MY CALL - SYDNEY'S SUPER SPLURGE, BUT NSW WILL SOON FIND OUT THAT MONEY CAN'T BUY EVERYTHING
By David Fowler | Tuesday, November 19, 2013
David Fowler is the principal thoroughbred caller for Radio TAB. David, who is a keen form student and punter, has enjoyed a lifetime involvement in the racing media. His personal blog, ‘My Call’, appears exclusively on HRO.
Sydney's big splurge next Autumn will have absolutely zero effect on Brisbane's Winter Carnival.
I forget the amount of millions being spent on 10 "Championship" races over two Saturdays next April at Royal Randwick as the Harbour City tries to buy its way to the top.
I'm not negative on the concept. It's good to see the New South Wales Government putting their hand in their deep pockets, realising the value of the racing industry to the economy.
But money can't buy everything … yet Sydney vainly hopes it will.
The same has happened in the trotting industry as the New South Wales Harness Racing Club has tried to bully the other states with their race-fields windfall after being maligned for so long.
Their much criticised Inter Dominion revamp was a selfish exercise and it failed on so many fronts this year but they blunder on with the cash to keep their new found power.
But that's a story for another day.
It's never mattered what the Golden Slipper is worth. The best field will always be assembled. It's the prestige that is paramount although the cash is welcome.
The $4 million Queen Elizabeth will be a little different because as a staying race, the lure will be there to attract international horses.
Do racegoers flock to the Melbourne Cup to see these raiders from overseas? Not in the slightest.
So we have an obscene amount of dollars thrown at two days for a very select percentage of the horse population.
This exercise will hope to challenge the aura and the success of Melbourne's Spring Carnivial, particularly Cup week.
Well that's in the hundreds and drifting. Nothing will challenge Melbourne in the Spring. Repeat, nothing!
But if you've got it, flaunt it. And at the moment Sydney has got plenty of it. Money as well!
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Some Brisbane enthusiasts were up in arms after the Championships announcement, fearing it as a direct onslaught on our carnival in May and June.
Please!
It's high time we recognised our Carnival is now one to accommodate the A minus or B tier in the established ranks.
And there's nothing wrong with that, as has been clearly shown in recent years.
Yet our Carnival also offers a great base for progressive horses, particularly in the two and three-year-old ranks.
Many of these are lightly-raced, developing their talent as a juvenile or honing their staying ability as a three-year-old.
Zoustar and Hawkspur are outstanding illustrations from this year, launching their now established stardom in our features.
Our carnival serves an important purpose in the whole scheme of things and the Sydney extravaganza will not alter that.
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While Sydney's two Saturdays in April won't get within a bulls roar of Melbourne in the Spring, the Autumn is a different matter.
Connections of our best sprinters and stayers are unlikely to tackle both Melbourne and Sydney.
Races like the Newmarket, Australian Guineas and Australian Cup could suffer as a result of Sydney's big money injection.
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Can I put in an early request ?
Bring the Brisbane Cup back to two miles.
Some backroom deal was executed a few years ago to chop the Cup back to 2400m to preserve its Group 2 status.
Two mile races are like hen's teeth these days yet they still retain their mystique.
What a grand end to Super Saturday at Eagle Farm with a two mile Brisbane Cup.
Over to you BRC and RQ.
Until next week.
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