KRONE SHIFTS COURSE AS THE NEW 'THE INVITATION' RACE ALREADY ROCKS THE RACING VICTORIA BOAT

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, July 21, 2021

The Invitation, a new $2 million race for Fillies and Mares which was only announced by Racing NSW at the end of last week, is already starting to have an influence on trainers and owner’s consideration of their race program for any well performed fillies and mares they have in their care.

As the name indicates, The Invitation is by invitation only so connections who take aim at the race must have a lively contender under their care as the race for a place in the field is likely to be as competitive as the race itself.

The Tony Gollan trained Krone is one who meets that criteria having won all of the Magic Millions Three-year-old Fillies and Mares, the Group 2 Guy Walter Stakes and the Group 1 Coolmore Classic in her last campaign.

If invited, Krone’s connections have confirmed that the mare will then sidestep the Empire Rose in Melbourne, which was her initial target before the Racing NSW announcement, in favour of The Invitation.

Gollan immediately recognised The Invitation as being the perfect fit for Krone and part-owner Steve Travaglia told Racing.com, "Fillies and mares, weight-for-age and over a preferred 1400 metres with more of a chance of a wet track in Sydney than Melbourne ... it's right up her alley."

With The Invitation scheduled to take place on October 23, the news out of the Krone camp is not good for Racing Victoria who host the Empire Rose Stakes a week later … with both races essentially trying to attract the same pool of runners.

When Racing NSW announced the new race, Racing Victoria’s response was that they believed it would not impact the entries for The Empire Rose. The response of Krone’s connections already shows that will not be the case.

The Empire Rose (which is also for Fillies and Mares but 1600m) has Group 1 status, but comes in at $1 million in prize-money, half of that on offer in The Invitation (1400m).

Whether it is a question of ‘money talks’ or not, Racing NSW is again well and truly rocking the Melbourne boat which sails on tradition.

Some don’t like it. Some do … but, for those racing participants whose horses get an invite, the new race does give the option of another big windfall, and few can begrudge them the chance of taking up the offer.