot always gets the best sprinters despite the prizemoney being no higher than the Stradbroke's $1million. King's Stand Stakes- 350 000 pounds Diamond Jubilee- 500 000 pounds As well as the top horses not going to Asia, (Alcopop and Linton are good horse but not world class) the top trainers have also stopped going there. 15-20 years ago Bart was traveling to Japan and HK, winning the Mile with Catalan Opening. If the prizemoney is still good, and it isn't too bad a fit with a spring campaign why are they not going like they used to? There certainly isn't the appetite to race horses (you are right about the jockey's) in Hong Kong that there was. There has to be a reason/s?
sheek
Roar Guru
Big Philou, the talking horse? Gee, you're getting on now, coming up to 49 years old this year! I trust there were no ill-affecting side effects from being nobbled as the hot Melbourne Cup favourite back in 1969. Most importantly, it would have given my favourite jockey Roy 'Professor' Higgins his third cup, but it didn't happen. I reckon you would have won, giving Bart four cups in five years. Anyway, it didn't happen but Bart overcame that setback. I agree Australia has the best variety of racing in the world, although it's rapidly disappearing as sprints & quick returns (breeding cycle) occupy the minds of owners in a hurry to a fortune, breeders eager to please & administrators after a quick buck.
Scuba
Guest
Actually a huge number of the horses running in HK and Singapore are bred in NZ. They buy a lot at Karaka and the other sales and, given the hopeless prizemoney across the ditch, many horses are snapped up by Asian interests if they manage to win a race or 2 early on. Horses don't go to Japan because the money situation has changed. 20 years ago the Japan Cup was the richest race in the world and some absolute superstars of Australian (and NZ) racing ran there - since Australian prizemoney has caught up (and surpassed) Japan, it's no real surprise that that race is no longer a target (added to the fact that Japanese horses have come ahead in leaps and bounds during that period and the Japan Cup is no longer constantly won by foreign horses). I don't agree with you about HK though. The Janiak thing I think is irrelevant. Plenty of Aussie jockeys there now so they haven't exactly been scared off by Munce going to the big house. Linton was there in 2013 (and 18 Australian horses were nominated). Alcopop was there in 2012. Buffering is likely to go this year. Obviously our middle distance horses are less likely to go because they can target the big 3 here, but the prizemoney is very tempting in the Sprint and particularly the Mile. It was about 22 degrees and not at all humid last year also. One thing that has surprised me about Dubai is not so much the lack of our Group 1 horses going there but rather the G3 types. Tony Noonan had great success there with Benedetti and, given the prizemoney available in the "mid-range" type races in Dubai I thought more would follow in his footsteps.
peeeko
Roar Guru
exactly Luke, why would you leave when there is huge prizemoney over the next 2 months in Sydney?
Aransan
Guest
One would think Fiorente would measure up to world class but I haven't heard of any plans for him to resume racing in Europe, or to race in the US or Japan. Fiorente also is the son of a very important stallion, Monsun, who has passed away and you would think he would be in much greater demand as a stallion in Europe than here.
Scuba
Guest
They've had fairly limited success with the horses sent to Dubai. A lot have vanished off the face of the earth. Retrieve is now running (poorly) in hurdles in the UK. Long John and Paximadia make their UAE debuts tonight.
Luke Andrews
Guest
As for why we don't travel our horses as much as those in other jurisdictions, I think you answered your own question in the article; "Our sprinters are world-class, but beyond a mile we struggle to measure up. In the last 15 years, other than our sprinters, only our topliners have managed to win against the world’s best" So it makes sense, that if the industry has all bar conceeded that our middle distance and staying horses aren't up to the International standard, that we focus on what we are good at; sprinter-milers. The Sydney Autumn now has the richest sprint in the world, and the richest turf mile in the world. The turf sprint in Dubai, Al Quoz Sprint is worth $1MUS, if I owned the best sprinter in OZ I would target the TJ, costs/risks are much lower and the prizemoney dwarfs the Dubai race. However, it has only been a group 1 since 2012, and Ortensia won it that year. It's not like we have ignored it. But the revamp of the Syd Autumn means the prizemoney is here for what we are good at. It's interesting to note that we have already got a quality European horse coming for the TJ despite the quarantine debacle. Some decent diplomacy, and a touch of common sense would result in horses being able to run in both carnivals and thus elevating both.I remain ever hopeful! Why would you travel your middle distance horse when it is doubtful you will measure up? Sammy above said it costs $120 000 to go to Europe for a month where the prizemoney is low but the prestige is high. Their prizemoney for sprinters is even lower, but we go every year because it equals breeding dollars. BC went for the challenge and to fullfil owners dreams. You need a serious horse, and a reason to travel that far. Also, individual countries have produced reasons not to go. The tracks in Japan are too hard for most horses, and Australians have stopped taking horses to Hong Kong since Joe Janiak and Takeover Target received shabby treatment, not to mention the Chris Munce gaoling. It's also ridiculously humid and after our horses have peaked. We do still go to Singapore though; and that Bel Sprinter got so close to an International Grp 1 only highlights the depth of our sprinters. Australia has become a quality niche market, accept it. Also Australia is part of that "Asian Monster." Where do you think Hong Kong and Singapore horses are breed? Australia and Japan. We are making money off their success.
Scuba
Guest
"The very best of Japan and or Europe, ie Treve, Gentildonna and company will never visit these shores no matter how many horses Aussie trainers send up there." This is exactly right. Too bad attracting the world's best was one of the ATC's stated aims when announcing the Championships.
Scuba
Guest
More like Lucky Nine was talked up by our media as being the world's best sprinter outside Black Caviar. Track down the videos of Lord Kanaloa thrashing Lucky Nine two years in a row in Lucky Nine's own backyard if you need proof.
Drew H
Guest
ummm, We do sort our list of best horses very well - don't we? None get forgotten or miss the opportunity? We also like to keep our best close to us. I don't know if it's about the market, perhaps they don't go up in value much after going OS. Administration is an interesting affair, local and international. What do the administrators talk about?
Bondy
Guest
I think she'll run ten on her ear, Mares who've recently won a Cox Plate include Pinker Pinker and Dane Ripper both over $20 to one shots .
Luke Andrews
Guest
Have any of the Darley horses been a success when they get to Dubai? Depending how the Autumn goes, if Guelph stays racing and in Australia I think they would go after the Cox Plate instead. We will find out soon enough if she runs 2000m@WFA. I believe she will, she is a special talent who gives the impression the trip and the class rise won't be a problem.
Bondy
Guest
Matthew Donedeal also rolled Atlantic Jewel second up as well, I dont think his constitution could handle an Arc I dont think staying is he's problem either, he's been heavily in commision for those failures too.