THE SUNSHINE COAST NEWSPAPER COLUMN: THE TWO SIDES TO THE ALL STAR MILE STORY

By Graham Potter | Sunday, February 17, 2019

Graham Potter writes a weekly column for the Sunshine Coast daily. Due to demand from those having trouble accessing the paper these columns are now also published on HRO courtesy of the Sunshine Coast daily.

The $5 million All Star Mile is the only race in Australia in which voters, from any walk of life, get to choose the bulk of the final field. The top ten horses who draw the popular vote, which officially closes on Monday, will secure a place in the fourteen strong line-up which will include four ‘wildcards’ selected by Racing Victoria.

The race will take place on March 16 at Flemington.

The voting number has already surpassed 100 000 and a late flurry can be anticipated. Already there has been plenty of lobbying for support promoting the cause of certain runners with the added incentive for those who vote to be eligible for a spot as an Owner / Ambassador for the horse they voted for and a personal share in a $500 000 pool which will be paid out to the Owner / Ambassadors. The first prize there is $250 000.

That alone makes it worth posting an entry.

But, as inclusive as it is for racegoers, just how does the concept stack up?

Will the most popular horses in terms of the voting outcome really be the most popular horses or will they merely be the horses with the most connections or with the connections who have the most family and friends … and friends of friends.

Just to be able to legitimately ask that question certainly puts the ‘All Star’ part of the race description under a cloud and it begs another question. Should such a level of prize money be allocated to a field largely selected on such a shaky formula?

On the other side of the equation, creating interest in racing outside the square is a ‘must do’ for racing administrators in a challenging time for the industry. So, it can be said, a new concept should always be welcome until it is tried and tested at which time further decisions on its viability and acceptability can be made.

It’s early days for this one and, as pointed out in giving the two sides of the story, the jury is still out on the vote as to whether the All Star Mile is a good idea or not.

Either way (and you have to remember the rules were clear-cut going into this venture) it is going to be a big day out, even a life changing day, for some connections on March 16 and those winners will then tell you it is the best idea to hit racing for a long time.